Hyliion Holdings Corp S-3, filed Feb 25, 2026
Hyliion Holdings Corp. (HYLN)
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2026
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Hyliion Holdings Corp.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)
| Delaware | 3713 | 83-2538002 | ||
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
(Primary Standard Industrial Classification Code No.) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
1202 BMC Drive, Suite 100
Cedar Park, Texas 78613
Tel: (833) 495-4466
(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant’s Principal Executive Offices)
Thomas Healy
Chief Executive Officer
Hyliion Holdings Corp.
1202 BMC Drive, Suite 100
Cedar Park, Texas 78613
Tel: (833) 495-4466
(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
Copies to:
Brenda Lenahan
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
1114 6th Avenue, 32nd Floor
New York, New York 10036
Tel: (212) 237-0000
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box: ☐
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box: ☒
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ☐
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box: ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer ☐ | Accelerated filer ☐ | Non-accelerated filer ☒ | Smaller reporting company ☒ |
| Emerging growth company ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment that specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
SUBJECT TO COMPLETION — DATED FEBRUARY 25, 2026
PROSPECTUS
Hyliion Holdings Corp.
$500,000,000
Common Stock
Preferred Stock
Debt Securities
Warrants
Units
From time to time, in one or more offerings, we may offer and sell (i) common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), (ii) preferred stock, (iii) debt securities, (iv) warrants and (v) units. We refer to the Common Stock, the preferred stock, the debt securities, the warrants and the units collectively as the “securities.” The aggregate initial offering price of all securities sold by us under this prospectus will not exceed $500,000,000.
We may offer and sell these securities on a delayed or continuous basis to or through one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, or directly to investors, in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined by market conditions and other factors at the time of the offering. This prospectus describes only the general terms of these securities and the general manner in which we may offer these securities. The specific terms of any securities we offer will, if not included in this prospectus or information incorporated by reference herein, be included in a supplement to this prospectus. The prospectus supplement may describe the specific manner in which we will offer these securities and also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.
We may amend or supplement this prospectus from time to time by filing amendments or supplements as required. You should read this entire prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference, and any amendments or supplements carefully before you make your investment decision.
Our Common Stock is listed on the NYSE American (the “NYSE American”) under the symbol “HYLN”. We will provide information in the related prospectus supplement for the trading market, if any, for any other securities that may be offered.
Investing in our securities involves risk. Please see the section entitled “Risk Factors” beginning on page 2 of this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before buying our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2026.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on the information provided in this prospectus, as well as the information incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectus. We are offering to sell these securities only in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date of the applicable document. Since the date of this prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed. We will disclose any material changes in our affairs in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the SEC incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement.
i
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we have filed with the SEC using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer and sell from time to time any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that are registered hereunder that may be offered by us. Each time we offer the securities, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that will describe, among other things, the specific amounts and prices of the securities being offered and the terms of the offering.
Any prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus with respect to that offering. If there is any inconsistency between the information in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, you should rely on the prospectus supplement or free writing prospectus, as applicable. Additional information, including our financial statements and the notes thereto, is incorporated in this prospectus by reference to our reports filed with the SEC. Please read “Where You Can Find More Information” below. You are urged to read this prospectus carefully, including “Risk Factors,” “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements,” and the documents incorporated by reference in their entirety before investing in our securities.
We have not authorized anyone to provide you with any information or to make any representations other than those contained in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement or any free writing prospectuses prepared by or on behalf of us or to which we have referred you. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We will not make an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement to this prospectus is accurate only as of the date on its respective cover, that the information appearing in any applicable free writing prospectus is accurate only as of the date of that free writing prospectus, and that any information incorporated by reference is accurate only as of the date of the document incorporated by reference, unless we indicate otherwise. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.
Unless the context indicates otherwise, references in this prospectus to the “Company,” “Hyliion,” “we,” “us,” “our” and similar terms refer to Hyliion Holdings Corp. and its consolidated subsidiaries (including Hyliion Inc.).
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CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus, any prospectus supplement delivered with this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement hereto are forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements regarding our strategy, prospects, plans, objectives, future operations, future revenue and earnings, projected margins and expenses, markets for our services, potential acquisitions or strategic alliances, financial position, and liquidity and anticipated cash needs and availability. The words “anticipates,” “believes,” “targets,” “should,” “contemplates,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “projects,” “will,” “would,” “potential,” “remains,” “continues,” “likely,” or variations of such words and similar expressions or the negatives thereof are intended to identify forward-looking statements. However, not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements represent our management’s expectations as of the date of the respective filing and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance and achievements or industry results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the forward-looking statements, and you should be aware that results and events could differ materially and adversely from those contained in the forward-looking statements due to a number of risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, the following:
| ● | our status as an early stage company with a history of losses and our expectation of incurring significant expenses and continuing losses for the foreseeable future; |
| ● | our ability to develop key commercial relationships with supplies and customers; |
| ● | the expected performance of the KARNO generator and system; |
| ● | the execution of the strategic shift from our powertrain business to our KARNO business; |
| ● | our ability to comply with governmental regulations related to defense spending and procurement; |
| ● | the suitability of our products for defense applications; |
| ● | analyses and other information based on expectations of future performance; |
| ● | inability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations or to obtain adequate financing to fund capital expenditures, meet our working capital requirements or fund planned investments; |
| ● | global economic, political and social conditions and financial markets; |
| ● | our ability to recruit and/or retain key members of our senior management, including Thomas Healy, and key technical employees; |
| ● | cyber-attacks and other security breaches of our information and technology systems; |
| ● | and the other risks and uncertainties described under the heading “Risk Factors” in our other SEC filings including any prospectus supplement delivered with this prospectus and in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (See Item 1A. Risk Factors), as supplemented by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. |
Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in or anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Readers are urged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this prospectus or as of the date of any prospectus supplement or the documents we incorporate by reference. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made throughout the entirety of this prospectus, any prospectus supplement delivered with this prospectus and the documents we incorporate by reference.
iii
The following is only a summary. Because it is a summary, it may not contain all of the information that may be important to you. Investing in our securities involves risks. We urge you to read the entire prospectus, including information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors” and our financial statements and other information included herein or incorporated by reference from our other filings with the SEC.
The Company
We are committed to creating innovative solutions that enable clean, efficient, and flexible electricity production while contributing positively to the environment in the energy economy. Our primary product offering, the KARNOTM Power Module, is a modular, fully enclosed, fuel-agnostic and fully integrated power generating solution. The KARNO Power Module is powered by KARNO Core, a heat powered linear generator, to produce electricity with significant improvements in efficiency, emissions and lifecycle cost compared to conventional generation technologies. Our KARNO Power Modules enable effective power generation using a wide range of fuel sources, including conventional fuels such as natural gas, propane or diesel, waste fuels such as landfill gas, wellhead gas, and zero carbon fuels such as renewable hydrogen and ammonia. We are initially targeting the datacenter, commercial, industrial, and defense sectors with a locally-deployable generator designed to meet a wide range of power generation needs. We plan to scale up our KARNO Power Module solution to address larger utility-scale power needs and to develop future variants for industrial waste heat, nuclear, household use and e-mobility applications such as vehicles and marine vessels. Additionally, the KARNO Power Module technology is well-suited to provide combined heat and power in various stationary applications.
Corporate Information
Our common stock is listed on the NYSE American under the ticker symbol “HYLN”. Our principal executive offices are located at 1202 BMC Drive, Suite 100, Cedar Park, Texas 78613. Our telephone number is (833) 495-4466. Our website address is www.hyliion.com. Information contained on our website or connected thereto does not constitute part of, and is not incorporated by reference into, this prospectus or the registration statement of which it forms a part.
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Investment in any securities
offered pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement involves risks. You should carefully consider the risk factors
incorporated by reference to our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current
Reports on Form 8-K, and all other information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus, as updated by our subsequent
filings under the Exchange Act, and the risk factors and other information contained in any applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable
free writing prospectus before acquiring any of such securities. Any of these risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect
on our business, growth plans, operating or capital costs, financial condition, results of operations and our ability to meet our capital
expenditure plans, other obligations and financial commitments. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we
currently believe to be immaterial may become material and adversely affect our business. The occurrence of any of these risks might cause
you to lose all or part of your investment in the offered securities.
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Except as otherwise provided in an applicable prospectus supplement, we will use the net proceeds we receive from the sale of the securities covered by this prospectus for general corporate purposes, which may include, among other things, capital expenditures. More detailed information regarding the use of proceeds from a sale of securities will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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DESCRIPTION OF COMMON AND PREFERRED STOCK
Authorized and Outstanding Stock
Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Certificate of Incorporation”) authorizes the issuance of 250,000,000 shares of Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share. As of February 19, 2026, there were 177,812,784 shares of Common Stock and no shares of preferred stock outstanding. The outstanding shares of Common Stock are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
The following description of the capital stock of Hyliion is based upon the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”) and applicable provisions of law. We have summarized certain portions of the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws below. The summary is not complete and is subject to, and is qualified in its entirety by express reference to, the provisions of applicable law and to the Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Common Stock
Voting Power
Except as otherwise required by law or as otherwise provided in any certificate of designation for any series of preferred stock, the holders of Common Stock will possess all voting power for the election of our directors and all other matters requiring stockholder action. Holders of Common Stock will be entitled to one vote per share on matters to be voted on by stockholders.
Dividends
Holders of Common Stock will be entitled dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”) in its discretion. Such dividends may be paid in cash, in property or in shares of the capital stock, subject to the provisions of our Certificate of Incorporation and applicable law. We may retain future earnings, if any, for future operations, expansion and debt repayment and have no current plans to pay cash dividends for the foreseeable future. Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of the Board and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, financial condition, cash requirements, contractual restrictions and other factors that the Board may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends may be limited by covenants of any existing and future outstanding indebtedness we or our subsidiaries incur.
Preemptive or Other Rights
Holders of Common Stock have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there will be no sinking fund or redemption provisions applicable to the Common Stock.
Election of Directors
The Board is divided into three classes, each of which will serve for a term of three years with only one class of directors being elected in each year. All elections of directors are determined by a plurality of the votes cast, and there is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors..
Preferred Stock
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series. The Board is authorized to fix the voting rights, if any, designations, powers, preferences, the relative, participating, optional or other special rights and any qualifications, limitations and restrictions thereof, applicable to the shares of each series. The Board will be able to, without stockholder approval, issue preferred stock with voting and other rights that could adversely affect the voting power and other rights of the holders of the Common Stock and could have anti-takeover effects. The ability of the Board to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of Hyliion or the removal of the management.
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Registration Rights
The Amended and Restated Registration Rights Agreement, dated October 1, 2020, among Hyliion, Tortoise Sponsor LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, TortoiseEcofin Borrower LLC, a Delaware limited liability company and the holders (“Holders”) party thereto (the “A&R Registration Rights Agreement”) generally required us to file a registration statement registering the resale of certain of the Holders’ securities (collectively, the “Registrable Securities”) of our predecessor company, Tortoise Acquisition Corp. (“TortoiseCorp”), with the SEC as soon as practicable following consummation of the merger pursuant to the terms of the Business Combination Agreement, dated June 18, 2020, between TortoiseCorp and each of the shareholders of Hyliion Inc. (the “Business Combination”). We filed such registration statement, as amended, with the SEC on October 23, 2020 (File No. 333-249649).
Certain of the Holders are granted demand underwritten offering registration rights and all of the Holders are granted piggyback registration rights. The A&R Registration Rights Agreement does not provide for the payment of any cash penalties by TortoiseCorp if it fails to satisfy any of its obligations under the A&R Registration Rights Agreement.
At any time when we are required to file public reports with the SEC under the Exchange Act, the A&R Registration Rights Agreement requires us to timely comply with the reporting requirements. Upon a Holders’ reasonable request, we shall take such further action required from time to time to enable such Holder to sell shares of Registrable Securities held by such Holder without registration under the Securities Act within the limitation of the exemptions provided by Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act (or any successor rule promulgated thereafter by the SEC).
The A&R Registration Rights Agreement will terminate upon the earlier of (a) ten years following the closing of the Business Combination or (b) the date as of which the Holders cease to hold any Registrable Securities.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions
Special Meetings of Stockholders
Our Certificate of Incorporation provides that special meetings of our stockholders may be called by such persons as provided in the Bylaws. The Bylaws provide that special meetings of our stockholders may be called only, for any purpose as is a proper matter for stockholder action under Delaware, by (i) our Chairperson of the Board, (ii) our Chief Executive Officer or the President if the Chairperson of the Board is unavailable, or (iii) the Board pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the total number of authorized directors (whether or not there exist any vacancies in previously authorized directorships at the time any such resolution is presented to the Board for adoption).
Advance Notice Requirements for Stockholder Proposals and Director Nominations
Our Bylaws provide that stockholders seeking to bring business before our annual meeting of stockholders, or to nominate candidates for election as directors at our annual meeting of stockholders, must provide timely notice of their intent in writing. To be timely under the Bylaws, a stockholder’s notice will need to be received by the Company secretary at our principal executive offices not later than the close of business on the 90th day nor earlier than the open of business on the 120th day prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that in the event that no annual meeting was held in the previous year or the annual meeting is called for a date that is more than 30 days before or after the anniversary date of the previous year’s annual meeting, notice by the stockholder must be received by the secretary no earlier than the close of business on the 120th day prior to such annual meeting and no later than the close of business on the latter of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the 10th day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Our Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws specify certain requirements as to the form and content of a stockholders’ meeting. These provisions may preclude our stockholders from bringing matters before our annual meeting of stockholders or from making nominations for directors at our annual meeting of stockholders.
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Authorized but Unissued Shares
Our authorized but unissued Common Stock and preferred stock are available for future issuances without stockholder approval and could be utilized for a variety of corporate purposes, including future offerings to raise additional capital, acquisitions and employee benefit plans. The existence of authorized but unissued and unreserved Common Stock and preferred stock could render more difficult or discourage an attempt to obtain control of us by means of a proxy contest, tender offer, merger or otherwise.
Exclusive Forum Selection
Our Certificate of Incorporation requires, to the fullest extent permitted by law, that derivative actions brought in our name, actions against current or former directors, officers and employees for breach of fiduciary duty, other similar actions, any other action as to which the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) confers jurisdiction to the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and any action or proceeding concerning the validity of our Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws may be brought only in the Court of Chancery in the State of Delaware (or, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, any state court located in the State of Delaware or, if and only if all such state courts lack subject matter jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware). Although we believe this provision benefits us by providing increased consistency in the application of Delaware law in the types of lawsuits to which it applies, the provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us and our directors, officers or other employees and may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers. This provision would not apply to claims brought to enforce a duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction. To the extent that any such claims may be based upon federal law claims, Section 27 of the Exchange Act creates exclusive federal jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. Furthermore, Section 22 of the Securities Act creates concurrent jurisdiction for federal and state courts over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act or the rules and regulations thereunder. However, our Certificate of Incorporation provides that the federal district courts of the United States shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act. Stockholders may be subject to increased costs to bring these claims, and the exclusive forum provision could have the effect of discouraging claims or limiting investors’ ability to bring claims in a judicial forum that they find favorable. In addition, the enforceability of similar exclusive forum provisions in other companies’ certificates of incorporation has been challenged in legal proceedings, and it is possible that, in connection with one or more actions or proceedings described above, a court could rule that this provision in our Certificate of Incorporation is inapplicable or unenforceable.
Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law
We do not opt out of Section 203 of the DGCL under our Certificate of Incorporation. Section 203 prohibits a Delaware corporation from engaging in any business combination with any interested stockholder for a period of three years after the date that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, subject to certain exceptions.
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our Common Stock is Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company.
Listing of Securities
Our Common Stock is listed on the NYSE American under the symbol “HYLN”.
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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES
General
We may issue debt securities in one or more series. When used in this “Description of Debt Securities” section, unless we state otherwise or the context clearly indicates otherwise, references to the “Company,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Hyliion Holdings Corp. and not any of its subsidiaries. We may issue senior or subordinated debt securities. None of the debt securities will be secured by any of our property or assets. Thus, holders of our debt securities will be unsecured creditors.
The debt indenture and its associated documents, including the debt security, will contain the full legal text of the matters described in this section and the applicable prospectus supplement. We have filed a form of the indenture with the SEC as an exhibit to our registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part. See “Where You Can Find More Information” in this prospectus for information on how to obtain copies of them.
