Viper Energy, Inc S-3ASR, filed Mar 9, 2026
Viper Energy, Inc. (VNOM)
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
| |
Delaware
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) |
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39-2596878
(I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number) |
|
Midland, Texas 79701
(432) 221-7400
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary
500 West Texas Ave., Suite 100
Midland, Texas 79701
(432) 221-7400
Ryan J. Lynch
Latham & Watkins LLP
1271 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
(212) 906-1200
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Large accelerated filer
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Accelerated filer
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Non-accelerated filer
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Smaller reporting company
☐
Emerging growth company
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Exact name of co-registrant as specified in its
charter(1) |
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Co-Registrant State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization |
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I.R.S. Employer Identification Number
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Viper Energy Partners LP
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Delaware
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35-2486057
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Preferred Stock
Warrants
Guarantees of Debt Securities
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| | | | | | 35 | | | |
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500 West Texas Ave., Suite 100
Midland, Texas 79701
Attention: Secretary
(432) 221-7400
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
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SEC registration fee
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Rating agency fees
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(2)
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FINRA filing fee
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(2)
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Printing expenses
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(2)
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Legal fees and expenses
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(2)
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Accounting fees and expenses
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(2)
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Blue Sky, qualification fees and expenses
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(2)
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Transfer agent fees and expenses
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(2)
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Trustee fees and expenses
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(2)
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Warrant agent fees and expenses
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(2)
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Miscellaneous
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(2)
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(2)
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Exhibit
Number |
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Description
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|
| | 4.8 | | | | |
| | 4.9 | | | | |
| | 4.10 | | | | |
| | 4.11 | | | | |
| | 4.12 | | | | |
| | 4.13* | | | Form of Warrant. | |
| | 4.14* | | | Form of Warrant Agreement. | |
| | 5.1 | | | | |
| | 22.1 | | | | |
| | 23.1 | | | | |
| | 23.2 | | | | |
| | 23.3 | | | Consent of Grant Thornton LLP with respect to certain mineral and royalty interests of Diamondback Energy, Inc. and several of its subsidiaries, Endeavor Energy Resources, LP, 1979 Royalties, LP and 1979 Royalties GP, LLC. | |
| | 23.4 | | | | |
| | 23.5 | | | | |
| | 24.1 | | | | |
| | 25.1 | | | | |
| | 107.1 | | | |
Title: Chief Executive Officer
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SIGNATURE
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TITLE
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DATE
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|
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/s/ Kaes Van’t Hof
Kaes Van’t Hof
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| | Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | | |
March 9, 2026
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/s/ Teresa L. Dick
Teresa L. Dick
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| | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
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/s/ Travis D. Stice
Travis D. Stice
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
|
|
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/s/ Steven E. West
Steven E. West
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
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/s/ Laurie H. Argo
Laurie H. Argo
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
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/s/ Spencer D. Armour, III
Spencer D. Armour, III
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
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/s/ Frank C. Hu
Frank C. Hu
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
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/s/ W. Wesley Perry
W. Wesley Perry
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
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/s/ James L. Rubin
James L. Rubin
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| | Director | | |
March 9, 2026
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|
By: Viper Energy GP LLC, its general partner
Title: Chief Executive Officer
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SIGNATURE
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TITLE
|
| |
DATE
|
|
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/s/ Kaes Van’t Hof
Kaes Van’t Hof
|
| | Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | | |
March 9, 2026
|
|
| |
/s/ Teresa L. Dick
Teresa L. Dick
|
| | Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) | | |
March 9, 2026
|
|
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NAME
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TITLE
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|
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VIPER ENERGY GP LLC
|
| | General Partner of Viper Energy Partners LP | |
| |
/s/ Kaes Van’t Hof
Kaes Van’t Hof,
Chief Executive Officer |
| | | |
Exhibit 3.4
AGREEMENT OF LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP OF
VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP
A Delaware Limited Partnership
This AGREEMENT OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP of Viper Energy Partners LP (this “Agreement”), dated as of December 23, 2025, is adopted, executed and agreed to by the General Partner (as defined below) and the Limited Partner (as defined below).
WHEREAS, Viper Energy Partners LP (the “Partnership”) has been formed as a limited partnership under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (6 Del.C. §17-101, et seq.) (as it may be amended from time to time, the “Act”) by filing the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership (the “Certificate”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 23, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Viper Energy GP LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (the “General Partner”) and Viper Intermediate LP, a Delaware limited partnership, (the “Limited Partner” and, together with the General Partner, the “Partners”) wish to enter into this Agreement and for the management of the Partnership to be governed by the terms set forth herein.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and the mutual covenants and agreements contained herein, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, this Agreement is hereby agreed to and adopted:
1. Term. The Partnership shall have a perpetual existence.
2. Purposes. The purposes of the Partnership are to carry on any lawful business, purpose or activity for which limited partnerships may be formed under the Act and engaging in any and all activities necessary or incidental to the foregoing.
3. Principal Office; Registered Office. The principal place of business of the Partnership shall be located at such location as the General Partner, as a matter of discretion, may determine from time to time. The registered agent for the service of process and registered office of the Partnership shall be the person and location set forth in the Certificate of Limited Partnership. The General Partner may, from time to time, change such registered agent and registered office by appropriate filings as required by law.
4. General Partner; Partnership Interests. The General Partner shall have a non- economic general partner interest and the Limited Partner shall have 100% of the economic interest of the Partnership.
5. Contributions. Without creating any rights in favor of any third party, the Limited Partner may, from time to time, make additional contributions of cash or property to the capital of the Partnership, but shall have no obligation to do so.
6. Distributions. The Limited Partner shall be entitled (a) to receive all distributions (including, without limitation, liquidating distributions) made by the Partnership and (b) to enjoy all other rights, benefits and interests in the Partnership. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained in this Agreement, the Partnership shall not make a distribution to a partner of the Partnership on account of its interest in the Partnership if such distribution would violate the Act or other applicable law.
7. Management. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement, all powers to control and manage the business and affairs of the Partnership shall be vested exclusively in the General Partner. The Limited Partner shall not have any power to control or manage the Partnership.
8. Limited Liability of Limited Partner. The liability of the Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, for the debts, liabilities and obligations of the Partnership shall be limited to its capital contribution plus its share of any undistributed amounts. The Limited Partner, in its capacity as such, shall not be liable for any further claims, assessments or contributions to the Partnership.
9. Indemnification.
9.1 Exculpation. The personal liability of the General Partner, its affiliates and their respective directors, officers, equityholders and employees shall be eliminated and limited to the full extent permitted by the laws of the State of Delaware, including the Act.
9.2 Right to Indemnification. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is involved in any threatened, pending or completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she or a person of whom he or she is the legal representative, is or was or has agreed to become a director or officer of the General Partner or is or was serving or has agreed to serve at the request of the General Partner as a director, manager, officer, employee or agent of another corporation or of a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to employee benefit plans, whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director or officer or in any other capacity while serving or having agreed to serve as a director or officer, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Partnership to the fullest extent authorized by the Act, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended, (but, in the case of any such amendment, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Partnership to provide broader indemnification rights than said law permitted the Partnership to provide prior to such amendment) against all expense, liability and loss (including without limitation, attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid or to be paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such person in connection therewith and such indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to serve in the capacity which initially entitled such person to indemnity hereunder and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and administrators; provided, however, that the Partnership shall indemnify any such person seeking indemnification in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the General Partner. The right to indemnification conferred in this Section 9 shall be a contract right and shall include the right to be paid by the Partnership the expenses incurred in defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition; provided, however, that, if the Act requires, the payment of such expenses incurred by a current, former or proposed director or officer in his or her capacity as a director or officer or proposed director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is or has been agreed to be rendered by such person while a director or officer, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) in advance of the final disposition of a proceeding, shall be made only upon delivery to the Partnership of an undertaking, by or on behalf of such indemnified person, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such indemnified person is not entitled to be indemnified under this subsection 9.2.