This section and the applicable prospectus supplement summarize material terms of the indenture and the related debt security. They do not, however, describe every aspect of the indenture and the related debt security. For example, in this section and the applicable prospectus supplement, we use terms that have been given special meaning in the indenture, but we do not describe the meaning of all the terms that may be important to holders. The applicable prospectus supplement will have a more detailed description of the specific terms of the applicable debt security.
Indenture
The debt securities will be governed by a document called an indenture. The indenture is a contract between us and the trustee named in the indenture.
The trustee has two main roles:
| ● | First, the trustee can enforce the holders’ rights against us if we default. There are some limitations on the extent to which the trustee acts on the holders’ behalf, which we describe later under “— Default, Remedies and Waiver of Default.” |
| ● | Second, the trustee performs administrative duties for us, such as sending interest payments and notices to holders. |
Series of Debt Securities
We may issue as many distinct debt securities or series of debt securities under the indenture as we wish. This section summarizes terms of the securities that apply generally to all debt securities and series of debt securities. The provisions of the indenture allow us not only to issue debt securities with terms different from those of debt securities previously issued under the indenture, but also to “reopen” a previously issued series of debt securities and issue additional debt securities of that series. We will describe most of the financial and other specific terms of any debt security we issue in the applicable prospectus supplement. Those terms may vary from the terms described here.
The specific terms of any debt security we issue as described in the applicable prospectus supplement will supplement and, if applicable, modify or replace the general terms described in this section. If there are any differences between the applicable prospectus supplement and this prospectus with respect to a debt security, the applicable prospectus supplement will control.
When we refer to a “series of debt securities,” we mean a series of debt securities issued under the indenture. When we refer to “the applicable prospectus supplement,” we mean the prospectus supplement describing the specific terms of a particular debt security. The terms used in the applicable prospectus supplement will have the meanings described in this prospectus, unless otherwise specified.
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Amounts of Issuances
The indenture will not limit the aggregate amount of debt securities that we may issue or the number of series or the aggregate amount of any particular series. We may issue debt securities and other securities at any time without the holders’ consent and without notifying holders. The indenture and the debt securities will not limit our ability to incur other indebtedness or to issue other securities other than as specified in a particular debt security, as applicable. Also, unless otherwise specified below or in the applicable prospectus supplement, we are not subject to financial or similar restrictions by the terms of the debt securities.
Principal Amount, Stated Maturity and Maturity
Unless otherwise stated, the principal amount of a debt security means the principal amount payable at its stated maturity, unless that amount is not determinable, in which case the principal amount of a debt security is its face amount. The term “stated maturity” with respect to any debt security means the day on which the principal amount of the debt security is scheduled to become due. The principal may become due sooner, by reason of redemption, acceleration after a default or otherwise in accordance with the terms of the debt security. The day on which the principal actually becomes due, whether at the stated maturity or earlier, is called the “maturity” of the principal. We also use the terms “stated maturity” and “maturity” to refer to the days when other payments become due. For example, we may refer to a regular interest payment date when an installment of interest is scheduled to become due as the “stated maturity” of that installment. When we refer to the “stated maturity” or the “maturity” of a debt security without specifying a particular payment, we mean the stated maturity or maturity, as the case may be, of the principal.
Specific Terms of Debt Securities
The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the specific terms of the debt security, which will include some or all of the following:
| ● | the title of the series of the debt security and whether it is a senior debt security or a subordinated debt security; |
| ● | any limit on the total principal amount of the debt securities of the same series; |
| ● | the stated maturity; |
| ● | the currency or currencies for payment of principal and interest, if not U.S. dollars; |
| ● | the price at which we originally issue the debt security, expressed as a percentage of the principal amount, and the original issue date; |
| ● | whether the debt security is a fixed-rate debt security, a floating rate debt security or an indexed debt security; |
| ● | if the debt security is a fixed-rate debt security, the yearly rate at which the holder’s debt security will bear interest, if any, and the interest payment dates; |
| ● | if the debt security is a floating-rate debt security, the interest rate basis; any applicable index currency or index maturity, spread or spread multiplier or initial base rate, maximum rate or minimum rate; the interest reset, determination, calculation and payment dates; the day count convention used to calculate interest payments for any period; the business day convention; and the calculation agent; |
| ● | if the debt security is an indexed debt security, the principal amount, if any, we will pay at maturity, interest payment dates, the amount of interest, if any, we will pay on an interest payment date or the formula we will use to calculate these amounts, if any, and the terms on which the debt security will be exchangeable for or payable in cash, securities or other property; |
| ● | if the debt security may be converted into or exercised or exchanged for common or preferred stock or other securities of the Company or debt or equity securities of one or more third parties, the terms on which conversion, exercise or exchange may occur, including whether conversion, exercise or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option, the period during which conversion, exercise or exchange may occur, the initial conversion, exercise or exchange price or rate and the circumstances or manner in which the amount of common or preferred stock or other securities issuable upon conversion, exercise or exchange may be adjusted; |
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| ● | if the debt security is also an original issue discount debt security, the yield to maturity; |
| ● | if applicable, the circumstances under which the debt security may be redeemed at our option or repaid at the holder’s option before the stated maturity, including any redemption commencement date, repayment date(s), redemption price(s) and redemption period(s); |
| ● | the authorized denominations, if other than $2,000 and multiples of $1,000; |
| ● | the depositary for the debt security, if other than The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), and any circumstances under which the holder may request securities in non-global form, if we choose not to issue the debt security in book-entry form only; |
| ● | if applicable, the circumstances under which we will pay additional amounts on any debt securities held by a person who is not a United States person for tax purposes and under which we can redeem the debt securities if we have to pay additional amounts; |
| ● | any guarantors of the debt security; |
| ● | the names and duties of any co-trustees, depositaries, authenticating agents, paying agents, transfer agents or registrars for the debt security, as applicable; and |
| ● | any other terms of the debt security, which could be different from those described in this prospectus. |
Governing Law
The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by New York law.
Form of Debt Securities
We will issue each debt security only in registered form, without coupons, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. In addition, we will issue each debt security in global — i.e., book-entry — form only, unless we specify otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement. Debt securities in book-entry form will be represented by a global security registered in the name of a depositary, which will be the holder of all the debt securities represented by the global security. Those who own beneficial interests in a global debt security will do so through participants in the depositary’s securities clearance system, and the rights of these indirect owners will be governed solely by the applicable procedures of the depositary and its participants. References to “holders” in this section mean those who own debt securities registered in their own names, on the books that we or the trustee maintain for this purpose, and not those who own beneficial interests in debt securities registered in street name or in debt securities issued in book-entry form through one or more depositaries.
Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the following is a summary of the depositary arrangements applicable to debt securities issued in global form and for which DTC acts as depositary.
Each global debt security will be deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC, as depositary, or its nominee, and registered in the name of a nominee of DTC. Except under the limited circumstances described below, global debt securities are not exchangeable for definitive certificated debt securities.
Ownership of beneficial interests in a global debt security is limited to institutions that have accounts with DTC or its nominee, or persons that may hold interests through those participants. In addition, ownership of beneficial interests by participants in a global debt security will be evidenced only by, and the transfer of that ownership interest will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC or its nominee for a global debt security. Ownership of beneficial interests in a global debt security by persons that hold those interests through participants will be evidenced only by, and the transfer of that ownership interest within that participant will be effected only through, records maintained by that participant. DTC has no knowledge of the actual beneficial owners of the debt securities. Beneficial owners will not receive written confirmation from DTC of their purchase, but beneficial owners are expected to receive written confirmations providing details of the transaction, as well as periodic statements of their holdings, from the participants through which the beneficial owners entered the transaction. The laws of some jurisdictions require that certain purchasers of securities take physical delivery of securities they purchase in definitive form. These laws may impair the holders’ ability to transfer beneficial interests in a global debt security.
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We will make payment of principal of, and interest on, debt securities represented by a global debt security registered in the name of or held by DTC or its nominee to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner and holder of the global debt security representing those debt securities. DTC has advised us that upon receipt of any payment of principal of, or interest on, a global debt security, DTC immediately will credit accounts of participants on its book-entry registration and transfer system with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective interests in the principal amount of that global debt security, as shown in the records of DTC. Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in a global debt security held through those participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in “street name,” and will be the sole responsibility of those participants, subject to any statutory or regulatory requirements that may be in effect from time to time.
Neither we, any trustee nor any of our respective agents will be responsible for any aspect of the records of DTC, any nominee or any participant relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial interests in a permanent global debt security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any of the records of DTC, any nominee or any participant relating to such beneficial interests.
A global debt security is exchangeable for definitive certificated debt securities registered in the name of, and a transfer of a global debt security may be registered to, any person other than DTC or its nominee, only if:
| ● | DTC notifies us that it is unwilling, unable or no longer qualified to continue as depositary for that global security or has ceased to be a registered clearing agency and we do not appoint another institution to act as depositary within 60 days; or |
| ● | we notify the trustee that we wish to terminate that global security. |
Any global debt security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding paragraph will be exchangeable in whole for definitive certificated debt securities in registered form, of like tenor and of an equal aggregate principal amount as the global debt security, in denominations specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if other than $2,000 and multiples of $1,000. The definitive debt securities will be registered by the registrar in the name or names instructed by DTC. We expect that these instructions may be based upon directions received by DTC from its participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in the global debt security.
Except as provided above or in the applicable prospectus supplement, owners of the beneficial interests in a global debt security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of debt securities in definitive certificated form and will not be considered the holders of debt securities for any purpose under the indenture. Except as provided above, no global debt security shall be exchangeable except for another global debt security of like denomination and tenor to be registered in the name of DTC or its nominee. Accordingly, each person owning a beneficial interest in a global debt security must rely on the procedures of DTC and, if that person is not a participant, on the procedures of the participant through which that person owns its interest, to exercise any rights of a holder under the global debt security or the indenture.
We understand that, under existing industry practices, in the event that we request any action of holders, or an owner of a beneficial interest in a global debt security desires to give or take any action that a holder is entitled to give or take under the debt securities or the indenture, DTC would authorize the participants holding the relevant beneficial interests to give or take that action. Additionally, those participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through those participants to give or take that action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them.
DTC has advised us that it is a limited-purpose trust company organized under the laws of the State of New York, a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code, and a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities of its participants and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of transactions among its participants in securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants. By doing so, DTC eliminates the need for physical movement of securities certificates.
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DTC’s participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations, and certain other organizations. DTC is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (“DTCC”); DTCC is the holding company for DTC, National Securities Clearing Corporation and Fixed Income Clearing Corporation, all of which are registered clearing agencies; and DTCC is owned by the users of its regulated subsidiaries. Access to DTC’s book-entry system is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers, and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, either directly or indirectly. The rules applicable to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
Investors may hold interests in the debt securities outside the U.S. through the Euroclear System (“Euroclear”) or Clearstream Banking (“Clearstream”) if they are participants in those systems, or indirectly through organizations which are participants in those systems. Euroclear and Clearstream will hold interests on behalf of their participants through customers’ securities accounts in Euroclear’s and Clearstream’s names on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers’ securities accounts in the depositaries’ names on the books of DTC. All securities in Euroclear or Clearstream are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts.
The following is based on information furnished by Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be. Euroclear has advised us that:
| ● | It was created in 1968 to hold securities for participants of Euroclear and to clear and settle transactions between Euroclear participants through simultaneous electronic book-entry delivery against payment, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates and any risk from lack of simultaneous transfers of securities and cash; |
| ● | Euroclear includes various other services, including securities lending and borrowing and interfaces with domestic markets in several countries; |
| ● | Euroclear is operated by Euroclear Bank SA/NV, as operator of the Euroclear System (the “Euroclear Operator”), under contract with Euroclear Clearance Systems S.C., a Belgian cooperative corporation (the “Cooperative”); |
| ● | The Euroclear Operator conducts all operations, and all Euroclear securities clearance accounts and Euroclear cash accounts are accounts with the Euroclear Operator, not the Cooperative. The Cooperative establishes policy for Euroclear on behalf of Euroclear participants. Euroclear participants include banks (including central banks), securities brokers and dealers and other professional financial intermediaries and may include underwriters of debt securities offered by this prospectus; |
| ● | Indirect access to Euroclear is also available to other firms that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Euroclear participant, either directly or indirectly; |
| ● | Securities clearance accounts and cash accounts with Euroclear SA/NV are governed by the Terms and Conditions Governing Use of Euroclear, the related Operating Procedures of Euroclear, and applicable Belgian law (collectively, the “Terms and Conditions”); |
| ● | The Terms and Conditions govern transfers of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash within Euroclear, withdrawals of securities and cash from Euroclear, and receipts of payments with respect to securities in Euroclear. All securities in Euroclear are held on a fungible basis without attribution of specific certificates to specific securities clearance accounts. Euroclear SA/NV acts under the Terms and Conditions only on behalf of Euroclear participants and has no record of or relationship with persons holding through Euroclear participants; and |
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| ● | Distributions with respect to debt securities held beneficially through Euroclear will be credited to the cash accounts of Euroclear participants in accordance with the Terms and Conditions, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Euroclear. |
Clearstream has advised us that:
| ● | It is incorporated under the laws of Luxembourg as a professional depositary and holds securities for its participating organizations and facilitates the clearance and settlement of securities transactions between Clearstream participants through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of Clearstream participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of certificates; |
| ● | Clearstream provides to Clearstream participants, among other things, services for safekeeping, administration, clearance and settlement of internationally traded securities and securities lending and borrowing. Clearstream interfaces with domestic markets in several countries; |
| ● | As a professional depositary, Clearstream is subject to regulation by the Luxembourg Monetary Institute; |
| ● | Clearstream participants are recognized financial institutions around the world, including underwriters, securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations and may include underwriters of debt securities offered by this prospectus; |
| ● | Indirect access to Clearstream is also available to others, such as banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies, that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a Clearstream participant either directly or indirectly; and |
| ● | Distributions with respect to the debt securities held beneficially through Clearstream will be credited to cash accounts of Clearstream participants in accordance with its rules and procedures, to the extent received by the U.S. depositary for Clearstream. |
We have provided the descriptions herein of the operations and procedures of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream solely as a matter of convenience. These operations and procedures are solely within the control of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream and are subject to change by them from time to time. We believe that the sources from which the information in this section and elsewhere in this prospectus concerning DTC, Euroclear, Euroclear SA/NV, Euroclear Clearance Systems S.C., Euroclear’s system, Clearstream and Clearstream’s system has been obtained are reliable, but neither we, any underwriters nor the trustee takes any responsibility for the accuracy of the information.
Initial settlement for the securities will be made in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between DTC participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC’s rules and will be settled in immediately available funds. Secondary market trading between Euroclear participants and/or Clearstream participants will occur in the ordinary way in accordance with the applicable rules and operating procedures of Euroclear and Clearstream, as applicable, and will be settled using the procedures applicable to conventional eurobonds in immediately available funds.
Cross-market transfers between persons holding directly or indirectly through DTC, on the one hand, and directly or indirectly through Euroclear participants or Clearstream participants, on the other, will be effected in DTC in accordance with DTC rules on behalf of the relevant European international clearing system by its U.S. depositary; however, such cross-market transactions will require delivery of instructions to the relevant European international clearing system by the counterparty in such system in accordance with its rules and procedures and within its established deadlines (European time). The relevant European international clearing system will, if the transaction meets its settlement requirements, deliver instructions to its U.S. depositary to take action to effect final settlement on its behalf by delivering or receiving securities in DTC, and making or receiving payment in accordance with normal procedures for same-day funds settlement applicable to DTC. Euroclear participants and Clearstream participants may not deliver instructions directly to their respective U.S. depositaries.
Because of time-zone differences, credits of securities received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of a transaction with a DTC participant will be made during subsequent securities settlement processing and dated the business day following the DTC settlement date. Credits or any transactions in securities settled during this processing will be reported to the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream participants on that following business day. Cash received in Euroclear or Clearstream as a result of sales of debt securities by or through a Euroclear participant or a Clearstream participant to a DTC participant will be received with value on the DTC settlement date but will be available in the relevant Euroclear or Clearstream cash account only as of the business day following settlement in DTC.
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Although DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream have agreed to the foregoing procedures to facilitate transfers of securities among participants of DTC, Euroclear and Clearstream, they are under no obligation to perform or continue to perform these procedures and these procedures may be discontinued at any time.
Redemption or Repayment
If there are any provisions regarding redemption or repayment applicable to a debt security, we will describe them in the applicable prospectus supplement. We or our affiliates may purchase debt securities from investors who are willing to sell from time to time, either in the open market at prevailing prices or in private transactions at negotiated prices. Debt securities that we or they purchase may, at our discretion, be held, resold or canceled.
Mergers and Similar Transactions
We are generally permitted under the indenture to merge or consolidate with another corporation or other entity. We are also permitted under the indenture to sell all or substantially all of our assets to another corporation or other entity. With regard to any series of debt securities and other than as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, however, we may not take any of these actions unless all the following conditions, among other things, are met:
| ● | If the successor entity in the transaction is not the Company, the successor entity must be organized as a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or trust, must be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and must expressly assume our obligations under the debt securities of that series and the indenture with respect to that series. |
| ● | Immediately after the transaction, no default under the debt securities of that series has occurred and is continuing. For this purpose, “default under the debt securities of that series” means an event of default with respect to that series or any event that would be an event of default with respect to that series if the requirements for giving us default notice and for our default having to continue for a specific period of time were disregarded. We describe these matters below under “— Default, Remedies and Waiver of Default.” |
If the conditions described above are satisfied with respect to the debt securities of any series, we will not need to obtain the approval of the holders of those debt securities in order to merge or consolidate or to sell all or substantially all our assets. Also, these conditions will apply only if we wish to merge or consolidate with another entity or sell all or substantially all of our assets to another entity. We will not need to satisfy these conditions if we enter into other types of transactions, including any transaction in which we acquire the stock or assets of another entity, any transaction that involves a change of control of the Company but in which we do not merge or consolidate and any transaction in which we sell less than substantially all our assets.
The successor entity will be substituted for the Company with respect to the debt securities of any series and under the indenture with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture, and, except in the case of a lease, the Company will be relieved from any further obligations and covenants under the indenture.
Defeasance, Covenant Defeasance and Satisfaction and Discharge
When we use the term defeasance, we mean discharge from some or all of our obligations under the indenture. If we deposit with the trustee funds or government securities, or if so provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, obligations other than government securities, sufficient to make payments on any series of debt securities on the dates those payments are due and payable and other specified conditions are satisfied, then, at our option, either of the following will occur:
| ● | we will be discharged from our obligations with respect to the debt securities of such series (“legal defeasance”); or |
| ● | we will be discharged from any covenants we make in the indenture for the benefit of such series and the related events of default will no longer apply to us (“covenant defeasance”). |
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If we defease any series of debt securities, the holders of such securities will not be entitled to the benefits of the indenture, except for our obligations to register the transfer or exchange of such securities, replace stolen, lost or mutilated securities or maintain paying agencies and hold moneys for payment in trust. In case of covenant defeasance, our obligation to pay principal of, and any premium and interest on, the applicable series of debt securities will also survive.
We will be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance would not cause the holders of the applicable series of debt securities to recognize gain or loss for federal income tax purposes. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the United States Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect.
In addition, we may satisfy and discharge all our obligations under the indenture with respect to debt securities of any series, other than our obligation to register the transfer of and exchange debt securities of that series, provided that we either:
| ● | deliver all outstanding debt securities of that series to the trustee for cancellation; or |
| ● | all such debt securities not so delivered for cancellation have either become due and payable or will become due and payable at their stated maturity within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year, and in the case of this bullet point, we have deposited with the trustee in trust an amount of cash sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness of such debt securities, including interest to the stated maturity or applicable redemption date. |
Default, Remedies and Waiver of Default
Holders of our debt securities will have special rights if an event of default with respect to the holder’s debt security occurs and is continuing, as described in this subsection.
Events of Default
Unless the applicable prospectus supplement says otherwise, when we refer to an event of default with respect to any series of debt securities, we mean any of the following:
| ● | we do not pay the principal of and any premium on any debt security of that series on the due date; |
| ● | we do not pay interest on any debt security of that series within 30 days after the due date; |
| ● | we do not deposit a sinking fund payment with regard to any debt security of that series within 60 days after the due date, but only if the payment is required under provisions described in the applicable prospectus supplement; |
| ● | we remain in breach of our covenants regarding mergers or sales of substantially all of our assets or any other covenant we make in the indenture for the benefit of the relevant series, for 90 days after we receive a notice of default stating that we are in breach and requiring us to remedy the breach, which notice must be sent by the trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the relevant series of debt securities; |
| ● | we file for bankruptcy or other events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization relating to the Company occur; or |
| ● | if the applicable prospectus supplement states that any additional event of default applies to the series, that event of default occurs. |
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We may change, eliminate, or add to the events of default with respect to any particular series or any particular debt security or debt securities within a series, as indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Remedies if an Event of Default Occurs
Except as otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if an event of default has occurred with respect to any series of debt securities and has not been cured or waived, the trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all debt securities of that series then outstanding may declare the entire principal amount of the debt securities of that series to be due immediately. Except as otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if the event of default occurs because of events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization relating to the Company, the entire principal amount of the debt securities of that series will be automatically accelerated, without any action by the trustee or any holder.
Each of the situations described above is called an acceleration of the stated maturity of the affected series of debt securities. Except as otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, if the stated maturity of any series is accelerated and a judgment for payment has not yet been obtained, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series may cancel the acceleration for the entire series.
If an event of default occurs, the trustee will have special duties. In that situation, the trustee will be obligated to use those of its rights and powers under the indenture, and to use the same degree of care and skill in doing so, that a prudent person would use in that situation in conducting his or her own affairs.
Except as described in the prior paragraph, the trustee is not required to take any action under the indenture at the request of any holders unless the holders offer the trustee protection satisfactory to the trustee from expenses and liability. This is called an indemnity. If the trustee is provided with an indemnity satisfactory to it, the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of the relevant series may direct the time, method and place of conducting any lawsuit or other formal legal action seeking any remedy available to the trustee with respect to that series. These majority holders may also direct the trustee in performing any other action under the indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series. However, the trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or the indenture or that the trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other holders (it being understood that the trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such direction unduly prejudices the rights of such holders) or would involve the trustee in personal liability; provided, however, that the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction.
Before a holder may bypass the trustee and bring its own lawsuit or other formal legal action or take other steps to enforce its rights or protect its interests relating to any debt security, all of the following must occur:
| ● | the holder of the debt security must give the trustee written notice that an event of default has occurred with respect to the debt securities of such series, and the event of default must not have been cured or waived; |
| ● | the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of all debt securities of such series must make a written request that the trustee take action because of the default, and they or other holders must offer to the trustee indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against the cost and other liabilities of taking that action; |
| ● | the trustee must not have taken action for 60 days after the above steps have been taken; and |
| ● | during those 60 days, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of such series must not have given the trustee directions that are inconsistent with the written request of the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the debt securities of such series. |
Each holder is entitled at any time, however, to bring a lawsuit for the payment of money due on its debt security on or after its stated maturity (or, if the debt security is redeemable, on or after its redemption date).
Book-entry and other indirect owners should consult their banks or brokers for information on how to give notice or direction to or make a request of the trustee and how to declare or cancel an acceleration of the maturity.
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Waiver of Default
The holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of any series may waive a default for all debt securities of that series. If this happens, the default will be treated as if it has not occurred. No one can waive a payment default on any debt security, however, without the approval of the particular holder of that debt security.
Annual Information about Defaults to the Trustee
We will furnish each trustee every year a written statement of two of our officers certifying that to their knowledge we are in compliance with the indenture and the debt securities issued under it, or else specifying any default under the indenture.
Modifications and Waivers
There are three types of changes we can make to the indenture and the debt securities or series of debt securities issued under the indenture.
Changes Requiring Each Holder’s Approval
First, there are changes that cannot be made without the approval of each holder of a debt security affected by the change under the indenture, including, among others:
| ● | changing the stated maturity for any principal or interest payment on such debt security; |
| ● | reducing the principal amount, the amount payable on acceleration of the maturity after a default, the interest rate or the redemption price for such debt security; |
| ● | permitting redemption of such debt security if not previously permitted; |
| ● | impairing any right such holder may have to require purchase of its debt security; |
| ● | if such debt security constitutes a convertible debt security, impairing any right that a holder may have to convert such debt security; |
| ● | changing the currency of any payment on such debt security; |
| ● | changing the place of payment on such debt security; |
| ● | impairing such holder’s right to sue for payment of any amount due on its debt security; |
| ● | reducing the percentage in principal amount of the debt securities of any one or more affected series, taken separately or together, as applicable, and whether comprising the same or different series or less than all of the debt securities of a series, the approval of whose holders is needed to change the indenture or those debt securities or waive our compliance with the indenture or to waive defaults; and |
| ● | changing the provisions of the indenture dealing with modification and waiver in any other respect, except to increase any required percentage referred to above or to add to the provisions that cannot be changed or waived without approval of the holder of each affected debt security. |
Changes Not Requiring Approval
The second type of change does not require any approval by holders of the debt securities affected. These changes are limited to clarifications and changes that would not adversely affect any debt securities of any series in any material respect. Nor do we need any approval to make changes that affect only debt securities to be issued under the indenture after the changes take effect. We may also make changes or obtain waivers that do not adversely affect a particular debt security, even if they affect other debt securities. In those cases, we do not need to obtain the approval of the holder of the unaffected debt security; we need only obtain any required approvals from the holders of the affected debt securities. We may also make changes to conform the text of the indenture or any debt securities to any provision of the “Description of Debt Securities” in this prospectus or the comparable section in the applicable prospectus supplement, to the extent such provision was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of such indenture or debt securities.
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Changes Requiring Majority Approval
Any other change to the indenture and the debt securities issued under the indenture would require the following approval:
| ● | If the change affects only particular debt securities within a series issued under the indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of such particular debt securities; or |
| ● | If the change affects debt securities of more than one series issued under the indenture, it must be approved by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of all such series affected by the change, with all such affected debt securities voting together as one class for this purpose and such affected debt securities of any series potentially comprising fewer than all debt securities of such series, in each case, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to the indenture for all or any particular debt securities of any series. This means that modification of terms with respect to certain securities of a series could be effectuated without obtaining the consent of the holders of a majority in principal amount of other securities of such series that are not affected by such modification. |
The same majority approval would be required for us to obtain a waiver of any of our covenants in the indenture. Our covenants include the promises we make about merging or selling substantially all of our assets, which we describe above under “— Mergers and Similar Transactions.” If the holders approve a waiver of a covenant, we will not have to comply with it. The holders, however, cannot approve a waiver of any provision in a particular debt security, or in the indenture as it affects that debt security, that we cannot change without the approval of the holder of that debt security as described above in “—Changes Requiring Each Holder’s Approval,” unless that holder approves the waiver.
We may issue particular debt securities or a particular series of debt securities, as applicable, that are entitled, by their terms, to separately approve matters (for example, modification or waiver of provisions in the indenture) that would also, or otherwise, require approval of holders of a majority in principal amount of all affected debt securities of all affected series issued under the indenture voting together as a single class. Any such affected debt securities or series of debt securities would be entitled to approve such matters (i) pursuant to such special rights by consent of holders of a majority in principal amount of such affected debt securities or series of debt securities voting separately as a class and (ii) in addition, as described above, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to the indenture for such debt securities or series of debt securities, by consent of holders of a majority in principal amount of such affected debt securities or series of debt securities and all other affected debt securities of all series issued under the indenture voting together as one class for this purpose. We may issue series or debt securities of a series having these or other special voting rights without obtaining the consent of or giving notice to holders of outstanding debt securities or series.
Book-entry and other indirect owners should consult their banks or brokers for information on how approval may be granted or denied if we seek to change an indenture or any debt securities or request a waiver.
Special Rules for Action by Holders
Only holders of outstanding debt securities of the applicable series will be eligible to take any action under the indenture, such as giving a notice of default, declaring an acceleration, approving any change or waiver or giving the trustee an instruction with respect to debt securities of that series. Also, we will count only outstanding debt securities in determining whether the various percentage requirements for taking action have been met. Any debt securities owned by us or any of our affiliates or surrendered for cancellation or for payment or redemption, for which money has been set aside in trust, are not deemed to be outstanding. Any required approval or waiver must be given by written consent.
In some situations, we may follow special rules in calculating the principal amount of debt securities that are to be treated as outstanding for the purposes described above. This may happen, for example, if the principal amount is payable in a non-U.S. dollar currency, increases over time or is not to be fixed until maturity.
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We will generally be entitled to set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the holders that are entitled to take action under the indenture. In certain limited circumstances, only the trustee will be entitled to set a record date for action by holders. If we or the trustee sets a record date for an approval or other action to be taken by holders, that vote or action may be taken only by persons or entities who are holders on the record date and must be taken during the period that we specify for this purpose, or that the trustee specifies if it sets the record date. We or the trustee, as applicable, may shorten or lengthen this period from time to time. This period, however, may not extend beyond the 180th day after the record date for the action. In addition, record dates for any global debt security may be set in accordance with procedures established by the depositary from time to time. Accordingly, record dates for global debt securities may differ from those for other debt securities.
Form, Exchange and Transfer
If any debt securities cease to be issued in registered global form, they will be issued:
| ● | only in fully registered form; |
| ● | without interest coupons; and |
| ● | unless we indicate otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, in denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. |
Holders may exchange their debt securities for debt securities of smaller denominations or combined into fewer debt securities of larger denominations, as long as the total principal amount is not changed. Holders may not exchange debt securities for securities of a different series or having different terms, unless the applicable prospectus supplement and the supplemental indenture with respect to such debt securities provide for such exchange.
Holders may exchange or transfer their debt securities at the office of the trustee. They may also replace lost, stolen, destroyed or mutilated debt securities at that office. We have appointed the trustee to act as our agent for registering debt securities in the names of holders and transferring and replacing debt securities. We may appoint another entity to perform these functions or perform them ourselves.
Holders will not be required to pay a service charge to transfer or exchange their debt securities, but they may be required to pay for any tax or other governmental charge associated with the exchange or transfer. The transfer or exchange, and any replacement, will be made only if our transfer agent is satisfied with the holder’s proof of legal ownership. The transfer agent may require an indemnity before replacing any debt securities.
If we have designated additional transfer agents for a debt security, they will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may appoint additional transfer agents or cancel the appointment of any particular transfer agent. We may also approve a change in the office through which any transfer agent acts.
If the debt securities of any series are redeemable and we redeem less than all those debt securities, we may block the transfer or exchange of those debt securities during the period beginning 15 days before the day we mail the notice of redemption and ending on the day of that mailing, in order to freeze the list of holders to prepare the mailing. We may also refuse to register transfers of or exchange any debt security selected for redemption, except that we will continue to permit transfers and exchanges of the unredeemed portion of any debt security being partially redeemed.
If a debt security is issued as a global debt security, only DTC or other depositary will be entitled to transfer and exchange the debt security as described in this subsection because the depositary will be the sole holder of the debt security.
The rules for exchange described above apply to exchange of debt securities for other debt securities of the same series and kind. If a debt security is convertible, exercisable or exchangeable into or for a different kind of security, such as one that we have not yet issued, or for other property, the rules governing that type of conversion, exercise or exchange will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.
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Payments
We will pay interest, principal and other amounts payable with respect to the debt securities of any series to the holders of record of those debt securities as of the record dates and otherwise in the manner specified below or in the prospectus supplement for that series.
We will make payments on a global debt security in accordance with the applicable policies of the depositary as in effect from time to time. Under those policies, we will pay directly to the depositary, or its nominee, and not to any indirect owners who own beneficial interests in the global debt security. An indirect owner’s right to receive those payments will be governed by the rules and practices of the depositary and its participants.
We will make payments on a debt security in non-global, registered form as follows. We will pay interest that is due on an interest payment date by check mailed on the interest payment date to the holder at his or her address shown on the trustee’s records as of the close of business on the regular record date. We will make all other payments by check at the paying agent described below, against surrender of the debt security. All payments by check will be made in next-day funds — i.e., funds that become available on the day after the check is cashed.