9.3 Indemnification of Employees and Agents. The Partnership may, by action of the General Partner, provide indemnification to employees and agents of the General Partner, individually or as a group, with the same scope and effect as the indemnification of directors and officers provided for in this Section 9.
9.4 Right of Claimant to Bring Suit. If a written claim received by the Partnership from or on behalf of an indemnified party under this Section 9 is not paid in full by the Partnership within ninety days after such receipt, the claimant may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Partnership to recover the unpaid amount of the claim and, if successful in whole or in part, the claimant shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting such claim. It shall be a defense to any such action (other than an action brought to enforce a claim for expenses incurred in defending any proceeding in advance of its final disposition where the required undertaking, if any is required, has been tendered to the Partnership) that the claimant has not met the standards of conduct which make it permissible under the Act for the Partnership to indemnify the claimant for the amount claimed, but the burden of proving such defense shall be on the Partnership. Neither the failure of the Partnership (including the General Partner or independent legal counsel) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such action that indemnification of the claimant is proper in the circumstances because he or she has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the Act, nor an actual determination by the Partnership (including the General Partner or independent legal counsel) that the claimant has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that the claimant has not met the applicable standard of conduct.
9.5 Nonexclusivity of Rights. The right to indemnification and the advancement and payment of expenses conferred in this Section 9 shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under any law (common or statutory), provision of the Certificate of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, bylaw, agreement or consent of the General Partner.
9.6 Insurance. The Partnership may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any person who is or was serving as a director, officer, employee or agent of the General Partner or is or was serving at the request of the Partnership as a director, manager, officer, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss asserted against such person and incurred by any such person in any such capacity, or arising out of such person’s status as such, whether or not the Partnership would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the Act.
9.7 Savings Clause. If this Section 9 or any portion hereof shall be invalidated on any ground by any court of competent jurisdiction, then the Partnership shall nevertheless indemnify and hold harmless each director and officer of the General Partner, as to costs, charges and expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement with respect to any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative to the full extent permitted by any applicable portion of this Section 9 that shall not have been invalidated and to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
9.8 Amendment, Modification or Repeal. Any amendment, modification or repeal of this Section 9 by the General Partner shall not adversely affect any right of or protection afforded to a director, officer, employee or agent of the General Partner existing at the time of such amendment, modification or repeal.
10. Tax Treatment. The Partnership has been structured to be disregarded as an entity separate from the Partners for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
11. Certificates of Partnership Interests. Partnership interests need not be certificated provided that if the General Partner decides to certificate such partnership interests, the certificates evidencing partnership interests in the Partnership shall be in such form, not inconsistent with that required by law and the certificate of limited partnership of the Partnership, as shall be approved by the General Partner.
12. Dissolution. The Partnership shall dissolve and its affairs shall be wound up at such time, if any, as the General Partner may elect. No other event will cause the Partnership to dissolve.
13. Fiscal Year. The Partnership’s fiscal year will end on December 31 of each year.
14. Governing Law. THIS AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY AND SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE (EXCLUDING ITS CONFLICT-OF-LAWS RULES).
15. Other Business. The Partners and any person or entity affiliated with any of the Partners may engage in or possess an interest in other business ventures (unconnected with the Partnership) of every kind and description, independently or with others. Neither the Partnership nor the other Partners shall have any rights in or to such independent ventures or the income or profits therefrom by virtue of this Agreement.
16. Assignments.
16.1 The Limited Partner may assign all or any part of its partnership interest in the Partnership and may withdraw from the Partnership only with the consent of the General Partner.
16.2 The General Partner may assign all or any part of its partnership interest in the Partnership and may withdraw from the Partnership without the consent of the Limited Partner.
17. Withdrawal. Except to the extent set forth in Section 16, no right is given to any partner of the Partnership to withdraw from the Partnership
18. Admission of Additional or Substitute Partners.
18.1 One (1) or more additional or substitute limited partners of the Partnership may be admitted to the Partnership with only the consent of the General Partner.
18.2 One (1) or more additional or substitute general partners of the Partnership may be admitted to the Partnership with only the consent of the General Partner.
19. Severability of Provisions. Each provision of this Agreement shall be considered severable and if for any reason any provision or provisions herein are determined to be invalid, unenforceable or illegal under any existing or future law, such invalidity, unenforceability or illegality shall not impair the operation of or affect those portions of this Agreement which are valid, enforceable and legal.
20. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original of this Agreement.
21. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof, and supersedes all prior understandings or agreements between the parties.
22. Amendments. This Agreement may not be modified, altered, supplemented or amended except pursuant to a written agreement executed and delivered by all of the Partners.
[Signature page follows.]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the General Partner and Limited Partner of the Partnership, have caused this Agreement of Limited Partnership to be duly executed as of the date first written above.
| GENERAL PARTNER: | ||
| Viper Energy GP LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ Matt Zmigrosky | |
| Name: | Matt Zmigrosky | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | |
| LIMITED PARTNER: | ||
| Viper Intermediate LP | ||
| By: | /s/ Matt Zmigrosky | |
| Name: | Matt Zmigrosky | |
| Title: | Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary | |
Signature Page to
Limited Partnership Agreement of
Viper Energy Partners LP
Exhibit 4.12
VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP
as Issuer
and
VIPER ENERGY, INC.
as Parent Guarantor
and
COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Trustee
INDENTURE
Dated as of [__________], 2026
DEBT SECURITIES
Certain Sections of this Indenture relating
to Sections 310
through 318, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939
| 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 | |
| (b) | 702 |
| (c) | 702 |
| Section 313(a) | 703 |
| (b) | 703 |
| (c) | 106, 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
| Article I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION | 1 | |
| Section 101 | Definitions | 1 |
| Section 102 | Compliance Certificates and Opinions | 9 |
| Section 103 | Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee | 10 |
| Section 104 | Acts of Holders; Record Dates | 10 |
| Section 105 | Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Company and Guarantors | 13 |
| Section 106 | Notice to Holders; Waiver | 13 |
| Section 107 | Trust Indenture Act Matters | 14 |
| Section 108 | Effect of Headings and Table of Contents | 14 |
| Section 109 | Successors and Assigns | 14 |
| Section 110 | Separability Clause | 14 |
| Section 111 | Benefits of Indenture | 14 |
| Section 112 | Governing Law | 14 |
| Section 113 | Legal Holidays | 15 |
| Section 114 | No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements | 15 |
| Section 115 | Certain Waivers and Limitations | 15 |
| Section 116 | Language of Notices, Etc. | 15 |
| Section 117 | Force Majeure | 16 |
| Section 118 | Waiver of Jury Trial | 16 |
| Section 119 | Counterparts and E-signatures | 16 |
| Section 120 | U.S.A. PATRIOT Act | 16 |
| Article II SECURITY FORMS | 17 | |
| Section 201 | Forms Generally | 17 |
| Section 202 | Form of Face of Security | 17 |
| Section 203 | Form of Reverse of Security | 19 |
| Section 204 | Form of Legend for Global Securities | 24 |
| Section 205 | Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication | 24 |
| Article III THE SECURITIES | 24 | |
| Section 301 | Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series | 24 |
| Section 302 | Denominations | 28 |
| Section 303 | Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating | 29 |
| Section 304 | Temporary Securities | 30 |
| Section 305 | Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange | 31 |
| Section 306 | Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Wrongfully Taken Securities | 33 |
| Section 307 | Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved | 34 |
| Section 308 | Persons Deemed Owners | 35 |
| Section 309 | Cancellation | 36 |
| Section 310 | Computation of Interest | 36 |
| Section 311 | CUSIP Numbers | 36 |
ii
| Article IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE | 36 | |
| Section 401 | Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture | 36 |
| Section 402 | Application of Trust Money | 37 |
| Article V REMEDIES | 38 | |
| Section 501 | Events of Default | 38 |
| Section 502 | Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment | 39 |
| Section 503 | Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee | 40 |
| Section 504 | Trustee May File Proofs of Claim | 40 |
| Section 505 | Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities | 41 |
| Section 506 | Application of Money Collected | 41 |
| Section 507 | Limitation on Suits | 41 |
| Section 508 | Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and to Convert | 42 |
| Section 509 | Restoration of Rights and Remedies | 42 |
| Section 510 | Rights and Remedies Cumulative | 43 |
| Section 511 | Delay or Omission Not Waiver | 43 |
| Section 512 | Control by Holders | 43 |
| Section 513 | Waiver of Past Defaults | 43 |
| Section 514 | Undertaking for Costs | 44 |
| Section 515 | Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws | 44 |
| Article VI THE TRUSTEE | 44 | |
| Section 601 | Certain Duties and Responsibilities | 44 |
| Section 602 | Notice of Defaults | 45 |
| Section 603 | Certain Rights of Trustee | 46 |
| Section 604 | Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities | 47 |
| Section 605 | May Hold Securities | 48 |
| Section 606 | Money Held in Trust | 48 |
| Section 607 | Compensation and Reimbursement | 48 |
| Section 608 | Conflicting Interests | 49 |
| Section 609 | Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility | 49 |
| Section 610 | Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor | 50 |
| Section 611 | Acceptance of Appointment by Successor | 51 |
| Section 612 | Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business | 52 |
| Section 613 | Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company | 52 |
| Section 614 | Appointment of Authenticating Agent | 52 |
| Article VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY | 54 | |
| Section 701 | Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders | 54 |
| Section 702 | Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders | 54 |
| Section 703 | Reports by Trustee | 54 |
| Section 704 | Reports by Company | 55 |
iii
| Article VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE | 56 | |
| Section 801 | Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms | 56 |
| Section 802 | Successor Substituted | 56 |
| Article IX AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENTAL AND WAIVER | 57 | |
| Section 901 | Without Consent of Holders | 57 |
| Section 902 | With Consent of Holders | 58 |
| Section 903 | Limitations | 59 |
| Section 904 | Effect of Supplemental Indentures | 59 |
| Section 905 | Compliance with Trust Indenture Act | 59 |
| Section 906 | Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures | 60 |
| Section 907 | Revocation and Effect of Consents | 60 |
| Section 908 | Notation on or Exchange of Securities | 60 |
| Section 909 | Trustee to Sign Amendments | 60 |
| Article X COVENANTS | 61 | |
| Section 1001 | Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest | 61 |
| Section 1002 | Maintenance of Office or Agency | 61 |
| Section 1003 | Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust | 61 |
| Section 1004 | [Reserved] | 62 |
| Section 1005 | [Reserved] | 62 |
| Section 1006 | Waiver of Certain Covenants | 62 |
| Article XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES | 63 | |
| Section 1101 | Applicability of Article | 63 |
| Section 1102 | Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee | 63 |
| Section 1103 | Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed | 63 |
| Section 1104 | Notice of Redemption | 64 |
| Section 1105 | Deposit of Redemption Price | 65 |
| Section 1106 | Securities Payable on Redemption Date | 66 |
| Section 1107 | Securities Redeemed in Part | 66 |
| Section 1108 | No Limit on Repurchases | 66 |
| Article XII SINKING FUNDS | 67 | |
| Section 1201 | Applicability of Article | 67 |
| Section 1202 | Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities | 67 |
| Section 1203 | Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund | 67 |
| Article XIII DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE | 68 | |
| Section 1301 | Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 68 |
| Section 1302 | Defeasance and Discharge | 68 |
iv
| Section 1303 | Covenant Defeasance | 68 |
| Section 1304 | Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance | 69 |
| Section 1305 | Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions | 71 |
| Section 1306 | Reinstatement | 71 |
| Article XIV GUARANTEES | 72 | |
| Section 1401 | Guarantees | 72 |
v
INDENTURE, dated as of [__________], 2026, among VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP, a limited partnership duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Company”), having its principal office at 500 West Texas, Suite 100, Midland, Texas 79701, VIPER ENERGY, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “Parent Guarantor”) and COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, 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 that 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 Section 304, Section 305, Section 306, Section 906 or Section 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;
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(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 or successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time;
(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.
“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the United States Code or any similar federal, state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.
“Board of Directors” means any of (a) the member, board of directors or other appropriate governing body of the Company (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any general partner), (b) any duly authorized committee of such member, board or other governing body or (c) any officer of the member, board of directors or other appropriate governing body of the Company to take a specified action.
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“Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution or written consent 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 that is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close; provided that, when used with respect to any Security, “Business Day” may have such other meaning, if any, as may be specified for such Security as contemplated by Section 301.
“Capital Stock” of any Person means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including, without limitation, any preferred stock and limited liability company or partnership interests (whether general or limited) of such Person, but excluding any debt securities convertible or exchangeable into such equity.
“Code” means the 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 Officer of the Company.
“Corporate Trust Office” means the designated office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered and which, at the date hereof, is located at Computershare Trust Company, National Association, 1505 Energy Park Drive, St. Paul, MN 55108, Attention: CCT Administrator for Viper Energy Partners LP Account Manager, or at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company (or such other address as a successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).
“corporation” means a corporation, association, company (including a limited liability company), joint-stock company, business trust or other business entity (other than a partnership).
“Covenant Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1303.
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“Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator, custodian or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.
“Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.
“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.
“Defeasance” has the meaning specified in Section 1302.
“Depositary” means DTC, its nominees and their respective successors and assigns, or such other depository institution hereinafter appointed by the Company.
“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, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“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; provided that when used with respect to any Security, “GAAP” may have such other meaning, if any, as may be specified for such Security as contemplated by Section 301.
“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).
“Guarantee” means a guarantee of any Securities by a Guarantor as contemplated by Article XIV; provided that the term “Guarantee,” when used with respect to any Security or with respect to the Securities of any series, means a guarantee of such Security or of the Securities of such series, respectively, by a Guarantor of such Security or of the Securities of such series, respectively, as contemplated by Article XIV.
“Guarantor” means the Parent Guarantor and any Person that shall have become a Guarantor under this Indenture pursuant to Section 301 or Section 901 hereof, in each case unless and until a successor Person shall have become a successor thereto pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture in place thereof, and thereafter references to such Guarantor shall mean such successor Person; provided that: (i) the term “Guarantor,” when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the Persons who shall from time to time be the Guarantors of Securities of such series as contemplated by Article XIV; and (ii) any Person constituting a Guarantor with respect to the Securities of a series shall cease to constitute a Guarantor with respect to Securities of such series when its Guarantee is released with respect to Securities of such series in accordance with the terms of this Indenture or any relevant indenture supplemental hereto.
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“Guarantor’s Board of Directors” means, with respect to any Guarantor, any of (a) the member, board of directors or other appropriate governing body of such Guarantor, (b) any duly authorized committee of such member, board or other governing body or (c) any officer of such Guarantor duly authorized by the member, board of directors or other appropriate governing body of such Guarantor to take a specified action.
“Guarantor’s Board Resolution” means, with respect to any Guarantor, a copy of a resolution or written consent certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Guarantor to have been duly adopted by such Guarantor’s 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 Guarantor’s Board Resolution, such action may be taken by any officer or employee of such Guarantor authorized to take such action by such Guarantor’s Board of Directors as evidenced by a Guarantor’s Board Resolution.
“Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate” means, with respect to any Guarantor, a certificate signed by any Officer of such Guarantor.
“Guarantor Request” or “Guarantor Order” means, with respect to any Guarantor, a written request or order signed in the name of such Guarantor by any Officer of such Guarantor.
“Holder” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered on the Security Registrar’s books.
“Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, any obligation of such Person, whether contingent or otherwise, for the repayment of borrowed money and any guarantee thereof.
“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. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of any particular series or specific Securities within a series and of any Guarantees thereof established as contemplated by Section 301.
“interest,” when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security that 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 date for payment of an installment of interest on such Security.
“Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security of a series, 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 acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
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“Notice of Default” means a written notice of the kind specified in the final paragraph of Section 501.
“Officer” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, any Executive Vice President, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary 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.