Alternatively, if a non-global debt security has a face amount of at least $1,000,000 and the holder asks us to do so, we will pay any amount that becomes due on the debt security by wire transfer of immediately available funds to an account at a bank in New York City, on the due date. To request wire payment, the holder must give the paying agent appropriate wire transfer instructions at least five business days before the requested wire payment is due. In the case of any interest payment due on an interest payment date, the instructions must be given by the person or entity who is the holder on the relevant regular record date. In the case of any other payment, payment will be made only after the debt security is surrendered to the paying agent. Any wire instructions, once properly given, will remain in effect unless and until new instructions are given in the manner described above.
Book-entry and other indirect owners should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive payments on their debt securities.
Regardless of who acts as paying agent, subject to applicable escheatment law, all money paid by us to a paying agent that remains unclaimed at the end of two years after the amount is due to a holder will be repaid to us. After that two-year period, the holder may look only to us for payment and not to the trustee, any other paying agent or anyone else.
Paying Agents
We may appoint one or more financial institutions to act as our paying agents, at whose designated offices debt securities in non-global entry form may be surrendered for payment at their maturity. We call each of those offices a paying agent. We may add, replace or terminate paying agents from time to time. We may also choose to act as our own paying agent. We will specify in the prospectus supplement for a debt security the initial location of each paying agent for that debt security. We must notify the trustee of changes in the paying agents.
Notices
Notices to be given to holders of a global debt security will be given only to the depositary, in accordance with its applicable policies as in effect from time to time. Notices to be given to holders of debt securities not in global form will be sent by mail to the respective addresses of the holders as they appear in the trustee’s records, and will be deemed given when mailed. Neither the failure to give any notice to a particular holder, nor any defect in a notice given to a particular holder, will affect the sufficiency of any notice given to another holder.
Book-entry and other indirect owners should consult their banks or brokers for information on how they will receive notices.
Our Relationship with the Trustee
The prospectus supplement for a debt security will describe any material relationships we may have with the trustee with respect to that debt security.
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We may issue warrants for the purchase of our equity or debt securities. Warrants may be offered separately or together with other securities, as the case may be, and may be attached to or separate from any offered securities. Each series of warrants will be issued under a separate warrant indenture to be entered into between the Company and one or more banks or trust companies acting as warrant agent. The applicable prospectus supplement will include details of the terms and conditions of the warrants being offered. The warrant agent will act solely as the Company’s agent and will not assume a relationship of agency with any holders of warrant certificates or beneficial owners of warrants. The following sets forth certain general terms and provisions of the warrants that may be offered under this prospectus. The specific terms of the warrants, and the extent to which the general terms described in this section apply to those warrants, will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. If applicable, the Company will file with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, any warrant indenture or form of warrant describing the terms and conditions of such warrants that the Company is offering before the issuance of such warrants.
The particular terms of each issue of warrants will be described in the related prospectus supplement. This description will include, where applicable:
| ● | the designation and aggregate number of warrants; |
| ● | the price at which the warrants will be offered; |
| ● | the currency or currencies in which the warrants will be offered; |
| ● | the amount of warrants outstanding; |
| ● | the designation and terms of the shares of Common Stock purchasable or debt securities that may be issued upon exercise of the warrants; |
| ● | the date on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and the date on which the right will expire; |
| ● | the number of shares of Common Stock that may be purchased upon exercise of each warrant and the price at which and currency or currencies in which the shares of Common Stock may be purchased upon exercise of each warrant, including provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price; |
| ● | the principal amount of debt securities that may be purchased upon exercise of a warrant and the price at which the debt securities may be purchased upon exercise; |
| ● | the designation and terms of any securities with which the warrants will be offered, if any, and the number of the warrants that will be offered with each security; |
| ● | the date or dates, if any, on or after which the warrants and the related securities will be transferable separately; |
| ● | whether the warrants will be subject to redemption or call and, if so, the terms of such redemption or call provisions; |
| ● | material tax consequences of owning the warrants; and |
| ● | any other material terms or conditions of the warrants. |
Prior to the exercise of their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of Common Stock, preferred stock or debt securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants. The Company reserves the right to set forth in a prospectus supplement specific terms of the warrants that are not within the options and parameters set forth in this prospectus. In addition, to the extent that any particular terms of the warrants described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described in this prospectus, the description of such terms set forth in this prospectus shall be deemed to have been superseded by the description of such differing terms set forth in such prospectus supplement with respect to such warrants.
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The Company may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement, if any, under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities comprising the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date. If applicable, the Company will file with the SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, or will incorporate by reference from a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, any unit agreement describing the terms and conditions of such units that Hyliion is offering before the issuance of such units.
The particular terms and provisions of units offered by any prospectus supplement, and the extent to which the general terms and provisions described below may apply thereto, will be described in the prospectus supplement filed in respect of such units. This description will include, where applicable:
| ● | the designation and aggregate number of units offered; |
| ● | the price at which the units will be offered, including provisions for changes to or adjustments in price at which units will be offered; |
| ● | the currency or currency unit in which the units are denominated; |
| ● | the amount of units outstanding; |
| ● | the terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately; |
| ● | the number of securities that may be purchased upon exercise of each unit and the price at which and currency or currency unit in which that amount of securities may be purchased upon exercise of each unit; |
| ● | any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and |
| ● | any other material terms, conditions and rights (or limitations on such rights) of the units. |
The Company reserves the right to set forth in a prospectus supplement specific terms of the units that are not within the options and parameters set forth in this prospectus. In addition, to the extent that any particular terms of the units described in a prospectus supplement differ from any of the terms described in this prospectus, the description of such terms set forth in this prospectus shall be deemed to have been superseded by the description of such differing terms set forth in such prospectus supplement with respect to such units.
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We may sell securities pursuant to this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement in and outside the United States (1) through underwriters, brokers or dealers, (2) directly to purchasers, including our affiliates and stockholders, (3) through agents, (4) in short or long transactions, (5) through put or call option transactions relating to our Common Stock, (6) in “at the market offerings” within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(4) of the Securities Act to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, or in a rights offering or a securities exchange or otherwise, (7) through a combination of any of these methods or (8) through any other method described in the applicable prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement, if required, will include the following information:
| ● | the terms of the offering; |
| ● | any public offering price; |
| ● | the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents; |
| ● | the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters; |
| ● | the purchase price of the securities; |
| ● | the estimated net proceeds to us from the sale of the securities; |
| ● | any options (whether or not for over-allotments) under which the underwriters may purchase additional shares of Common Stock from us; |
| ● | any delayed delivery arrangements; |
| ● | any underwriting discounts, concessions, commissions or agency fees and other items constituting compensation to underwriters, dealers, or agents; |
| ● | any discounts or concessions allowed or re-allowed or paid by underwriters or dealers to other dealers; or |
| ● | any securities exchange or market on which the securities offered in the prospectus supplement may be listed. |
If we use underwriters for a sale of securities, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account for resale to the public, either on a firm commitment basis or a best efforts basis. The underwriters may resell the securities in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale. Underwriters may offer the securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. If an underwriter or underwriters are used in the sale of securities hereunder, an underwriting agreement will be executed with the underwriter or underwriters at the time an agreement for sale is reached. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions. We may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions the underwriters allow or pay to dealers.
During and after an offering through underwriters, the underwriters may purchase and sell the securities in the open market. These transactions may include overallotment and stabilizing transactions and purchases to cover syndicate short positions created in connection with the offering. The underwriters may also impose a penalty bid, which means that selling concessions allowed to syndicate members or other broker-dealers for the offered securities sold for their account may be reclaimed by the syndicate if the offered securities are repurchased by the syndicate in stabilizing or covering transactions. These activities may stabilize, maintain, or otherwise affect the market price of the offered securities, which may be higher than the price that might otherwise prevail in the open market. If commenced, the underwriters may discontinue these activities at any time.
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Some or all of the securities that we offer though this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom we sell our securities for public offering and sale may make a market in those securities, but they will not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, any securities that we offer.
If dealers are used for the sale of securities, we, or an underwriter, will sell the securities to them as principals. The dealers may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. We will include in the applicable prospectus supplement the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.
We may also sell the securities through agents designated from time to time. In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of the offered securities, and we will describe any commissions payable to the agent. Unless we inform you otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.
We may sell the securities directly in transactions not involving underwriters, dealers, or agents.
We may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. We will describe the terms of any such sales in the prospectus supplement.
Underwriters, dealers, and agents that participate in the distribution of the securities may be underwriters as defined in the applicable securities laws and any discounts or commissions they receive from us and any profit on their resale of the securities may be treated as underwriting discounts and commissions under the applicable securities laws. We will identify in the applicable prospectus supplement any underwriters, dealers, or agents and will describe their compensation. We may have agreements with the underwriters, dealers, and agents to indemnify them against specified civil liabilities, including liabilities under the applicable securities laws.
Underwriters, dealers, and agents may engage in transactions with or perform services for us in the ordinary course of their businesses for which they may receive customary fees and reimbursement of expenses.
We may use underwriters with whom we have a material relationship. We will describe the nature of such relationship in the applicable prospectus supplement.
Under the securities laws of some states, the securities offered by this prospectus may be sold in those states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.
We may enter into hedging transactions with broker-dealers and the broker-dealers may engage in short sales of the securities in the course of hedging the positions they assume with us, including, without limitation, in connection with distributions of the securities by those broker-dealers. We may enter into option or other transactions with broker-dealers that involve the delivery of the securities offered hereby to the broker-dealers, who may then resell or otherwise transfer those securities. We may also loan or pledge the securities offered hereby to a broker-dealer and the broker-dealer may sell the securities offered hereby so loaned or upon a default may sell or otherwise transfer the pledged securities offered hereby.
If we so indicate in the prospectus supplement, we may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities from us at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.
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The validity of any securities offered by this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., New York, New York. Any underwriters or agents will be advised about other issues relating to any offering by their own counsel to be named in an applicable prospectus supplement.
The consolidated financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus and elsewhere in the registration statement have been so incorporated by reference in reliance upon the report of Grant Thornton LLP, independent registered public accountants, upon the authority of said firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
We are required to file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC as required by the Exchange Act. You can read our SEC filings, including this prospectus, over the Internet at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.
Our website address is www.hyliion.com. Through our website, we make available, free of charge, the following documents as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K; our proxy statements for our annual and special stockholder meetings; our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q; our Current Reports on Form 8-K; Forms 3, 4, and 5 and Schedules 13D with respect to our securities filed on behalf of our directors and our executive officers; and amendments to those documents. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our website or any other website is not incorporated by reference into this prospectus and does not constitute part of this prospectus unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with it, which means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be part of this prospectus and information we file later with the SEC will automatically update and supersede this information. Any statement contained in this prospectus or a previously filed document incorporated by reference will be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this prospectus to the extent that a statement contained in this prospectus or a subsequently filed document incorporated by reference modifies or replaces that statement. Therefore, before you decide to invest in a particular offering under this shelf registration statement, you should always check for reports we may have filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus.
We incorporate by reference the documents listed below as of their respective dates of filing and any future filings made by us with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act prior to the termination of this offering, including all such documents we may file after the date of the initial registration statement and prior to the effectiveness of the registration statement, but excluding any information furnished to, rather than filed with, the SEC, will also be incorporated by reference into this prospectus and deemed to be part of this prospectus from the date of the filing of such reports and documents.
| ● | our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the SEC on February 25, 2026, including those portions of our definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, to be filed, incorporated by reference therein; and |
| ● | the description of our common stock contained in Exhibit 4.4 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on May 17, 2021, and any amendment or report filed with the SEC for the purpose of updating such description. |
You may obtain any of the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus from the SEC through the SEC’s website at the address provided above. We will also provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom a prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus (excluding any exhibits to those documents, unless the exhibit is specifically incorporated by reference in this document). Requests for such documents or exhibits should be directed to:
Hyliion Holdings Corp. c/o Investor Contact
1202 BMC Drive, Suite 100
Cedar Park, Texas 78613
Tel: (833) 495-4466
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PART II
Information Not Required in Prospectus
Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution.
The following is an estimate of the expenses (all of which are to be paid by the registrant) that we may incur in connection with the securities being registered hereby.
| Amount | ||||
| SEC registration fee | $ | 69,050 | ||
| Legal fees and expenses | * | |||
| Accounting fees and expenses | * | |||
| Transfer agent and registrar fees and expenses | * | |||
| Stock exchange listing fees | * | |||
| Trustee fees and expenses | * | |||
| Printing, FINRA filing fee (if applicable) and miscellaneous expenses | * | |||
| Total | $ | * | ||
| * | The amount of securities and number of offerings are indeterminable and the expenses cannot be estimated at this time. |
Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.
We are incorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware. Section 145(a) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party to or is threatened to be made a party to 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), because he or she is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with such action, suit or proceeding, if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful.
Section 145(b) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed action or suit by or in the right of the corporation to procure a judgment in its favor because the person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred by the person in connection with the defense or settlement of such action or suit if he or she acted in good faith and in a manner he or she reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made with respect to any claim, issue or matter as to which he or she shall have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court determines that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all of the circumstances of the case, he or she is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnity for such expenses that the Court of Chancery or other adjudicating court shall deem proper. Per Section 145(c) of the DGCL, where an officer or director is successful on the merits or otherwise in the defense of any action referred to above, the corporation must indemnify him or her against the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) actually and reasonably incurred.
Section 145(g) of the DGCL provides, in general, that a corporation may purchase and maintain insurance on behalf of any person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation, or is or was serving at the request of the corporation as a director, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any liability asserted against such person and incurred by such person in any such capacity, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the corporation would have the power to indemnify the person against such liability under Section 145 of the DGCL.
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Additionally, Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL provides that a certificate of incorporation may contain a provision eliminating or limiting the personal liability of a director of the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, provided that such provisions may not eliminate or limit the liability of a director (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) under Section 174 (relating to liability for unauthorized acquisitions or redemptions of, or dividends on, capital stock) of the DGCL, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Our Certificate of Incorporation eliminates our directors’ liability to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL. The DGCL provides that directors of a corporation will not be personally liable for monetary damages for breach of their fiduciary duties as directors, except for liability:
| ● | for any transaction from which the director derives an improper personal benefit; |
| ● | for any act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; |
| ● | for any unlawful payment of dividends or redemption of shares; or |
| ● | for any breach of a director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders. |
If the DGCL is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of the Company’s directors will be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, as so amended.
In addition, we have entered into separate indemnification agreements with our directors and officers. These agreements, among other things, require us to indemnify our directors and officers for certain expenses, including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, and settlement amounts incurred by a director or officer in any action or proceeding arising out of their services as one of our directors or officers or any other company or enterprise to which the person provides services at our request.
We maintain a directors’ and officers’ insurance policy pursuant to which our directors and officers are insured against liability for actions taken in their capacities as directors and officers.
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Item 16. Exhibits.
| * | Filed herewith. |
| ** | To be filed, if necessary, as an exhibit to a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or in a post-effective amendment to this registration statement. |
| † | To be filed in accordance with the requirements of Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the applicable rules thereunder. |
| + | The schedules and exhibits to this agreement have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(a)(5) of Regulation S-K. A copy of any omitted schedule and/or exhibit will be furnished to the SEC upon request. |
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Item 17. Undertakings.
| (a) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: |
| (1) | To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement: |
| (i) | to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act; |
| (ii) | to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement; and |
| (iii) | to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement; |
provided, however, that: Paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) 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 SEC by the registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act, that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.
| (2) | That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (3) | To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. |
| (5) | That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser: |
| (i) | 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 |
| (ii) | 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. |
| (6) | That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser: |
| (i) | Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424; |
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| (ii) | Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned registrant; |
| (iii) | The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned registrant or their respective securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned registrant; and |
| (iv) | Any other communication that is an offer in any offering made by the undersigned registrant to the purchaser. |
| (b) | 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 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. |
| (h) | Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. |
| (i) |
| (1) | For purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b) (1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time it was declared effective. |
| (2) | For the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. |
| (j) | The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act. |
II-5
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the City of Cedar Park, State of Texas on February 24, 2026.
| HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
| /s/ Thomas Healy | ||
| Name: | Thomas Healy | |
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints Thomas Healy and Jon Panzer, and each of them, either of whom may act without the joinder of the other, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and any registration statement relating to the offering covered by this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully for all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or his substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
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/ Thomas Healy |
Chief Executive Officer and Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Thomas Healy | (Principal Executive Officer) | |||
|
/s/ Jon Panzer |
Chief Financial Officer | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Jon Panzer | (Principal Financial Officer and Principal Accounting Officer) | |||
| /s/ Jeffrey Craig | Chair of the Board | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Jeffrey Craig | ||||
|
/s/ Rodger Boehm |
Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Rodger Boehm | ||||
| /s/ Vincent Cubbage | Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Vincent Cubbage | ||||
|
/s/ Richard Freeland |
Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Richard Freeland | ||||
|
/s/ Mary Gustanski |
Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Mary Gustanski | ||||
|
/s/ Robert Knight, Jr. |
Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Robert Knight, Jr. | ||||
|
/s/ Melanie Trent |
Director | February 24, 2026 | ||
| Melanie Trent |
II-6
Exhibit 4.4
HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP.
to
[ ]
Trustee
INDENTURE
Dated as of [ ] [ ], 20[ ]
DEBT SECURITIES
HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP.
Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to
Section 310
through 318, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended
|
Trust Indenture Act Section |
Indenture Section |
| Section 310(a)(1) | 609 |
| (a)(2) | 609 |
| (a)(3) | Not Applicable |
| (a)(4) | Not Applicable |
| (b) | 608 |
| Section 311(a) | 613 |
| (b) | 613 |
| Section 312(a) | 701 |
| 702 | |
| 702 | |
| (c) | 702 |
| Section 313(a) | 703 |
| (b) | 703 |
| (c) | 703 |
| (d) | 703 |
| Section 314(a) | 704 |
| (a)(4) | 101 |
| (b) | Not Applicable |
| (c)(1) | 102 |
| (c)(2) | 102 |
| (c)(3) | Not Applicable |
| (d) | Not Applicable |
| (e) | 102 |
| Section 315(a) | 601 |
| (b) | 602 |
| (c) | 601 |
| (d) | 601 |
| (e) | 514 |
| Section 316(a) | 101 |
| (a)(1)(A) | 502 |
| 512 | |
| (a)(1)(B) | 513 |
| (a)(2) | Not Applicable |
| (b) | 508 |
| (c) | 104 |
| Section 317(a)(1) | 503 |
| (a)(2) | 504 |
| (b) | 1003 |
| Section 318(a) | 107 |
Note: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.
i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
| Page | ||
| Article I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION | 1 | |
| Section 101 | Definitions | 1 |
| Section 102 | Compliance Certificates and Opinions | 6 |
| Section 103 | Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee | 6 |
| Section 104 | Acts of Holders; Record Dates | 7 |
| Section 105 | Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Company | 8 |
| Section 106 | Notice to Holders; Waiver | 9 |
| Section 107 | Trust Indenture Act Matters | 9 |
| Section 108 | Effect of Headings and Table of Contents | 9 |
| Section 109 | Successors and Assigns | 9 |
| Section 110 | Separability Clause | 10 |
| Section 111 | Benefits of Indenture | 10 |
| Section 112 | Governing Law | 10 |
| Section 113 | Legal Holidays | 10 |
| Section 114 | No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements | 10 |
| Section 115 | No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders | 10 |
| Section 116 | Language of Notices, Etc | 10 |
| Section 117 | Force Majeure | 10 |
| Section 118 | Waiver of Jury Trial | 11 |
| Section 119 | U.S.A. Patriot Act | 11 |
| Section 120 | Electronic Signature | 11 |
| Article II SECURITY FORMS | 11 | |
| Section 201 | Forms Generally | 11 |
| Section 202 | Form of Face of Security | 12 |
| Section 203 | Form of Reverse of Security | 15 |
| Section 204 | Form of Legend for Global Securities | 18 |
| Section 205 | Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication | 18 |
| Article III THE SECURITIES | 19 | |
| Section 301 | Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series | 19 |
| Section 302 | Denominations | 21 |
| Section 303 | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating | 21 |
| Section 304 | Temporary Securities | 22 |
| Section 305 | Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange | 22 |
| Section 306 | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Wrongfully Taken Securities | 24 |
| Section 307 | Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved | 25 |
| Section 308 | Persons Deemed Owners | 26 |
| Section 309 | Cancellation | 26 |
| Section 310 | Computation of Interest | 26 |
| Section 311 | CUSIP Numbers | 26 |
| Article IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | 27 | |
| Section 401 | Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | 27 |
| Section 402 | Application of Trust Money | 28 |
ii
| Article V REMEDIES | 28 | |
| Section 501 | Events of Default | 28 |
| Section 502 | Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment | 29 |
| Section 503 | Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee | 30 |
| Section 504 | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 30 |
| Section 505 | Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities | 31 |
| Section 506 | Application of Money Collected | 31 |
| Section 507 | Limitation on Suits | 31 |
| Section 508 | Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and to Convert | 31 |
| Section 509 | Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 32 |
| Section 510 | Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 32 |
| Section 511 | Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 32 |
| Section 512 | Control by Holders | 32 |
| Section 513 | Waiver of Past Defaults | 32 |
| Section 514 | Undertaking for Costs | 33 |
| Section 515 | Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws | 33 |
| Article VI THE TRUSTEE | 33 | |
| Section 601 | Certain Duties and Responsibilities | 33 |
| Section 602 | Notice of Defaults | 34 |
| Section 603 | Certain Rights of Trustee | 34 |
| Section 604 | Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities | 36 |
| Section 605 | May Hold Securities | 36 |
| Section 606 | Money Held in Trust | 36 |
| Section 607 | Compensation and Reimbursement | 36 |
| Section 608 | Conflicting Interests | 37 |
| Section 609 | Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility | 37 |
| Section 610 | Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor | 37 |
| Section 611 | Acceptance of Appointment by Successor | 38 |
| Section 612 | Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business | 39 |
| Section 613 | Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company | 39 |
| Section 614 | Appointment of Authenticating Agent | 39 |
| Article VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY | 41 | |
| Section 701 | Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders | 41 |
| Section 702 | Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders | 41 |
| Section 703 | Reports by Trustee | 41 |
| Section 704 | Reports by Company | 41 |
| Article VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE | 42 | |
| Section 801 | Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms | 42 |
| Section 802 | Successor Substituted | 42 |
| Article IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES | 42 | |
| Section 901 | Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders | 42 |
| Section 902 | Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders | 43 |
| Section 903 | Execution of Supplemental Indentures | 44 |
| Section 904 | Effect of Supplemental Indentures | 45 |
| Section 905 | Conformity with Trust Indenture Act | 45 |
| Section 906 | Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures | 45 |
iii
| Article X COVENANTS | 45 | |
| Section 1001 | Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest | 45 |
| Section 1002 | Maintenance of Office or Agency | 45 |
| Section 1003 | Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust | 45 |
| Section 1004 | Corporate Existence | 46 |
| Section 1005 | Statement by Officers as to Default | 46 |
| Section 1006 | Waiver of Certain Covenants | 46 |
| Article XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES | 47 | |
| Section 1101 | Applicability of Article | 47 |
| Section 1102 | Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee | 47 |
| Section 1103 | Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed | 47 |
| Section 1104 | Notice of Redemption | 48 |
| Section 1105 | Deposit of Redemption Price | 49 |
| Section 1106 | Securities Payable on Redemption Date | 49 |
| Section 1107 | Securities Redeemed in Part | 49 |
| Section 1108 | No Limit on Repurchases | 49 |
| Article XII SINKING FUNDS | 50 | |
| Section 1201 | Applicability of Article | 50 |
| Section 1202 | Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities | 50 |
| Section 1203 | Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund | 50 |
| Article XIII DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE | 50 | |
| Section 1301 | Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 50 |
| Section 1302 | Defeasance and Discharge | 50 |
| Section 1303 | Covenant Defeasance | 51 |
| Section 1304 | Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 51 |
| Section 1305 | Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions | 53 |
| Section 1306 | Reinstatement | 53 |
iv
INDENTURE, dated as of , 20 between Hyliion Holdings Corp., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office at 1202 BMC Drive, Suite 100, Cedar Park, Texas 78613, and [ ], as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee”).
RECITALS OF THE COMPANY
The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (herein called the “Securities”) to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.
All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company in accordance with its terms have been done.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of series thereof, as follows:
Article I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
Section 101 Definitions. For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) the terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular;
(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;
(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP;
(4) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to an “Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Indenture;
(5) the words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;
(6) when used with respect to any Security, the words “convert,” “converted” and “conversion” are intended to refer to the right of the Holder or the Company to convert or exchange such Security into or for securities or other property in accordance with such terms, if any, as may hereafter be specified for such Security as contemplated by Section 301, and these words are not intended to refer to any right of the Holder or the Company to exchange such Security for other Securities of the same series and like tenor pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 or another similar provision of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires; and references herein to the terms of any Security that may be converted mean such terms as may be specified for such Security as contemplated in Section 301;
(7) unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to “duly provided for” and other words of similar import with respect to any amount or property required to be paid or delivered, as applicable, shall include, without limitation, having made such amount or property available for payment or delivery;
(8) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time;
1
(9) when the words “includes” or “including” are used herein, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation;” and
(10) “or” is not exclusive.
“Act,” when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.
“Affiliate” of any specified Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such specified Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” when used with respect to any specified Person means the power to direct the management and policies of such Person, directly or indirectly, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise; and the terms “controlling” and “controlled” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.
“Applicable Procedures” of a Depositary means, with respect to any matter at any time, the policies and procedures of such Depositary, if any, that are applicable to such matter at such time.
“Authenticating Agent” means, when used with respect to Securities of any series, any Person authorized by the Trustee to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate the Securities of such series.
“Board of Directors” means any of (1) the board of directors of the Company, (2) any duly authorized committee of that board or (3) any officer of the Company duly authorized by the board of directors of the Company to take a specified action.
“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee. Where any provision of this Indenture refers to action to be taken pursuant to a Board Resolution (including the establishment of any series of the Securities and the forms and terms thereof), such action may be taken by any officer or employee of the Company authorized to take such action by the Board of Directors as evidenced by a Board Resolution.
“Business Day,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
“Code” means the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.
“Company” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.
“Company Request” or “Company Order” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by any two Officers of the Company.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the designated office of the Trustee at which this Indenture is administered and which, at the date hereof, is located at [ ] or at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee.
“corporation” means a corporation, association, company (including a limited liability company), joint-stock company, business trust or other business entity (other than a partnership).
2
“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1303.
“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.
“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1302.
“Depositary” means, with respect to Securities of any series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act that is designated to act as depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 301.
“DTC” has the meaning specified in Section 104.
“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 501.
“Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
“Expiration Date” has the meaning specified in Section 104.
“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect from time to time. All ratio computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP.
“Global Security” means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and bears the legend set forth in Section 204 (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities).
“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is, at the time of determination, registered in the Security Register.
“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of any particular series or specific Securities within a series established as contemplated by Section 301.
“interest,” when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
“Interest Payment Date,” when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.
“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
“Notice of Default” means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 501(4).
“Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or any Vice-President of such Person (or, if such Person is a partnership, the general partner thereof) or any other officer or officers of such Person (or such general partner) designated in a writing by or pursuant to authority of the Board of Directors (if such Person is the Company) or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors with respect to such Guarantor (if such Person is a Guarantor) and delivered to the Trustee from time to time.
3
“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by at least two Officers of the Company, one of whom shall be the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements of Section 102.
“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel (who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or any Affiliate thereof) that meets the requirements of Section 102.
“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security which 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 Section 502.
“Outstanding,” when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:
(1) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;
(2) Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;
(3) Securities as to which Defeasance has been effected pursuant to Section 1302;
(4) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a protected purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; and
(5) Securities as to which any property deliverable upon conversion thereof has been delivered (or such delivery has been duly provided for), or as to which any other particular conditions have been satisfied, in each case as may be provided for such Securities as contemplated in Section 301;
provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given, made or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder as of any date, (a) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof which would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 502, (b) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Security is not determinable, the principal amount of such Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount as specified or determined as contemplated by Section 301, (c) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies, composite currencies or currency units which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner provided as contemplated by Section 301, of the principal amount of such Security (or, in the case of a Security described in Clause (a) or (b) above, of the amount determined as provided in such Clause), and (d) Securities owned by the Company, or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company.
4
“Paying Agent” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
“Place of Payment,” when used with respect to the Securities of any series and subject to Section 1002, means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as contemplated by Section 301.
“Predecessor Security” of any particular Security means every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security.
“Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
“Redemption Price,” when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series, means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.
“Responsible Officer,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee (or any successor division of the Trustee), including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers who at the time shall be such officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject, and who, in each case, has direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“Securities” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.
“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.
“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest, means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 307.
“Stated Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
“Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, means any (1) corporation (other than a partnership) of which the outstanding capital stock having a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors, managers or trustees of such corporation under ordinary circumstances shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or any other Person of which a majority of the voting interests under ordinary circumstances is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person or (2) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).
5
“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.
“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.
“Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of Delaware or the State of New York, as applicable, in each case as amended from time to time.
“U.S. Government Obligation” has the meaning specified in Section 1304.
“Vice President,” when used with respect to the Company, means any executive vice president and any senior vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “executive vice president” or “senior vice president.”
Section 102 Compliance Certificates and Opinions. Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee such certificates and opinions as may be required under the Trust Indenture Act. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, if to be given by an officer of the Company, or an Opinion of Counsel, if to be given by counsel, and shall comply with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and any other requirements set forth in this Indenture.
Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:
(1) a statement that each individual signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;
(2) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;
(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such individual, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.
Section 103 Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee. In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of, or representation by, counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company unless such counsel knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.
Section 104 Acts of Holders; Record Dates. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent or agents duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 601) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section 104.
Without limiting the generality of this Section 104, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, (1) a Holder, including a Depositary or its nominee that is a Holder of a Global Security, may give, make or take, by an agent or agents duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted in or pursuant to this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders, and a Depositary or its nominee that is a Holder of a Global Security may duly appoint in writing as its agent or agents members of, or participants in, such Depositary holding interests in such Global Security in the records of such Depositary; and (2) with respect to any Global Security the Depositary for which is The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), any consent or other action given, made or taken by an “agent member” of DTC by electronic means in accordance with the Automated Tender Offer Procedures system or other Applicable Procedures of, and pursuant to authorization by, DTC shall be deemed to constitute the “Act” of the Holder of such Global Security, and such Act shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Company, and the Trustee upon the delivery by DTC of an “agent’s message” or other notice of such consent or other action having been so given, made or taken in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of DTC.
The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
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With respect to Securities of any series, the Company may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series entitled to give, make or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of Securities of such series, provided that the Company may set a record date for, and the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply with respect to, the giving, making or taking of any notice, declaration, request or direction referred to in the next paragraph. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to give, make or take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, however, that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless given, made or taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Company from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action given, made or taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is given, made or taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Company, at its own expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Trustee in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Sections 105 and 106.
The Trustee may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving, making or taking of (A) any Notice of Default, (B) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 502, (C) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 507(2) or (D) any direction referred to in Section 512, in each case with respect to Securities of such series. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to give, make or take such notice, declaration, request or direction, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided, however, that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless given, made or taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Trustee from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action given, made or taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is given, made or taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee, at the Company’s expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Company in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Sections 105 and 106.
With respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section 104, the party hereto which sets such record date may designate any day as the “Expiration Date” and from time to time may change the Expiration Date to any earlier or later day; provided that no such change shall be effective unless notice of the proposed new Expiration Date is given to the other party hereto in writing, and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106, on or prior to the existing Expiration Date. If an Expiration Date is not designated with respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section 104, the party hereto which set such record date shall be deemed to have initially designated the 180th day after such record date as the Expiration Date with respect thereto, subject to its right to change the Expiration Date to an earlier day as provided in this paragraph. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Expiration Date shall be later than the 180th day after the applicable record date.
Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to give, make or take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so, in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing, with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security.
Section 105 Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Company. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, (1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if made, given, furnished or filed in writing and delivered in Person, mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), transmitted by facsimile or sent by overnight courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery to or with the Trustee addressed to it at its Corporate Trust Office, Facsimile: [ ] or (2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if made, given, furnished or filed in writing and delivered in Person, mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), transmitted by facsimile or sent by overnight courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery, to or with the Company addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument, Attention: Chief Financial Officer, Facsimile: [ ] with a copy to Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor, New York, New York 10036, Facsimile: (212) 237-0133, Attention: Brenda Lenahan, or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.