“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by an Officer of the Company or the Parent Guarantor, if any, 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, any Guarantor or any Affiliate thereof) who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee that meets the requirements of Section 102.
“Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon an 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 that 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
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(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 that shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof that 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 that 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 that 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, any Guarantor of the Securities or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or any such Guarantor 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 that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned that 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 Guarantor of such Securities or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or a Guarantor of the Securities or such other obligor.
“Parent Guarantor” means (a) Viper Energy, Inc. (“Viper Energy”) and (b) if the Guarantee of any existing “Parent Guarantor” is released as set forth in Section 1401, at the Company’s option as set forth in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee, either (x) a successor guarantor that meets the requirements of a Successor Guarantor set forth in Section 14.01 or (y) the Company.
“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.
“payment default” has the meaning specified in Section 501.
“Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or any other entity.
“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.
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“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.
“Qualified Reporting Entity” has the meaning specified in Section 704.
“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 group 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, shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
“SEC” means the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
“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, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the SEC promulgated thereunder.
“Security Register” and “Security Registrar” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.
“Signature Law” has the meaning specified in Section 119.
“Special Record Date” for the payment of any Defaulted Interest, means a date fixed by the Company pursuant to Section 307.
“Stated Maturity” means, with respect to any Security of a series, the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the payment of principal of such Security is due and payable, including, without limitation, pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.
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“Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, means any (i) corporation, limited liability company or other entity (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 entity 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 (ii) 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).
“Subsidiary Guarantor” means any Guarantor that is a Subsidiary of the Parent Guarantor.
“Successor Company” has the meaning specified in Section 801.
“Successor Guarantor” has the meaning specified in Section 1401.
“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, any Guarantor or the Trustee, 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 or a Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, 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 Officer’s Certificate, if to be given by an Officer of the Company, or a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate, if to be given by an Officer of any Guarantor, 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.
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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 or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and
(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.
Any certificate or opinion of an Officer of the Company or a Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel. 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 or such Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be.
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 or pursuant to 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 and any Guarantor. 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 and any Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section 104.
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Without limiting the generality of this Section 104, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, (i) 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 (ii) 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, any Guarantor 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 or any Guarantor in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
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 not 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 Section 105 and Section 106.
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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 (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 502, (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 507(2) or (iv) 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 and any Guarantor in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 105 and Section 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.
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Section 105 Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Company and Guarantors. 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 or any Guarantor 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 or (2) the Company or a Guarantor 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 or such Guarantor, as the case may be, addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument, Attention: Chief Financial Officer, with a copy to Latham & Watkins LLP, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York Telephone: (212) 906-1200 Attention: Zachary S. Podolsky and Ryan J. Lynch, or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.
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 or any Guarantor shall be deemed to have been duly made, given furnished or filed: (i) at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; (ii) upon confirmation of delivery, if mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested); (iii) when receipt is confirmed, if transmitted by facsimile; and (iv) 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. 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 Trustee shall be deemed to have been duly made, given, furnished or filed upon receipt.
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 otherwise 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 otherwise 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 otherwise 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 or otherwise sends a notice or communication to the Holders, it shall send a copy to the Trustee at the same time.
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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 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 that is required under the Trust Indenture 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 that 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, the Trustee and any Guarantor, except as otherwise provided in Section 802 and Section 1401, shall bind their respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
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, the Guarantees 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.
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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 that 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; provided, however, that no interest shall accrue with respect to such payment for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Maturity or 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 Guarantor or any Subsidiaries of the Company or any Guarantor or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or other agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 115 Certain Waivers and Limitations. No past, present or future director, officer, employee, manager, member, partner, incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, or any employee or agent of any Affiliate or the Company or any Guarantor who has been seconded to the Company or any Guarantor or any of their respective Subsidiaries, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor, respectively, under the Securities or this Indenture or 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. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws. The only payment provisions, representations and warranties, covenants, events of default, guarantee provisions and other obligations applicable to the Company and any Guarantor are those expressly set forth in this Indenture and, by acceptance of any Note, each holder waives and expressly disclaims to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law any implied covenant and other similar provision that may exist in law or in equity and that may be applicable to the Company or any Guarantor and each holder agrees that it will not participate in any cause of action with respect to, alleging the existing or breach of, or seeking to enforce any such implied covenant or similar provision. In addition, the “integrated transaction doctrine” any similar legal doctrine or theory is expressly waived by each holder by acceptance of any Note. Without limiting the foregoing, each holder agrees by acceptance of any Note that (a) any series of related transactions shall be permitted by this Indenture if each individual transaction would be permitted, and (b) any series of related transactions that are consummated substantially concurrently may be deemed to be consummated in any order determined by the Company that complies with this Indenture with permissibility of each transaction evaluated in light of such order.
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.
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Section 117 Force Majeure. Subject to Section 601, 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 present or future law or regulation or governmental authority, (ii) any act of God, (iii) natural disaster, (iv) war, (v) terrorism, (vi) civil unrest, (vii) accidents, (viii) labor dispute, (ix) disease, (x) epidemic or pandemic, (xi) quarantine, (xii) national emergency, (xiii) loss or malfunction of utility or computer software or hardware, (xiv) communications system failure, (xv) malware or ransomware, (xvi) unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex system or other wire or other funds transfer systems, or (xvii) 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.
Section 118 Waiver of Jury Trial. EACH OF THE COMPANY, EACH GUARANTOR 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 Counterparts and E-signatures. This Indenture 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) 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”), (ii) an original manual signature or (iii) a faxed, scanned, or photocopied manual signature. Each electronic signature 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, of any party and shall have no duty to investigate, confirm or otherwise verify the validity or authenticity thereof. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but such counterparts shall, together, constitute one and the same instrument. 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.
Section 120 U.S.A. PATRIOT Act. The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with the Customer Identification Program requirements under the USA PATRIOT Act and its implementing regulations, the Trustee in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties hereby agree that they shall provide the Trustee with such information as it may request including, but not limited to, each party’s name, physical address, tax identification number and other information that will help the Trustee identify and verify each party’s identity such as organizational documents, certificate of good standing, license to do business, or other pertinent identifying information.
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Article II
SECURITY FORMS
Section 201 Forms Generally. As to each series of Securities, (i) 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, and (ii) if the Securities of such series are to be guaranteed by the Guarantees of any Guarantor as provided in Section 301 and the terms of such Securities provide for the endorsement thereon or attachment thereto of notations of guarantee by such Guarantor, such notations of guarantee to be endorsed on or attached to such Securities shall be in substantially such form as shall be established by or pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in the case of (i) or (ii), 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 officer executing such Securities or notations of guarantee, respectively, as evidenced by such officer’s 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. If the form of any notation of guarantee by any Guarantor to be endorsed on Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Guarantor and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Guarantor Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities with such notation of guarantee endorsed thereon. For purposes hereof, a notation of guarantee that is endorsed on, or otherwise attached to, a Security shall be deemed “endorsed” on such Security.
The definitive Securities and any notations of guarantee endorsed thereon shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officer of the Company executing such Securities.
Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, there shall be no requirement that any Security have endorsed thereon or attached thereto a notation of guarantee, but such notation of guarantee may be endorsed thereon or attached thereto as contemplated by this Section 201. The Guarantee of a Guarantor shall be evidenced only by its execution and delivery of this Indenture or an indenture supplemental hereto, and not by its execution and delivery of a notation of guarantee. A notation of guarantee shall be for notice purposes only and shall not constitute an enforceable agreement or instrument.
Section 202 Form of Face of Security.
[Insert any legend required by the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder.]
| CUSIP [ ● ] | |
| No. [ ● ] | $[ ● ] |
| 17 |
VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP
VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP, a limited partnership 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, 20 *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]. 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 that 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.
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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, which is initially the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in St. Paul, Minnesota, 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, (i) 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; (ii) 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 (iii) notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii) 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 located in the contiguous United States of America, the Company shall make such payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account at such bank, 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; 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 the 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.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officer.
| VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP, a Delaware limited partnership | |||
| By: Viper Energy GP LLC, its general partner | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
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 [ · ] (herein called the “Indenture,” which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), among the Company, the Guarantors, if any, and Computershare Trust Company, National Association, 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 Guarantors, if any, 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 $[ · ] ].