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All requests, demands, authorizations, directions, notices, consents, waivers or Acts of Holders or other such documents made, given, furnished or filed with or to the Company shall be deemed to have been duly made, given, furnished or filed: (A) at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; (B) five calendar days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; (C) when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and (D) the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery. Notices given by publication will be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made. Any notice or communication to the Trustee shall be deemed delivered upon receipt by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee.
Section 106 Notice to Holders; Waiver. Where this Indenture provides for notice or other communication to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if given in writing and mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested) or sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery, to each Holder affected by such event, at such Holder’s address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such notice or other communication. Any notice or other communication shall also be so mailed or sent to any Person described in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act. Failure to mail or send a notice or other communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.
If a notice or communication is mailed or sent in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it. Where this Indenture provides for notice or other communication in any manner, such notice or other communication may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice or other communication, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice or other communication. Waivers of notice or other communication by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver. If the Company mails a notice or communication to the Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee at the same time.
In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice or other communication by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
Where this Indenture provides for notice or other communication with respect to any event or otherwise to a Holder of a Global Security, such notice or other communication shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee), pursuant to its Applicable Procedures, not later than the latest date (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such notice or other communication.
Section 107 Trust Indenture Act Matters. If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act which is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.
Section 108 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
Section 109 Successors and Assigns. All covenants and agreements in this Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the Trustee, except as otherwise provided in Section 802, shall bind their respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
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Section 110 Separability Clause. In case any provision in this Indenture, or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 111 Benefits of Indenture. Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities of a particular series or under this Indenture with respect to such Securities.
Section 112 Governing Law. This Indenture and the Securities and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto and thereto, including the interpretation, construction, validity and enforceability thereof, shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the law of the State of New York.
Section 113 Legal Holidays. In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Maturity of any Security, or any date on which a Holder has the right to convert his Security, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities (other than a provision of any Security which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section 113)) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any), or conversion of such Security need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Maturity, or on such date for conversion, as the case may be, and if payment is so made or such conversion occurs, no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, such Redemption Date, the Maturity, or such date for conversion, as the case may be.
Section 114 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or other agreement of the Company or any Subsidiaries of the Company or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or other agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 115 No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company, as such, will have any liability (i) for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or this Indenture or (ii) for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Securities by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Securities. This Section 115 shall not apply to any claims under the U.S. federal securities laws.
Section 116 Language of Notices, Etc. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, other action or Act provided or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.
Section 117 Force Majeure. In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, (i) any act or provision of any future law or regulation or governmental authority, (ii) strikes, (iii) work stoppages, (iv) accidents, (v) acts of war or terrorism, (vi) civil or military disturbances, (vii) nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, (viii) disease, (ix) epidemic or pandemic, (x) quarantine, (xi) national emergency, (xii) interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services, (xiii) communications system failure, (xiv) malware or ransomware, (xv) unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex system or other wire or other funds transfer systems, or (xvi) unavailability of any securities clearing system; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
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Section 118 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS INDENTURE.
Section 119 U.S.A. Patriot Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. Patriot Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify and record information that identities each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
Section 120 Electronic Signature. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. This Indenture and any certificate, agreement or other document to be signed in connection with this Indenture and the transactions contemplated hereby shall be valid, binding, and enforceable against a party only when executed and delivered by an authorized individual on behalf of the party by means of (i) an original manual signature; (ii) a faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature; or (iii) in the case of this Indenture and any certificate, agreement or other document to be signed in connection with this Indenture and the transactions contemplated hereby, other than any Securities, any electronic signature permitted by the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, state enactments of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act, and/or any other relevant electronic signatures law, including relevant provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code (collectively, “Signature Law”). Each electronic signature (except in the case of any Securities) or faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature shall for all purposes have the same validity, legal effect, and admissibility in evidence as an original manual signature. Each party hereto shall be entitled to conclusively rely upon, and shall have no liability with respect to, any faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature, or other electronic signature (except in the case of any Securities), of any party and shall have no duty to investigate, confirm or otherwise verify the validity or authenticity thereof. For avoidance of doubt, original manual signatures shall be used for execution or indorsement of writings when required under the Uniform Commercial Code or other Signature Law due to the character or intended character of the writings.
Article II
SECURITY FORMS
Section 201 Forms Generally. As to each series of Securities, the Securities of such series shall be in substantially the form set forth in this Article, or in such other form as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or Depositary therefor or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities as evidenced by their execution thereof. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.
The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities.
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Section 202 Form of Face of Security.
[Insert any legend required by the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder.]
CUSIP [ ]
| No. | $ |
HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP.
HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to , or registered assigns, the principal sum of Dollars on [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — , and to pay interest thereon from (1) or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on and in each year, commencing , and at the Maturity thereof, at the rate of % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, provided that any premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date such overdue amount is due until such amount is paid or duly provided for, and such interest on any overdue amount shall be payable on demand](2). The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the or (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest so payable, but not punctually paid or duly provided for, will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Company, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which this Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.
[If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal and any overdue premium shall bear interest at the rate of [ ]% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue principal or premium shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on overdue principal or premium which is not paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of [ ]% per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest on interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date of such demand until the amount so demanded is paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue interest shall be payable on demand.]
| (1) | If the Securities of the applicable series are to be sold “flat”, insert the date of original issuance of Securities of such series. If the Securities of the applicable series are to be issued “with accrued interest”, insert the Interest Payment Date for Securities of such series next preceding the date of original issuance of Securities of such series. |
| (2) | To remain in brackets and italicized in indenture as executed. |
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Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and [if applicable, insert — any such] interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the continental United States, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts, against surrender of this Security in the case of any payment due at the Maturity of the principal thereof or any payment of interest becomes payable on a day other than an Interest Payment Date; provided, however, that if this Security is not a Global Security, (1) payment of interest on an Interest Payment Date will be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; and all other payments will be made by check against surrender of this Security; (2) all payments by check will be made in next-day funds (i.e., funds that become available on the day after the check is cashed); and (3) notwithstanding clauses (1) and (2) above, with respect to any payment of any amount due on this Security, if this Security is in a denomination of at least $1,000,000 and the Holder hereof at the time of surrender hereof or, in the case of any payment of interest on any Interest Payment Date, the Holder thereof on the related Regular Record Date delivers a written request to the Paying Agent to make such payment by wire transfer at least five Business Days before the date such payment becomes due, together with appropriate wire transfer instructions specifying an account at a bank in New York, New York, the Company shall make such payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account at such bank in New York City, any such wire instructions, once properly given by a Holder as to this Security, remaining in effect as to such Holder and this Security unless and until new instructions are given in the manner described above and provided further, that notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, if this Security is a Global Security, payment shall be made pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary as permitted in said Indenture.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.
| HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP., a Delaware corporation | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
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Section 203 Form of Reverse of Security. This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of [Insert date of indenture] (herein called the “Indenture”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), among the Company and [ ], as Trustee (herein called the “Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company , the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof [if applicable, insert — limited in aggregate principal amount to $ ].
This Security is the general, unsecured obligation of the Company and any other Person who shall become such in accordance with the Indenture (the “Guarantors”). The Guarantee by each Guarantor is the general, unsecured obligation of such Guarantor, subject to the release and discharge thereof as provided in the Indenture].(4)
[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ notice, at any time [if applicable, insert — on or after [ ], 20[ ]], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount): If redeemed [if applicable, insert — on or before [ ], [ ]%, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning [ ] of the years indicated,
|
Year |
Redemption Price |
Year |
Redemption Price |
and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to [ ]% of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.]](3)
[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice by mail, (1) on [ ] in any year commencing with the year [ ] and ending with the year [ ] through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at any time [if applicable, insert — on or after [ ], as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below: If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning [ ] of the years indicated,
|
Year |
Redemption Price For Redemption Through Operation of the Sinking Fund |
Redemption Price For Redemption Otherwise Than Through Operation |
of the Sinking Fund and thereafter] at a Redemption Price equal to % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture.](3)
[If applicable, insert — Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to [ ], redeem any Securities of this series as contemplated by [if applicable, insert — clause (2) of] the preceding paragraph as a part of, or in anticipation of, any refunding operation by the application, directly or indirectly, of moneys borrowed having an interest cost to the Company (calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practice) of less than [ ]% per annum.](3)
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[If applicable, insert — The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption on [ ] in each year beginning with the year [ ] and ending with the year [ ] of [if applicable, insert — not less than $[ ] (“mandatory sinking fund”) and not more than] $[ ] aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series. Securities of this series acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than through [if applicable, insert — mandatory] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [if applicable, insert — mandatory] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made [if applicable, insert — , in the inverse order in which they become due.]](3)
[If the Security is subject to redemption of any kind, insert — In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof.](3)
[If applicable, insert — The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture.](3)
[If the Security is not an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.](3)
[If the Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, an amount of principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. Such amount shall be equal to — insert formula for determining the amount. Upon payment (A) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable and (B) of interest on any overdue principal, premium and interest (in each case to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), all of the Company’s obligations in respect of the payment of the principal of and premium and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall terminate.](3)
The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of all Securities at the time Outstanding to be affected (considered together as one class for this purpose and such Securities to be affected potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series), except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to the Indenture for all or any specific Securities of any series. The Indenture also contains provisions (i) permitting the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Securities at the time Outstanding to be affected under the Indenture (considered together as one class for this purpose and such affected Securities potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any particular series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series), on behalf of the Holders of all Securities so affected, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and (ii) permitting the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Securities at the time Outstanding of any series to be affected under the Indenture (with each such series considered separately for this purpose), on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive certain past defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series and their consequences, in the case of Clause (i) or (ii), except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to the Indenture for all or any specific Securities of any series. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.
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As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.
The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
[If this Security is a Global Security, insert — This Security is a Global Security and is subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to Global Securities, including the limitations therein on transfers and exchanges of Global Securities.]
This Security and the Indenture shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York.
All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
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Section 204 Form of Legend for Global Securities. Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities evidenced thereby, every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.
Section 205 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
Dated:
| [ ], As Trustee | ||
| By: | ||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
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Article III
THE SECURITIES
Section 301 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.
The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,
(1) the title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);
(2) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Sections 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);
(3) the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;
(4) the date or dates on which the principal of any Securities of the series is payable;
(5) the rate or rates at which any Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which any such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for any such interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;
(6) the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner in which any payment may be made;
(7) the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to redeem the Securities shall be evidenced;
(8) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase any Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of the Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;
(9) if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which any Securities of the series shall be issuable;
(10) if the amount of principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index or pursuant to a formula, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;
(11) if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currency, currencies, composite currency, composite currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for any purpose, including for the purposes of making payment in the currency of the United States of America and applying the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 101;
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(12) if the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the Company or the Holder thereof, in one or more currencies, composite currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the currency, currencies, composite currency, composite currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on such Securities as to which such election is made shall be payable, the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amount so payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined);
(13) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502;
(14) if the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of any Securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the Stated Maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such Securities as of any such date for any purpose thereunder or hereunder, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any Maturity other than the Stated Maturity or which shall be deemed to be Outstanding as of any date prior to the Stated Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined);
(15) if applicable, that the Securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, shall not be defeasible pursuant to Section 1302 or Section 1303 or both such Sections, and, if such Securities may be defeased, in whole or in part, pursuant to either or both such Sections, any provisions to permit a pledge of obligations other than U.S. Government Obligations (or the establishment of other arrangements) to satisfy the requirements of Section 1304(1) for defeasance of such Securities and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to defease such Securities shall be evidenced;
(16) if applicable, that any Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the respective Depositaries for such Global Securities, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by any such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of that set forth in Section 204, any addition to, elimination of or other change in the circumstances set forth in Clause (2) of the penultimate paragraph of Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and any transfer of such Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name or names of Persons other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and any other provisions governing exchanges or transfers of any such Global Security;
(17) any addition to, elimination of or other change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 502;
(18) any addition to, elimination of or other change in the covenants set forth in Article X which applies to Securities of the series;
(19) any provisions necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance, payment or conversion of any Securities of the series that may be converted into securities or other property other than Securities of the same series and of like tenor, whether in addition to, or in lieu of, any payment of principal or other amount and whether at the option of the Company or otherwise;
(20) if applicable, that Persons other than those specified in Section 111 shall have such benefits, rights, remedies and claims with respect to any Securities of the series or under this Indenture with respect to such Securities, as and to the extent provided for such Securities;
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(21) any change in the actions permitted or required under this Indenture to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of the Securities of the series, including any such change that permits or requires any or all such actions to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of any specific Securities of the series rather than or in addition to the Holders of all Securities of the series;
(22) any provisions for subordination of any Securities of the series to other indebtedness of the Company (including Securities of other series);
(23) any guarantees of the Securities of the series, including the terms of subordination, if any, of such guarantees;
(24) any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars; and
(25) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 901(5)).
All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and (subject to Section 303) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officers’ Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided pursuant to this Section 301 for any series, after issuance of Securities of such series, such series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of that series.
The terms of any Security of a series may differ from the terms of other Securities of the same series, if and to the extent provided pursuant to this Section 301. The matters referenced in any or all of Clauses (1) through (23) above may be established and set forth or determined as aforesaid with respect to all or any specific Securities of a series (in each case to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act).
If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.
Section 302 Denominations. The Securities of each series shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons and only in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 301. In the absence of any such specified denomination with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in minimum denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Section 303 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating. The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President of the Company (or any other officer of the Company designated in writing by or pursuant to authority of the Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee from time to time). The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,
(1) if the form of such Securities has been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution, as permitted by Section 201, that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
(2) if the terms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution as permitted by Section 301, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and
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(3) that when such Securities have been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, such Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles and subject to any limitation with respect to payments in currency other than U.S. dollars.
If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order, and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or prior to the authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.
Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.
No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
Section 304 Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor one or more definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series and tenor.
Section 305 Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange. The Company shall cause to be kept at each office or agency of the Company designated as a Place of Payment pursuant to the first paragraph of Section 1002 a register (the register, maintained in each such office or agency of the Company designated as a Place of Payment, being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “Security Register”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.
Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of a series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.
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At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities, which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed, by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Sections 304, 906, or 1107 not involving any transfer.
If the Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in whole or in part, the Company shall not be required (x) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of selection of any such Securities for redemption under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on the day of such selection (or during such period as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for such Securities), or (y) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.
The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
The provisions of Clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) below shall apply only to Global Securities:
(1) Each Global Security authenticated under this Indenture shall be registered in the name of the Depositary designated for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and delivered to such Depositary or a nominee thereof or custodian therefor, and each such Global Security shall constitute a single Security for all purposes of this Indenture.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, and subject to such applicable provisions, if any, as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301, no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and no transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof unless (A) such Depositary has notified the Company that it (i) is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or (ii) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, or (B) the Company has executed and delivered to the Trustee a Company Order stating that such Global Security shall be exchanged in whole for Securities that are not Global Securities (in which case such exchange shall promptly be effected by the Trustee). If the Company receives a notice of the kind specified in Clause (A) above or has delivered a Company Order of the kind specified in Clause (B) above, it may, in its sole discretion, designate a successor Depositary for such Global Security within 90 days after receiving such notice or delivery of such order, as the case may be. If the Company designates a successor Depositary as aforesaid, such Global Security shall promptly be exchanged in whole for one or more other Global Securities registered in the name of the successor Depositary, whereupon such designated successor shall be the Depositary for such successor Global Security or Global Securities and the provisions of Clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this provision shall continue to apply thereto.
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(3) Subject to Clause (2) above and to such applicable provisions, if any, as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301, any exchange of a Global Security for other Securities may be made in whole or in part, and all Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security or any portion thereof shall be registered in such names as the Depositary for such Global Security shall direct.
(4) Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security or any portion thereof, whether pursuant to this Section 305, Section 304, 306, 906, or 1107 or otherwise, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Security, unless such Security is registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof.