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This Security is the general, unsecured obligation of the Company and is guaranteed pursuant to a guarantee (the “Guarantee”) by the Parent Guarantor and [insert name of each additional Guarantor] [and any other Person who shall become such in accordance with the Indenture (the “Guarantors”)]. The Guarantee by each Guarantor is the general, unsecured, senior obligation of such Guarantor, subject to the release and discharge thereof as provided in the Indenture.
[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 10 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 Interest Payment Date 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.]]
[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 10 nor more than 60 days’ notice, (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
Price for |
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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 Interest Payment Date 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.]
[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.]
[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.]]
[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.]
[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.]
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the obligations of the Company under this Security are guaranteed by each of the Guarantors pursuant to the Indenture [as indicated in the notation of guarantee endorsed hereon]. The Indenture provides that a Guarantor shall be released from its Guarantee upon compliance with certain conditions.
[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.]
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[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 (i) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable and (ii) 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.]
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 Parent Guarantor] [the Guarantors] and the rights of the Holders of the Securities to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and [the Parent Guarantor][the Guarantors] 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 and [the Parent Guarantor][the Guarantors] 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.
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 and offered the Trustee security or 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 security or 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.
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No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed or alter or impair the obligation of any Guarantor, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay pursuant to its Guarantee.
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, any Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, any Guarantor 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, any Guarantor 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 that 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: | COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | |
| By: | ||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
Article III
THE SECURITIES
Section 301 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities that 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 Officer’s 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 that 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 Section 304, Section 305, Section 306, Section 906 or Section 1107 and except for any Securities that, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);
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(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 or the method of determination thereof and the amount of principal that will be payable;
(5) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, or contingent interest, if any, or the formula, method or provision pursuant to which such rate or rates are determined, and the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue or the method of determination thereof;
(6) 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;
(7) 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;
(8) the Company’s option, if any, to redeem or prepay the Securities of the series, in whole or in part, the period or periods within which, and the price or prices at which, such redemption or prepayment may occur, and the other terms and conditions of any such redemptions or prepayments;
(9) the Company’s obligation, if any, whether pursuant to a sinking fund or otherwise, to redeem, purchase, repurchase, or offer to purchase or repurchase, the Securities of the series, in whole or in part, the period or periods within which, and the price or prices at which, such redemption, purchase or repurchase must occur, and the other terms and conditions of any such redemptions, purchases and repurchases;
(10) if other than minimum 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;
(11) 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;
(12) 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, or shall at the election of the Company or the Holder thereof 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, and, in the case of an election, 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);
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(13) if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any Securities of the series that shall be payable upon 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 that 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 that shall be due and payable upon any Maturity other than the Stated Maturity or that 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 that 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 that apply to any Securities of the series, any changes in the applicable notice or cure periods (which may be no period), 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, or the automatic acceleration of such principal amount;
(18) any addition to, elimination of or other change in the covenants set forth in Article X that applies to Securities of the series;
(19) 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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(20) 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;
(21) any provisions for subordination of any Securities of the series to other obligations of the Company or any Guarantor (including Securities of other series);
(22) whether payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on the Securities of the series shall be without deduction for taxes, assessments or governmental charges paid by Holders of the series;
(23) if and as applicable, that the 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 Depositary or Depositaries for such Global Security or Global Securities and any circumstances other than those set forth in Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be transferred to, and registered and exchanged for Securities registered in the name of, a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and in which any such transfer may be registered;
(24) whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay additional amounts on the Securities of the series held by a Person who is not a “U.S. Person” or otherwise has a specified status in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem the Securities of the series rather than pay such additional amounts;
(25) if the Securities of the series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;
(26) whether the Securities of the series are to be convertible into or exchangeable for common stock or any other security or property, including, without limitation, securities of another Person held by the Company or its Affiliates, and, if so, the terms thereof;
(27) 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;
(28) whether the Securities of the series will be guaranteed, and, if so, the terms and conditions of such Guarantees, if such terms differ from those set forth in Section 1401, and the names of, or the method of determination or identification of, the Guarantors; and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article XIV or any other provisions of this Indenture in connection with the Guarantees of the Securities of the series;
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(29) if other than the Trustee, the identity of the initial Security Registrar and any initial Paying Agent; and
(30) any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture).
If the Securities of the series are to be guaranteed by any Guarantor pursuant to Article XIV, there shall be established in or pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate of such Guarantor, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of the series, the terms of the Guarantee by such Guarantor with respect to the Securities of the series, if such terms differ from those set forth in Section 1401.
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 Officer’s 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 (30) 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 Officer’s Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.
If any of the terms of the Guarantee by any Guarantor of the Securities of the series are established by action taken pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Guarantor and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate of such Guarantor setting forth the terms of such Guarantee.
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.
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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, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, President, an Executive Vice President or a 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. If the terms of the Securities of any series provide that any notation of guarantee by any Guarantor is to be endorsed on or otherwise attached to, or made part of, Securities of any series, and if the terms of such Securities provide for the execution of such notation of guarantee by such Guarantor (it being understood and agreed that the terms of Securities of any series may, but need not, provide for the execution of any notation of guarantee by any Guarantor), such notation of guarantee shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, President, an Executive Vice President or a Vice President of such Guarantor (or any other officer of such Guarantor designated in writing by or pursuant to authority of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee from time to time). The signature of any of these officers on any notation of guarantee may be manual or facsimile.
Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signature of an individual who was at any time the proper officer of the Company shall bind the Company and any Guarantor of such Securities, notwithstanding that such individual has ceased to hold such office prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such office at the date of such Securities.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company, together with, if the terms of such Securities provide for the endorsement thereon of any notations of guarantee by any Guarantor, such notations of guarantee endorsed hereon and, if such terms so provide, executed by such Guarantor, to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order and, if any notation of guarantee by a Guarantor is to be endorsed on such Securities, a Guarantor Order of such Guarantor, for the authentication and delivery of such Securities with any such notations of guarantee endorsed thereon, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities with any such notations of guarantee endorsed thereon. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or the form or terms of any notations of guarantee have been established by or pursuant to one or more Guarantor’s Board Resolutions of such Guarantor as permitted by Section 201 and Section 301, in authenticating such Securities with any such notations of guarantee endorsed thereon, 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 or any notation of guarantee by any Guarantor endorsed thereon has been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, as permitted by Section 201, that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
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(2) if the terms of such Securities or any notation of guarantee thereof by a Guarantor have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor as permitted by Section 301, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and
(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 and the Guarantee set forth in the Indenture will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company or such Guarantor, respectively, 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 and other customary assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations.
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 that 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 Officer’s Certificate or Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order, any Guarantor 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 and, if any notations of guarantee by a Guarantor are to be endorsed on such Securities, a Guarantor Order of such Guarantor, 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 officer executing such Securities or notations of guarantee, respectively, may determine, as evidenced by such officer’s execution of such Securities or notations of guarantee, respectively.
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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, and if applicable, the Guarantors 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 and, if applicable, the Guarantors 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.
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 and, if applicable, the Guarantors 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, any Guarantor 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.
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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 Section 304, Section 906 or Section 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 (A) 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 (B) 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 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.
(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.
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(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, Section 306, Section 906 or Section 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:
(1) 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;
(2) 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;
(3) 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; and
(4) none of the Company, any Guarantor, 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 interests.
Section 306 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Wrongfully Taken Securities. If (a) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee or (b) both (i) there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (A) 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 (B) such indemnity bond as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless and (ii) 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, and, if applicable, the Guarantors, 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.
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.
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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 that 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 that 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 in writing of such Special Record Date and the Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted 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 given, 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).
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(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.