Every Person who takes or holds any beneficial interest in a Global Security agrees that:
(5) the Company and the Trustee may deal with the Depositary as sole owner of the Global Security and as the authorized representative of such Person;
(6) such Person’s rights in the Global Security shall be exercised only through the Depositary and shall be limited to those established by law and agreement between such Person and the Depositary and/or direct and indirect participants of the Depositary;
(7) the Depositary and its participants make book-entry transfers of beneficial ownership among, and receive and transmit distributions of principal and interest on the Global Securities to, such Persons in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary;
(8) none of the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests; and
(9) the transferor of any Security shall provide or cause to be provided to the Trustee all information necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Section 6045 of the Code. The Trustee may rely on information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information. In connection with any proposed exchange of a Security that is not a Global Security for a Global Security, the Company or the Depositary shall be required to provide or cause to be provided to the Trustee all information necessary to allow the Trustee to comply with any applicable tax reporting obligations, including without limitation any cost basis reporting obligations under Section 6045 of the Code. The Trustee may rely on information provided to it and shall have no responsibility to verify or ensure the accuracy of such information.
Section 306 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Wrongfully Taken Securities. If (1) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee or (2) both (A) there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) a claim by a Holder as to the destruction, loss or wrongful taking of any Security of such Holder and a request thereby for a new replacement Security of the same series, and (ii) such indemnity bond as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless and (B) such other reasonable requirements as may be imposed by the Company as permitted by Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code have been satisfied, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a “protected purchaser” within the meaning of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously Outstanding.
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In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 306, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section 306 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series duly issued hereunder.
The provisions of this Section 306 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Securities.
Section 307 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved. Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any Securities of a series, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest (or, if no business is conducted by the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office on such date, at 5:00 P.M. New York City time on such date).
Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:
(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest payable on any Securities of a series to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each of such Securities and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. Thereupon the Company shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of such Special Record Date and the Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to each Holder of such Securities in the manner set forth in Section 106, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following Clause (2). The Trustee shall have no duty whatsoever to determine whether any Defaulted Interest is payable or the amount thereof.
(2) The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on any Securities of a series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, if, after notice given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this Clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee.
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Except as may otherwise be provided in this Section 307 or as contemplated in Section 301 with respect to any Securities of a series, the Person to whom interest shall be payable on any Security that first becomes payable on a day that is not an Interest Payment Date shall be the Holder of such Security on the day such interest is paid.
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 307, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.
In the case of any Security which is converted after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Security whose Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest whose Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Security which is converted, interest whose Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion of such Security shall not be payable.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of any Security that may be converted may provide that the provisions of the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply, or apply with such additions, changes or omissions as may be provided thereby, to such Security.
Section 308 Persons Deemed Owners. Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 307) any interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
Section 309 Cancellation. All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it in accordance with its customary procedures. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section 309, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of in accordance with the Trustee’s customary procedures.
Section 310 Computation of Interest. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
Section 311 CUSIP Numbers. The Company, in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers.
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Article IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 401 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to the Securities of any series (except as to any surviving rights of the Trustee, and of conversion, registration of transfer or exchange of any such Security expressly provided for herein or in the terms of such Security), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to such Securities, when
(1) either
(A) all such Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities which have been destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306 and (ii) Securities for the payment of which money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(B) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation
(i) have become due and payable, or
(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or
(iii) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,
and the Company in the case of (i), (ii), or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;
(2) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to such Securities;
(3) no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities (other than such an event or Event of Default with respect to such Securities resulting solely from the incurrence of indebtedness or other borrowing of funds, or the grant of liens securing such indebtedness or other borrowing, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit) shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit;
(4) such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound; and
(5) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to such Securities have been complied with.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607, the obligations of the Company to any Authenticating Agent under Section 614, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section 401 with respect to such Securities, the obligations of the Company of such series under Section 1002 and the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402, Section 606 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 with respect to such Securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.
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Section 402 Application of Trust Money. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 with respect to Securities of any series shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee. All moneys deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 (and held by it or any Paying Agent) for the payment of Securities subsequently converted shall be returned to the Company upon Company Request, to the extent originally deposited by the Company. The Company may direct by a Company Order the investment of any money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401, without distinction between principal and income, in (1) United States Treasury Securities with a maturity of one year or less or (2) a money market fund that invests solely in short term United States Treasury Securities and from time to time the Company may direct the reinvestment of all or a portion of such money in other securities or funds meeting the criteria specified in Clause (1) or (2) of this sentence.
Article V
REMEDIES
Section 501 Events of Default. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, “Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to the Securities of that series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):
(1) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or
(2) default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of that series at its Maturity; or
(3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of a Security of that series and continuance of such default for a period of 60 days; or
(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section 501 specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or
(5) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days (provided that, if any Person becomes the successor to the Company pursuant to Article VIII and such Person is a corporation, partnership or trust organized and validly existing under the law of a jurisdiction outside the United States, each reference in this Clause (5) to an applicable Federal or State law of a particular kind shall be deemed to refer to such law or any applicable comparable law of such non-U.S. jurisdiction, for as long as such Person is the successor to the Company hereunder and is so organized and existing); or
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(6) the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action (provided that, if any Person becomes the successor to the Company pursuant to Article VIII and such Person is a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the law of a jurisdiction outside the United States, each reference in this Clause (6) to an applicable Federal or State law of a particular kind shall be deemed to refer to such law or any applicable comparable law of such non-U.S. jurisdiction, for as long as such Person is the successor to the Company hereunder and is so organized and existing); or
(7) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series in accordance with Section 301.
Section 502 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, if an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5) or Section 501(6)) with respect to Securities of that series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, in the case of any Security of that series which specifies an amount to be due and payable thereon upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof, such amount as may be specified by the terms thereof) to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall become immediately due and payable. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, if an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5) or Section 501(6) with respect to Securities of that series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, in the case of any Security of that series which specifies an amount to be due and payable thereon upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof, such amount as may be specified by the terms thereof), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable.
Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, at any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of that series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company, and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if
(1) the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay
(A) all overdue interest on all Securities of that series,
(B) the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities,
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(C) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and
(D) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and
(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513.
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 503 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee. The Company covenants that if
(1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 60 days, or
(2) default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof,
the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.
If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 504 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities, their property or their creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. The Trustee shall be authorized to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607. To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607 out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a line on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.
No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided, however, that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors’ or other similar committee.
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Section 505 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 506 Application of Money Collected. Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or any premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:
FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee, its agents and attorneys hereunder;
SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and
THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company, or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.
Section 507 Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless
(1) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that series;
(2) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;
(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, losses, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;
(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and
(5) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series;
it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain or determine whether any action or inaction disturbs or prejudices the rights of any Holder or seeks to obtain priority or preference over any Holder).
Section 508 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and to Convert. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 307) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date), and, if the terms of such Security so provide, to convert such Security in accordance with its terms, and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and, if applicable, any such right to convert, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
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Section 509 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 510 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Securities in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.
Section 511 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.
Section 512 Control by Holders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that
(1) the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with any rule of law or with this Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not any such direction unduly prejudices the rights of such Holders);
(2) the Trustee may require indemnity satisfactory to it being furnished prior to taking such action;
(3) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and
(4) subject to the provisions of Section 601, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee shall determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.
Section 513 Waiver of Past Defaults. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Outstanding Securities of any series to be affected under this Indenture may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default
(1) in the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of such series, or
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(2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article IX cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.
Upon any such waiver with respect to any series, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, with respect to such series for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon. A waiver of any past default and its consequences given by or on behalf of any Holder of Securities in connection with a purchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such purchase, tender or exchange.
Section 514 Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any such party litigant, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that neither this Section 514 nor the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit instituted by the Trustee, or by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date) or, if applicable, in any suit for the enforcement of the right to convert any Security in accordance with its terms.
Section 515 Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.
Article VI
THE TRUSTEE
Section 601 Certain Duties and Responsibilities.
(1) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default,
(A) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and
(B) in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).
(2) In case an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.
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(3) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that
(A) this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of the first paragraph of this Section 601;
(B) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts;
(C) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, determined as provided in Section 512, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and
(D) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers.
(4) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 601.
(5) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability. The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses, losses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.
Section 602 Notice of Defaults. If a default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, and if it is known to the Trustee as provided in Section 603(10), the Trustee shall send to the Holders of Securities of such series notice of such default or Event of default within 90 days after the Trustee gains knowledge of the default or Event of Default unless such default or Event of Default shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice. Except in the case of a default or Event of Default in payment of principal of, premium or interest on Securities of any series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities of such series. For the purpose of this Section 602 and Section 1005, the term “default” means, with respect to Securities of any series, any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.
Section 603 Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 601:
(1) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;
(2) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any resolution of the Board of Directors shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(3) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) shall be entitled to receive and may request and conclusively rely upon, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance upon, an Officers’ Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel;
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(4) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(5) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, losses, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(6) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;
(7) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder and shall not be responsible for the supervision of officers and employees of such agents or attorneys;
(8) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;
(9) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it in good faith to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;
(10) the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture;
(11) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;
(12) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action;
(13) the Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder;
(14) the right of the Trustee to perform any discretionary act enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as a duty; and
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(15) under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Securities.
Section 604 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or in any other document issued in connection with the sale of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.
Section 605 May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 608 and 613, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.
Section 606 Money Held in Trust. Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds and need not be held in an interest-bearing account, in each case, except to the extent required by law or by any other provision of this Indenture. The Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder) shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.
Section 607 Compensation and Reimbursement.
(1) The Company shall pay to the Trustee (in each of its capacities hereunder) from time to time reasonable compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder in accordance with a written schedule provided by the Trustee to the Company. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable and customary disbursements, advances and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses shall include the reasonable and customary compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
(2) The Company shall indemnify, defend, protect and hold the Trustee harmless (in its individual capacity and Trustee capacities) and its agents, employees, officers and directors against any and all losses, liabilities, damages, costs or expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company (including this Section 607 and reasonable attorneys’ fee and expenses and court costs) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by either of the Company or any Holder or any other person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense that is the result of its negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final, non-appealable decision. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section 607 the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on Securities of such series. Such lien shall survive satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
(3) Without limiting any rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5) or Section 501(6), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.
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(4) The provisions of this Section 607 shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the earlier resignation or removal of the Trustee.
Section 608 Conflicting Interests. If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.
Section 609 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility. There shall at all times be one (and only one) Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of each series, which may be Trustee hereunder for Securities of one or more other series. Each Trustee shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such, has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 and has its Corporate Trust Office in the continental United States of America. If any such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section 609 and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 609, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.
Section 610 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor. No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611.
The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.
The Trustee may be removed upon 30 days’ prior written notice with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of a notice of removal pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee being removed may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.
If at any time:
(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months, or
(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or
(3) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,
then, in any such case, (A) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (B) subject to Section 514, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.
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If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 611. If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the Trustee being removed may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 611, any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.
The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 106. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.
Section 611 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder. In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.
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Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.
No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.
Section 612 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business. Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.
Section 613 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any such other obligor).
Section 614 Appointment of Authenticating Agent. The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to any series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate the Securities of such Series issued upon original issue and upon exchange, registration of transfer, partial conversion or partial redemption or pursuant to Section 306, and Securities of such series so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities of such series by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent so appointed with respect to such series and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent so appointed with respect to such series. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority. If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section 614, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 614, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section 614.
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Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section 614, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee, the Company, the Authenticating Agent or such successor corporation.
An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 614, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent with respect to any series of Securities which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 106. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section 614.
The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section 614.
If an appointment is made pursuant to this Section 614 with respect to Securities of any series, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein and referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
| [ ], As Trustee | ||
| By | [NAME OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT], | |
| As Authenticating Agent | ||
| By: | ||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
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Article VII
HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
Section 701 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee
(1) semi-annually, not later than [ ] and [ ] in each year, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of each series as of the immediately preceding [ ] or [ ] as the case may be, and
(2) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company, of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;
excluding from any such list names and addresses received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar.
Section 702 Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders. The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 701 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.
Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither of the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of any of them shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 703 Reports by Trustee. The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.
Reports so required to be transmitted at stated intervals of not more than 12 months shall be transmitted no later than [ ] and shall be dated as of [ ] in each calendar year, commencing in 20[ ].
A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.
Section 704 Reports by Company. The Company shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act, if any, at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to such Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act need not be filed with the Trustee until the 15th day after the same are actually filed with the Commission. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the compliance by the Company with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates). The Company will be deemed to have furnished each report required above to the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities if it has filed such report with the SEC using the EDGAR filing system or if such report is otherwise publicly available. The Trustee shall have no obligation to determine whether or not such reports have been filed on the EDGAR filing system.
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Article VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE,
TRANSFER OR LEASE
Section 801 Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge into any other Person or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, and the Company shall not permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into the Company, unless:
(1) in case the Company shall consolidate with or merge into another Person or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by sale, conveyance or transfer, or which leases, all or substantially all the properties and assets of the Company shall be a corporation, limited liability company, partnership or trust, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on all the Securities and the performance or observance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and, for each Security that by its terms provides for conversion, shall have provided for the right to convert such Security in accordance with its terms;
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company or any Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.
Section 802 Successor Substituted. Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person or any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 801, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.
Article IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 901 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:
(1) to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company herein and in the Securities, as the case may be; or
(2) to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any Securities of any series (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all Securities of such series, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such Securities within such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company with regard to all or any Securities of any series (and if any such surrender is to be made with regard to less than all Securities of such series, stating that such surrender is expressly being made solely with regard to such Securities within such series); or
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(3) to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any Securities of any series (and if such additional Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all Securities of such series, stating that such additional Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such Securities within such series); or
(4) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form; or
(5) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of all or any Securities of any series (and if such addition, change or elimination is to apply with respect to less than all Securities of such series, stating that it is expressly being made to apply solely with respect to such Securities within such series), provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding; or
(6) to secure the Securities; or
(7) to establish the form or terms of all or any Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 201 and 301; or
(8) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 611; or
(9) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture with respect to any Securities that by their terms may be converted into securities or other property other than Securities of the same series and of like tenor, in order to permit or facilitate the issuance, payment or conversion of such Securities; or
(10) to conform the text of this Indenture or any Securities to any provision of the “Description of the Notes” (or comparable) section in any offering memorandum, prospectus or prospectus supplement of the Company prepared from time to time after the date of this Indenture with respect to the offer and sale of Securities of any series, to the extent that such provision was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Securities; which intention shall be established by an Officers’ Certificate; or
(11) to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such action pursuant to this Clause (11) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.
The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer, assignment, mortgage or pledge of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Section 902 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to for all or any specific Securities of any series, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Outstanding Securities of all series affected by such supplemental indenture (considered together as one class for this purpose and such affected Securities potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, however, that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities),
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(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Security which would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502, or permit the Company to redeem any Security if, absent such supplemental indenture, the Company would not be permitted to do so, or change any Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Security or any premium or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), or
(2) if any Security provides that the Holder may require the Company to repurchase or convert such Security, impair such Holder’s right to require repurchase or conversion of such Security on the terms provided therein, or
(3) reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any one or more series (considered separately or together as one class, as applicable, and whether comprising the same or different series or less than all the Securities of a series), the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or
(4) modify any of the provisions of this Section 902, Section 513 or Section 1006, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided, however, that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section 902 and Section 1006, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 611 and 901(8).
A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular Securities or series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of such Securities or series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of any other Securities or of any other series, as applicable.
It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section 902 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof. A consent to any indenture supplemental hereto by or on behalf of any Holder of Securities given in connection with a purchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such purchase, tender or exchange.
Section 903 Execution of Supplemental Indentures. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 601) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and Officers’ Certificate stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company enforceable against it in accordance with its terms. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
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Section 904 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.
Section 905 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 906 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.
Article X
COVENANTS
Section 1001 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture. With respect to physical Securities, if any, presentation is due at maturity.
Section 1002 Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities may be surrendered for conversion and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
With respect to any Global Security, and except as otherwise may be specified for such Global Security as contemplated by Section 301, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall be the Place of Payment where such Global Security may be presented or surrendered for payment or for registration of transfer or exchange, or where successor Securities may be delivered in exchange therefor, provided, however, that any such payment, presentation, surrender or delivery effected pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary for such Global Security shall be deemed to have been effected at the Place of Payment for such Global Security in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
Section 1003 Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust. If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and any premium and interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
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Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit (or, if the Company has deposited any trust funds with a trustee pursuant to Section 1304(1), cause such trustee to deposit) with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 1003, that such Paying Agent will (1) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and (2) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment in respect of the Securities of that series, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities of that series.
The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.
Subject to applicable escheat laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.
Section 1004 Corporate Existence. Subject to Article VIII, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises; provided, however, that the Company will not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise if it shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company.