The Trustee will have no duty whatsoever to determine whether any Defaulted Interest is payable or the amount thereof. 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 that 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 payable 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 that is converted, interest whose Interest Payment Date 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, any Guarantor and the Trustee and any agent of the Company, any Guarantor 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, any Guarantor, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company, any Guarantor 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. 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. The Trustee shall dispose of all canceled Securities in accordance with its standard procedures (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act) and deliver a certificate of such disposition to the Company upon its written request therefor.
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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.
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 and any Guarantees of such Securities (except as to any surviving rights 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 that have been destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken and that 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
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(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 or a Guarantor, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the holders of the debt securities, cash in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of interest and, solely in the case of U.S. Government Obligations, as certified in an Officer’s Certificate from the chief financial officer of the Company), 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 that have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;
(2) the Company and the Guarantors (if any) have paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company and the Guarantors (if any) with respect to such Securities; and
(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel (which Opinion of Counsel may be subject to customary assumptions and exclusions), each stating that all conditions precedent herein 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 Trustee 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.
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) U.S. Government Obligations with a maturity of one year or less or (2) a money market fund that invests solely in short-term U.S. Government Obligations 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.
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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 any payment of interest on any Security of that series when due and payable, continued for 30 days;
(2) default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Security of that series when due and payable at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, upon acceleration or otherwise;
(3) failure by the Company to comply with Section 704 for 180 days after notice as provided below;
(4) failure by the Company to comply for 90 days after notice as provided below with its agreements (other than the agreements that are the subjects of clauses (1)-(3) above) contained in this Indenture;
(5) the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences a voluntary case or voluntary proceeding;
(B) consents to the entry of a judgment, decree or order for relief against it in an involuntary case or involuntary proceeding;
(C) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for any substantial part of its property;
(D) makes a general assignment of substantially all of its property for the benefit of its creditors; or
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(E) transmits its written consent to or acquiescence in the institution of a bankruptcy proceeding or other collective proceeding for relief by or against its creditors generally;
(6) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(A) is for relief in an involuntary case against the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Law;
(B) appoints a Custodian for all or substantially all of the property of the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Law; or
(C) orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of the Bankruptcy Law; and
in case of (A), (B) or (C), the order or decree remains unstayed or not dismissed and in effect for 60 days following the entry, issuance or effective date thereof; or
(7) any Guarantee by Viper Energy or by any guarantor required to guarantee the debt securities pursuant to the terms of the applicable supplemental indenture of Securities of that series ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or such Guarantor denies or disaffirms, in writing, its obligations under the Indenture or its Guarantee of Securities of that series, in each case unless such Guarantee of Securities of that series has been released pursuant to the terms of the Indenture.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, default under Section 501(3) or Section 501(4) will not constitute an Event of Default with respect to a given series of Securities until the Trustee or the Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the then Outstanding Securities of that series notify the Company in writing of the Default and the Company does not cure such Default within the applicable time specified in Section 501(3) or Section 501(4) after receipt of such notice. Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied, and state that such notice is a “Notice of Default”; provided that no Notice of Default may be given with respect to any action taken, and reported publicly, more than two years prior to such Notice of Default. The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of a default under Section 501(3) or Section 501(4) except as provided in Section 603(10) herein.
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 described in Section 501(5) or (6)) with respect to the then Outstanding Securities of a series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by written notice to the Company, or Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the then Outstanding Securities of such series by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of Holders of at least 33% in principal amount of the then Outstanding Securities of that series shall, declare the principal, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the Securities of that series to be due and payable. Such notice must specify the Event of Default and state that such notice is a “Notice of Acceleration.” Upon such a declaration, such principal, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest in respect of the Securities of that series will be due and payable immediately.
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If an Event of Default pursuant to Section 501(5) or (6) occurs, the principal, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on the Securities will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.
Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, at any time after a declaration of acceleration as to such Securities of a series, but before a judgment or decree for the payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may by notice to the Company, any Guarantor of the Securities of that series and Trustee (including, without limitation, waivers and consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) waive all past defaults (except with respect to nonpayment of principal, premium, if any, or interest (other than any nonpayment resulting from any acceleration subject to rescission described below)) and rescind any such acceleration with respect to the Securities of that series and its consequences if rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction.
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, any Guarantor 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.
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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 any Guarantee 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.
Section 505 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities or any Guarantee 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 under Section 607;
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, any Guarantor or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.
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Section 507 Limitation on Suits. Except pursuant to Section 508, 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 security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any costs, 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 security or 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 (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such uses 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.
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 Interest Payment Date or Stated Maturity, as applicable, 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.
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, any Guarantors, 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.
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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 of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that
(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture;
(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and
(3) subject to the provisions of Section 601, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith 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
(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.
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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 Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee 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 and each Guarantor 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 and each Guarantor (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 as are provided by the Trust Indenture Act, 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).
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(2) If 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.
(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, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.
(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 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 mail or otherwise send to the Holders of Securities of such series notice of such default or Event of Default within 90 days after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee gains actual 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 603, 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.
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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 request or direction of a Guarantor mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Guarantor Request or Guarantor Order of such Guarantor, and any resolution of the Board of Directors shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution and any resolution of a Guarantor’s Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Guarantor’s 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, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance upon, an Officer’s Certificate or, if such matter relates to a Guarantor, a Guarantor’s Officer’s Certificate of such Guarantor or an Opinion of Counsel;
(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, expenses and liabilities that 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 and, if applicable, the Guarantors, 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;
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(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 Officer’s 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 Officer’s Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officer’s 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 and believed by it 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) the Trustee shall not be required to provide bond or other security with respect to the performance of its duties and powers;
(13) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive, incidental 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 or such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action; and
(14) under no circumstance 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 or the correctness of any other document used in connection with the sale of the Securities. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.
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Section 605 May Hold Securities. The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company or any Guarantor, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Section 608 and Section 613, may otherwise deal with the Company or any Guarantor 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 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 or any Guarantor.
Section 607 Compensation and Reimbursement.
(1) The Company shall pay to the Trustee (in its capacity as Trustee, and, to the extent it has been appointed as such, as Paying Agent and Security Registrar) 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, except those resulting from its own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful misconduct. Such expenses shall include the reasonable and customary compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.
(2) The Company and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, shall indemnify the Trustee and its directors, officers, employees and agent and hold the Trustee harmless against any and all losses, liabilities and expenses (including taxes (other than taxes based upon the income of the Trustee and reasonable and documented attorneys’ and agents’ fees and expenses and court costs) 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 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, expense or cost is the result of the Trustee’s own negligence or willful misconduct as found by a court of competent jurisdiction. 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 elect to have separate counsel defend the claim, and the Company will pay the reasonable and documented fees and expenses of such counsel only if the Company fails to assume the Trustee’s defense or there is a conflict of interest between the Company, on the one hand, and the Trustee, on the other hand, with respect to the claim, as reasonably determined by the Trustee. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. None of the Company nor the Guarantors need reimburse the Trustee for any expense or indemnity against liability or loss of the Trustee to the extent such expense, liability or loss is the result of its own negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a final non-appealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
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(3) 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.
(4) 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) and 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. 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 this 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 lien 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.
(5) The provisions of this Section 607 shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the 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 $100,000,000 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.
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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 upon thirty (30) days advance written notice delivered 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 60 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 at any time 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.
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.
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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, any Guarantor 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, any Guarantor, 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 and any Guarantor 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, sold or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, sale, 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 Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section 614, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Company for such payments, subject to the provisions of Section 607.
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.
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| [_______________], as Trustee | ||
| By: | [NAME OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT], as Authenticating Agent | |
| By: | ||
| Authorized Signatory | ||
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;
provided, however, that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security Registrar for Securities of a series, no such list need be furnished with respect to such series of Securities.
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, any Guarantor and the Trustee that neither of the Company nor the Guarantors (if applicable) 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.
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Reports so required to be transmitted at stated intervals of not more than 12 months shall be transmitted no later than April 15 and shall be dated as of April 1 in each calendar year, commencing after the issuance of Securities.
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.