Section 1005 Statement by Officers as to Default. The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers’ Certificate, stating that a review of the activities of the Company during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of each series Outstanding and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of such Officer’s actual knowledge, the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series and is not in default in the performance and observance of any of the material terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series, in each case, so as not to result in any default or Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series (or, if a default or Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing, describing all such defaults or Events of Default of which such Officer may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking or propose to take with respect thereto).
Section 1006 Waiver of Certain Covenants. Except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any Securities of any series, the Company may, with respect to all or any Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 1004 or in any covenant provided pursuant to Sections 301(18), 901(2), 901(6) or 901(7) for the benefit of the Holders of such series or in Article VIII if, before the time for such compliance, the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of all Outstanding Securities affected by such waiver (considered together as one class for this purpose and such affected Securities potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any particular series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series) shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect. A waiver of compliance given by or on behalf of any Holder of Securities in connection with a purchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such purchase, tender or exchange.
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Article XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 1101 Applicability of Article. Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities) in accordance with this Article.
Section 1102 Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee. The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities. If the Company elects to redeem the Securities pursuant to this Article XI, it shall notify the Trustee in writing at least 5 Business Days before the date of giving the notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) of the Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed. Such notice shall be accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel from the Company to the effect that such redemption will comply with the conditions herein. In the case of any redemption of Securities (1) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (2) pursuant to an election of the Company that is subject to a condition specified in the terms of the Securities of the series to be redeemed, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition. Redemptions may be conditioned upon the occurrence of conditions precedent with respect to the redemption.
Section 1103 Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed. If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed or unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, pro rata (and when the Securities are in the form of Global Securities, the Trustee shall select such Securities in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary), and which may provide for the selection for redemption of a portion of the principal amount of any Security of such series, provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security. If less than all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed (unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.
If any Security selected for partial redemption is converted in part before termination of the conversion right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as it may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection, subject to the Applicable Procedures of DTC.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and each Security Registrar in writing of the Securities selected for redemption as aforesaid and, in case of any Securities selected for partial redemption as aforesaid, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
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The provisions of the two preceding paragraphs shall not apply with respect to any redemption affecting only a single Security, whether such Security is to be redeemed in whole or in part. In the case of any such redemption in part, the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of the Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 1104 Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106 not less than 10 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date (or within such period as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the relevant Securities), to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register, except that redemption notices may be sent more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with a defeasance of the Securities or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Article IV or Article XIII hereof, respectively.
All notices of redemption shall identify the Securities to be redeemed (including CUSIP numbers, if any) and shall state:
(1) the Redemption Date,
(2) the Redemption Price,
(3) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series consisting of more than a single Security are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption of any such Securities, the principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed and, if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series consisting of a single Security are to be redeemed, the principal amount of the particular Security to be redeemed,
(4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date,
(5) the place or places where each such Security is to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price,
(6) the conditions precedent for the redemption, if any,
(7) if such redemption is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date or by the redemption date so delayed,
(8) for any Securities that by their terms may be converted, the terms of conversion, the date on which the right to convert the Security to be redeemed will terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion, and
(9) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case.
The Company shall provide written notice of the delay of such redemption date or the rescission of such notice of redemption (and rescission and cancellation of the redemption of the Notes) to the Trustee no later than 10:00 A.M. New York City time, (subject to the Applicable Procedures) on the redemption date or the redemption date as so delayed. Upon receipt of such notice of the delay of such redemption date or the rescission of such notice of redemption, such redemption date shall be automatically delayed or such notice of redemption shall be automatically rescinded, as applicable, and the redemption of the Notes shall be automatically delayed or rescinded and cancelled, as applicable, as provided in such notice.
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Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request at least two Business Days prior to the date the Redemption Notice will be sent (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company; provided, however, that the Officers’ Certificate delivered to the Trustee pursuant to Section 1102 hereof requests that the Trustee give such notice and sets forth the information to be stated in such notice as required by this Section 1104.
Section 1105 Deposit of Redemption Price. Prior to 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date, other than any Securities called for redemption on that date which have been converted prior to the date of such deposit.
If any Security called for redemption is converted, any money deposited with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent or so segregated and held in trust for the redemption of such Security shall (subject to any right of the Holder of such Security or any Predecessor Security to receive interest as provided in the last paragraph of Section 307 or in the terms of such Security) be paid to the Company upon Company Request or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.
Section 1106 Securities Payable on Redemption Date. Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest or unless the conditions for the redemption have not been satisfied) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided, however, that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.
If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.
Section 1107 Securities Redeemed in Part. Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.
Section 1108 No Limit on Repurchases. Nothing in this Indenture or the Securities shall prohibit or limit the right of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company to repurchase Securities from time to time at any price in open market purchases or private transactions at negotiated prices, by tender offer or otherwise, in each case without any notice to or consent by Holders. Any Securities purchased by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company may, to the extent permitted by law and at the discretion of the Company, be held, resold or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. Any such Securities delivered to the Trustee for cancellation may not be resold and shall be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its customary procedures.
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Article XII
SINKING FUNDS
Section 1201 Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of any series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of any Securities is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of such Securities is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of any Securities, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities as provided for by the terms of such Securities.
Section 1202 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which have been converted in accordance with their terms or which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to any Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as and to the extent provided for by the terms of such Securities; provided that the Securities to be so credited have not been previously so credited. The Securities to be so credited shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price, as specified in the Securities so to be redeemed (or at such other prices as may be specified for such Securities as contemplated in Section 301), for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
Section 1203 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 45 days (or such shorter period as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for such Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities pursuant to Section 1202 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days prior to each such sinking fund payment date, the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.
Article XIII
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 1301 Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. Unless otherwise designated pursuant to Section 301(15), the Securities of any series of Securities shall be subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to such Section 1302 or Section 1303, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 301 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article. The Company may elect, at its option, at any time, to have Section 1302 or Section 1303 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities so subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance. Any such election shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.
Section 1302 Defeasance and Discharge. Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section 1302 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section 1302 on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities and to have satisfied all their other respective obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), subject to the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (1) the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1304(1) and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities when payments are due, or, if applicable, to convert such Securities in accordance with their terms, (2) the obligations of the Company with respect to such Securities under Sections 304, 305, 306, 1002 and 1003 and, if applicable, their obligations with respect to the conversion of such Securities, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (4) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article, the Company may exercise its option (if any) to have this Section 1302 applied to any Securities notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option (if any) to have Section 1303 applied to such Securities.
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Section 1303 Covenant Defeasance. Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section 1303 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under Section 1004 and any covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18), 901(2), 901(6) or 901(7) for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 501(4) (with respect to Section 1004 and any such covenants provided pursuant to Sections 301(18), 901(2), 901(6) or 901(7)) and 501(7) shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section 1303 on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called “Covenant Defeasance”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Securities, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 501(4)), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities thereof shall be unaffected thereby.
Section 1304 Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance. The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 1302 or Section 1303 to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be:
(1) The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee which satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 609 and agrees to comply with the provisions of this Article applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefits of the Holders of such Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) such other obligations or arrangements as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Securities, or (D) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient (except in the case of clause (A), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee) to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or any such other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities on the respective Stated Maturities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities. As used herein, “U.S. Government Obligation” means (i) any security which is (a) a direct obligation of the United States of America for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged or (b) an obligation 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 by the United States of America, which, in either case (a) or (b), is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (ii) any depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any U.S. Government Obligation which is specified in Clause (i) above and held by such bank for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, or with respect to any specific payment of principal of or interest on any U.S. Government Obligation which is so specified and held, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of principal or interest evidenced by such depositary receipt.
(2) In the event of an election to have Section 1302 apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date of this instrument, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case (A) or (B) to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, Defeasance and discharge to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge were not to occur.
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(3) In the event of an election to have Section 1303 apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and Covenant Defeasance to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance were not to occur.
(4) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that neither such Securities nor any other Securities of the same series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will be delisted as a result of such deposit.
(5) No event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities (other than such an event or Event of Default with respect to such Securities resulting solely from the incurrence of indebtedness or other borrowing of funds, or the grant of liens securing such indebtedness or other borrowing, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit) shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit.
(6) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.
(7) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of such Securities over the other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company.
(8) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.
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Section 1305 Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions. Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section 1305 and Section 1306, the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the “Trustee”) pursuant to Section 1304 in respect of any Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any such Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal and any premium and interest, but money and U.S. Government Obligations so held in trust need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 1304 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of Outstanding Securities.
Anything in this Article to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 1304 with respect to any Securities which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect the Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, with respect to such Securities.
Section 1306 Reinstatement. If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money in accordance with this Article with respect to any Securities by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the respective obligations under this Indenture and such Securities from which the Company has been discharged or released pursuant to Section 1302 or 1303 shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article with respect to such Securities, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all money held in trust pursuant to Section 1305 with respect to such Securities in accordance with this Article; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights (if any) of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money so held in trust.
This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Indenture. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Indenture, but failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability and binding effect of this Indenture.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
| HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP. | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to Indenture]
| [ ] | ||
| By: | ||
| Name: | ||
| Title: | ||
[Signature Page to Indenture]
Exhibit 5.1
February 24, 2026
Hyliion Holdings Corp.
1202 BMC Drive, Suite 100
Cedar Park, Texas 78613
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as counsel for Hyliion Holdings Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), with respect to certain legal matters in connection with the registration by the Company under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) of the offer and sale by the Company from time to time, pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, of up to $500,000,000 maximum aggregate offering price of (1) common stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Common Stock”); (2) shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share (the “Preferred Stock”); (3) debt securities of the Company (the “Debt Securities”), which may be either senior or subordinated and may be issued in one or more series, consisting of notes, debentures or other evidences of indebtedness, certain of which may be convertible or exchangeable into Common Stock; (4) warrants representing rights to purchase Common Stock, Preferred Stock or Debt Securities (the “Warrants”); and (5) units comprising one or more shares of Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities or Warrants in any combination (the “Units”, and together with the Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities and Warrants, the “Securities”). The Company has advised us that the Securities will be offered in amounts, at prices and on terms to be determined in light of market conditions at the time of sale and to be set forth in supplements (“Prospectus Supplements”) to the prospectus (the “Prospectus”) contained in the Company’s Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) to which this opinion is an exhibit. As used herein, “Transaction Agreements” means the Indenture (as defined below) and any officer’s certificate or supplemental indenture establishing the terms of the Debt Securities.
We have examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of (1) the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, each as amended to the date hereof; (2) resolutions (the “Resolutions”) adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the Board of Directors, or to the extent permitted by Section 141 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), a duly constituted and acting committee thereof, being referred to herein as the “Board”); (3) the Registration Statement; (4) the form of Indenture filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement; and (5) such other certificates, statutes and other instruments and documents as we considered appropriate for purposes of the opinions hereafter expressed. In addition, we reviewed such questions of law as we considered appropriate.
As to any facts material to the opinions contained herein, we have made no independent investigation of such facts and have relied, to the extent that we deemed such reliance proper, upon certificates of public officials and officers or other representatives of the Company.
Vinson & Elkins LLP Attorneys at Law Austin Dallas Denver Dubai Dublin Houston London Los Angeles New York Richmond San Francisco Tokyo Washington |
The
Grace Building, 1114 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Floor Tel +1.212.237.0000 Fax +1.212.237.0100 velaw.com |
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In rendering the opinions set forth below, we have assumed that (1) all information contained in all documents reviewed by us is true and correct; (2) all signatures on all documents examined by us are genuine; (3) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and all documents submitted to us as copies conform to the originals of those documents; (4) each natural person signing any document reviewed by us had the legal capacity to do so; (5) each person signing in a representative capacity (other than on behalf of the Company) any document reviewed by us had authority to sign in such capacity; (6) the Registration Statement, and any post-effective amendments thereto, will be effective and comply with all applicable laws; (7) one or more Prospectus Supplements will have been prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission describing the Securities offered thereby; (8) all Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and an applicable Prospectus Supplement; (9) the debt indenture, between the Company and the trustee named therein (the “Trustee”) will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Trustee (the “Indenture”) in the form of Exhibit 4.4 to the Registration Statement, and any supplemental indenture to the Indenture or other instruments establishing a series of Debt Securities to be issued under the Indenture will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto in substantially the form reviewed by us or with changes that do not affect the opinions given hereunder; (10) any Debt Securities will be governed, in whole or in part by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York and the Transaction Agreements are each valid, binding and enforceable agreements of each party thereto with respect to New York law; (11) at the time of any offering or sale of Securities, that the Company will have at least such number of Securities authorized, created and, if appropriate, reserved for issuance; (12) a definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement with respect to any Securities offered will have been duly authorized and validly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties thereto; and (13) any Common Stock issuable upon conversion of any Debt Securities being offered and sold will at the time of such offering or sale have been duly authorized and, if appropriate, reserved for issue upon such conversion.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:
(1) With respect to shares of Common Stock, when (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the offering thereof and related matters and (b) certificates representing the shares of Common Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered (or non-certificated shares of Common Stock have been properly issued) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, then upon payment of the consideration therefor (not less than the par value of the Common Stock) provided for therein and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
(2) With respect to shares of any series of Preferred Stock, when (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the shares of the series, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, including the adoption of a resolution establishing and designating the series and fixing and determining the voting powers, designations, preferences, rights and qualifications, limitations and restrictions of the series and the filing of a certificate of designations with respect to the series with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware as required under Section 151 of the DGCL and (b) certificates representing the shares of Preferred Stock have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered (or non-certificated shares of Preferred Stock have been properly issued) in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, then upon payment of the consideration thereof (not less than the par value of the Preferred Stock) provided for therein and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the related Prospectus Supplement, such shares of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.
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(3) With respect to the Debt Securities to be issued under the Indenture, when (a) the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, (b) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and sale of such Debt Securities, the terms of such Debt Securities and related Transaction Agreements, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, (c) the terms of such Debt Securities and of their issuance and sale have been established so as not to violate any applicable law or result in a default under or breach of any agreement or instrument binding upon the Company or any of its assets or properties and so as to comply with any requirement or restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over the Company or any of its assets or properties and (d) such Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and in accordance with the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, then upon payment of the consideration provided for therein, such Debt Securities will be legally issued and constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
(4) With respect to the Warrants, when (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the offering thereof and related matters, (b) the terms of any Warrants and their issuance and sale have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company and (c) such Warrants have been duly executed, countersigned and delivered in accordance with the applicable warrant agreement and against payment of the purchase price therefor in accordance with the applicable purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board and as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the related Prospectus Supplement, such Warrants will be legally issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
(5) With respect to the Units, when (a) the Board has taken all necessary corporate action to approve and establish the terms of the Units, the issuance of the Units, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters, (b) the agreements relating to the Units have been duly authorized and validly executed by the parties thereto and (c) the Units or certificates representing the Units have been duly executed, countersigned, registered and delivered in accordance with the appropriate agreements relating to the Units and the applicable definitive purchase, underwriting or similar agreement approved by the Board, then either (i) upon payment of the consideration therefor provided therein or (ii) upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any other Securities in accordance with the terms of the Securities or the instrument governing the Securities providing for the conversion, exchange or exercise as approved by the Board, for the consideration approved by the Board, and, in each case, as contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the related Prospectus Supplement, such Units will be legally issued and will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.
Insofar as our foregoing opinions relate to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Company, they are subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally from time to time in effect and subject to general principles of equity, regardless of whether such is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law.
We express no opinions concerning (a) the validity or enforceability of any provisions contained in the Indenture that purport to waive or not give effect to the rights to notices, defenses, subrogation or other rights or benefits that cannot be effectively waived under applicable law or (b) the enforceability of indemnification provisions to the extent they purport to relate to liabilities resulting from or based upon negligence or any violation of federal or state securities or blue sky laws.
The foregoing opinions are limited in all respects to the laws of the State of New York, the Delaware General Corporation Law and the federal laws of the United States of America, and we do not express any opinions as to the laws of any other jurisdiction.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Prospectus forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption “Legal Matters.” By giving such consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission issued thereunder.
| Very truly yours, | |
| /s/ Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. | |
| Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. |
Exhibit 23.1
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We have issued our report dated February 24, 2026 with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Hyliion Holdings Corp. included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, which is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. We consent to the incorporation by reference of the aforementioned report in this Registration Statement, and to the use of our name as it appears under the caption “Experts.”
/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
Dallas, Texas
February 24, 2026