(1) The Parent Guarantor (or (i) the Company if no Parent Guarantor then exists or (ii) any such other entity the reports of which the Company is entitled to rely upon for purposes of the reporting exemption set forth in Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X and Exchange Act Rule 12h-5 (any such entity, together with the Parent Guarantor or the Company (if no Parent Guarantor then exists), a “Qualified Reporting Entity”) will furnish or file with the Trustee, (i) within 15 days after the Qualified Reporting Entity files the same with the SEC, copies of the annual reports and the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the SEC may by rules and regulations prescribe) that the Qualified Reporting Entity is required to file with the SEC, pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and (ii) other information, documents, or reports as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided in the Trust Indenture Act. For purposes of this Section 704, the Qualified Reporting Entity will be deemed to have furnished such reports and information to, or filed such reports and information with, the Trustee (and, if applicable, any other Persons) as required by this Section 704 if it has filed such reports or information with the SEC via the EDGAR filing system or otherwise made such reports or information publicly available on a freely accessible page on the Qualified Reporting Entity’s website. The Trustee shall have no obligation whatsoever to determine whether or not such reports and information have been filed or have been posted on such website.
(2) The Company shall furnish to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of each such entity as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under the Indenture.
(3) Delivery of any reports, information and documents to the Trustee pursuant to paragraph (1) and (2) above is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute actual or constructive knowledge or notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the compliance by the Company with any of the Company’s covenants (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on certificates, described in paragraph (2) above). The Trustee shall have no duty to monitor or confirm, on a continuing basis or otherwise, the Company’s or any other Person’s compliance with any of the covenants under this Indenture, to determine whether such reports, information or documents are filed with the SEC or made publicly available on a website, to examine such reports, information, documents and other reports to ensure compliance with the provisions of this Indenture, to ascertain the correctness or otherwise of the information or the statements contained therein or to participate in any conference calls.
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Article VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE
Section 801 Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. Neither the Company nor the Parent Guarantor shall , in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets on a consolidated basis to, any Person, unless:
(1) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Company”) shall be a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia;
(2) the Successor Company (if not the Company or the Parent Guarantor) shall expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, 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 or the Parent Guarantor, as applicable, 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;
(3) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness that 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 occurred and be continuing; and
(4) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s 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 provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to the merger into, or sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all of the properties of any Person to any party that is the Company or a Guarantor.
Section 802 Successor Substituted. Upon any consolidation of the Company or the Parent Guarantor with, or merger of the Company or the Parent Guarantor with or into, or any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all the properties and assets of the Company or the Parent Guarantor on a consolidated basis to, any Person, in each case in accordance with Section 801, the Successor Company shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company or the Parent Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if the Successor Company had been named as the Company or the Parent Guarantor, as applicable, herein, and thereafter the predecessor entity shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company or the Parent Guarantor on a consolidated basis, in which case the predecessor entity shall not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of, any premium on, and interest on the Securities.
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Article IX
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENTAL AND WAIVER
Section 901 Without Consent of Holders. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, notwithstanding Section 902 and Section 903, without the consent of any Holder of Securities, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture as it relates to any series of Securities (including any Guarantee) and the Securities of any series to:
(1) cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;
(2) provide for the assumption by a successor entity of the obligations of the Company under this Indenture (as it relates to the Securities) or the Securities in accordance with Section 801 and Section 802 hereof;
(3) provide for or facilitate the issuance of uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities (provided that the uncertificated Securities are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code);
(4) add Guarantees with respect to the Securities of any series, evidence the release of a Guarantor from its Guarantee or provide for the assumption by a successor entity of the obligations of a Guarantor in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Indenture;
(5) secure the Securities of any series or any Guarantee thereof;
(6) add covenants of the Company or other obligor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities under the Indenture (as it relates to such Securities) or such Securities, as the case may be, or Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities or to make other changes that would provide additional rights to the Holders of all or any series of Securities or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or other such obligor;
(7) make any change that does not adversely affect the legal or contractual rights of any Holder of Securities of a series under the Indenture (as it relates to such Securities) or such Securities;
(8) evidence and provide for the acceptance of an appointment under the Indenture (as it relates to the Securities) of a successor trustee; provided that the successor trustee is otherwise qualified and eligible to act as such under the terms of the Indenture (as it relates to the Securities);
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(9) provide for the issuance of additional Securities permitted to be issued under the Indenture (as it relates to the Securities);
(10) comply with the rules of any applicable securities depositary;
(11) conform the text of this Indenture (as it relates to the Securities and any Guarantee), the Securities or any Guarantee to any provision of the section of the accompanying base prospectus entitled “Description of Debt Securities” or the section (or comparable section) in any offering memorandum, prospectus or prospectus supplement of the Company prepared from time to time with respect to the offer and sale of Securities of any series entitled “Description of Notes” to the extent that such provision in the “Description of Notes” or the “Description of Debt Securities” was intended to be a complete description or summary of a provision of the Indenture (as it relates to the Securities or any Guarantee), the Securities or any Guarantee, which intent shall be established by an Officer’s Certificate (other than to the extent superseded by the “Description of Debt Securities” (or comparable section) in any offering memorandum, prospectus or prospectus supplement of the Company prepared from time to time with respect to the offer and sale of Securities); or
(12) make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture; provided that such action pursuant to this Clause (12) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver under the Indenture becomes effective, the Company is required to send to the Holders of Securities of an affected series a notice briefly describing such amendment, supplement or waiver. However, the failure to give such notice to all such Holders, or any defect in the notice, will not impair or affect the validity of any amendment, supplement or waiver.
Section 902 With Consent of Holders. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series and except as set forth in Section 901 and Section 903, the Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture (as it relates to the Securities of any series and any Guarantee) and the Securities with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities affected by such amendment or supplement then Outstanding voting as a single class (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, such Securities) and any past default or compliance with any provisions of this Indenture (as it relates to the Securities of any series and any Guarantee) and the Securities may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities affected by such waiver then Outstanding voting as a single class (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, such Securities).
The consent of the Holders is not necessary under the Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment, supplement or waiver. A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under the Indenture by any Holder of Securities given in connection with a tender of such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such tender.
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Section 903 Limitations. Notwithstanding Section 902, without the consent of each Holder of an Outstanding Security affected thereby, no amendment, supplement or waiver may (with respect to any Securities held by a non-consenting Holder):
(1) reduce the principal amount of Securities of any series whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduce the stated rate of interest or extend the stated time for payment of interest on any Security;
(3) reduce the principal of or extend the Stated Maturity of any Security;
(4) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Securities (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Securities with respect to a nonpayment default and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
(5) reduce the premium payable upon the redemption of any Security or change the time at which any Security may be redeemed as described under Article III, whether through an amendment or waiver of Article III, related definitions or otherwise;
(6) make any Security payable in money other than that stated in the Security;
(7) impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Holder’s Securities on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holder’s Securities;
(8) modify any Guarantee by (i) Viper Energy or (ii) otherwise required to be provided pursuant to the supplemental indenture in respect of such series of the Securities, in any manner adverse to the Holders of the Securities; or
(9) make any change in the amendment or waiver provisions that require each Holder’s consent.
Section 904 Effect of Supplemental Indentures. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article IX, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes; and, subject to Section 903, every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.
Section 905 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act. Every amendment to this Indenture (as it relates to the Securities) or the Securities shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect. The Trustee shall have no responsibility or liability for whether this Indenture, the Securities, or any amendment to any of them complies with the Trust Indenture Act or the Company’s compliance with the Trust Indenture Act.
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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, if applicable, the Guarantors and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.
Section 907 Revocation and Effect of Consents. Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of Securities is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of the Securities or portion of such Securities that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security or Securities, even if notation of the consent is not made on any such Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to its Securities or portion of such Securities if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective.
Any amendment or waiver in respect of the Securities once effective shall bind every Holder of Securities affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of the clauses of Section 903. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.
The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture (as it relates to the Securities). If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders of Securities at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to revoke any consent previously given or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders of Securities after such record date.
Section 908 Notation on or Exchange of Securities. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on the Securities. The Company in exchange for the Securities may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon written request new Securities that reflect the amendment or waiver.
Section 909 Trustee to Sign Amendments. The Trustee will sign any amended or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article IX if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee will be entitled to receive and (subject to Section 601 hereof) will be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 102 hereof, an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture.
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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.
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 or any Guarantor 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 and each Guarantor hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands; provided the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall not be an office or agency of the Company or any Guarantor for the purpose of effecting service of legal process on the Company or any Guarantor.
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 (including the Company or any affiliate thereof); 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 in writing 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 12:30 P.M., New York City time (subject to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary), 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 in writing 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.
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, subject to applicable escheatment laws, 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 [Reserved].
Section 1005 [Reserved].
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 covenant, term, provision or condition set forth in this Indenture for the benefit of the Holders of such series 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 covenant, term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such covenant, 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 covenant, term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect, and no such waiver may be granted if a waiver of a past default under such covenant, term, provision or condition could not be granted pursuant to Section 513 or if such waiver would be prohibited by Section 508. 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 that 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 any Securities, the Company shall, at least 5 Business Days prior to the giving of notice of redemption (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), give written notice to the Trustee setting forth (i) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (ii) the Redemption Date, (iii) the principal amount of Securities to be redeemed, (iv) the Redemption Price and (v) whether the Company requests the Trustee to give notice of such redemption. 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 Officer’s 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 not more than 40 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, on a pro rata basis or by lot (or when the Securities are Global Securities, selected pursuant to 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 not more than 40 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.
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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 that 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.
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.
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 that has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 1104 Notice of Redemption. Notice of any redemption will be mailed or electronically delivered (or otherwise transmitted in accordance with the Depositary’s Applicable Procedures) in the manner provided in Section 106 hereof at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before 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. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, notices may be sent more than 60 days prior to a Redemption Date if the notice is issued in connection with a Covenant Defeasance or Defeasance with respect to the relevant Securities or a satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture with respect to the relevant Securities or in accordance with the third paragraph of this Section 1104.
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,
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(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) 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
(8) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case.
Notice of any redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent. If such redemption is subject to the satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, the related notice shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the date of redemption may be delayed until such time as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied or waived (provided that in no event shall such date of redemption be delayed to a date later than 60 days after the date on which such notice was mailed or delivered, including by electronic transmission), 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 or waived by the date of redemption, or by the date of redemption as so delayed. If any such condition precedent has not been satisfied or waived, the Company shall provide written notice to the Trustee prior to the close of business one Business Day prior to the Redemption Date (or such shorter period as may be acceptable to the Trustee). Upon receipt of such notice, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the notice of redemption shall be automatically rescinded or delayed, and the redemption of such Securities shall be automatically rescinded or delayed as provided in such notice. Upon receipt, the Trustee shall provide such notice to each Holder in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given.
A notice of redemption need not set forth the exact Redemption Price but only the manner of calculation thereof.
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, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
Section 1105 Deposit of Redemption Price. Prior to 12:30 P.M., New York City time (subject to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary), 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 that 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.
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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, unless the conditions precedent described in the notice of redemption for the redemption have not been satisfied, 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) 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 Interest Payment Date 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 that 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, if applicable, the Guarantors shall execute 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 as directed by Company Order.
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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 that have been converted in accordance with their terms or that 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 Officer’s 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, that is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, that 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 Section 1106 and Section 1107.
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Article XIII
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 1301 Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.
Unless otherwise designated pursuant to Section 301, 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 and the Guarantors of the Securities 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 Section 304, Section 305, Section 306, Section 1002 and Section 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. If the Company exercises its Defeasance option, payment of the Securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities. 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. Upon the effectiveness of Defeasance with respect to any series of Securities, each Guarantor of the Securities of such series shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all of its obligations under its Guarantee of the Securities of such series and all of its other obligations under this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series, without any action by the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee and without the consent of the Holders of any 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 any covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18), Section 901(5), Section 901(6) or Section 901(9) for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 501(4) (with respect to any such covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18), Section 901(5), Section 901(6) or Section 901(9) 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 and any Guarantor 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. If the Company exercises its Covenant Defeasance option, payment of the Securities may not be accelerated because of, and a default or Event of Default shall be deemed not to exist as a result of or to arise out of, an Event of Default with respect to the failure of the Company to comply with any covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18), Section 901(5), Section 901(6) or Section 901(9). Upon the effectiveness of Covenant Defeasance with respect to any series of Securities, each Guarantor of the Securities of such series shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all of its obligations under its Guarantee of the Securities of such series and all of its other obligations under this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series, without any action by the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee and without the consent of the Holders of any Securities.
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 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, and dedicated solely to, the benefits of the Holders of such Securities, money in U.S. dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient (without consideration of any reinvestment of interest and, solely in the case of U.S. Government Obligations, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm, in either case expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (or if such a firm declines or refuses to express such opinion, a certificate from the chief financial officer of the Company)) to pay and discharge all principal, premium, if any, and interest when due on all the Securities not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, 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 (x) any security that is (i) 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 (ii) 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 (i) or (ii), is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (y) 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 (x) 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.
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(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 (subject to customary assumptions and exclusions) 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.
(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 (subject to customary assumptions and exclusions) 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) No Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities (other than such an 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.
(5) Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach 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.
(6) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s 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.
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(7) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Company, the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Company terminates.
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, U.S. Government Obligations and other 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 Guarantor of the Securities of the applicable series or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company or any such Guarantor acting as Paying Agent) 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 401 or 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, U.S. Government Obligations or other obligations held by it as provided in Section 1304 with respect to any Securities that 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 and, if applicable, Guarantees of such Securities from which the Company and the applicable Guarantors have been discharged or released pursuant to Section 1302 or Section 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 or any Guarantor makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, 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.
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Article XIV
GUARANTEES
Section 1401 Guarantees. Securities of any series that are to be guaranteed by the Guarantees of any Guarantors shall be guaranteed by such Guarantors as shall be established pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series. The Persons who shall initially be the Guarantors of the Securities of any such series may include any and all such Persons as the Company may determine; provided that, prior to the authentication and delivery upon original issuance of Securities that are to be guaranteed by a Person, the Company, the Trustee and such Person shall enter into a supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 901 hereof whereby such Person shall become a Guarantor under this Indenture.
Securities of any series that are to be guaranteed by the Guarantees of any Guarantors shall be guaranteed in accordance with the terms of such Guarantees as established pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Securities and such Guarantees thereof and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities and such Guarantees thereof) in accordance with this Article.
Each Guarantor of any Security hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of such Security, and to the Trustee on behalf of such Holder, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Security when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Security and of this Indenture. In case of the failure of the Company punctually to make any such payment, such Guarantor hereby agrees to cause such payment to be made punctually when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity or by acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, and as if such payment were made by the Company.
The Guarantor of any Security hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, any invalidity, irregularity or unenforceability of such Security or this Indenture, any failure to enforce the provisions of such Security or this Indenture, or any waiver, modification or indulgence granted to the Company with respect thereto, by the Holder of such Security or the Trustee or any other circumstance that may otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no such waiver, modification or indulgence shall, without the consent of any Guarantor, increase the principal amount of such Security, or increase the interest rate thereon, change any redemption provisions thereof (including any change to increase any premium payable upon redemption thereof) or change the Interest Payment Date or Stated Maturity of any payment thereon, or increase the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon acceleration or the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 of this Indenture.
The Guarantor of any Security hereby waives the benefits of diligence, presentment, demand for payment, any requirement that the Trustee or any of the Holders exhaust any right or take any action against the Company or any other Person, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest or notice with respect to any Security or the indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever, and covenants that its obligations hereunder will not be discharged in respect of such Security except by complete performance of the obligations of such Guarantor contained in such Security and in this Indenture. Any Guarantee of any Guarantor hereunder shall constitute a guaranty of payment and not of collection. The Guarantor of any Security hereby agrees that, in the event of a default in payment of principal, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Security, whether at any Interest Payment Date, at its Stated Maturity, by acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of, or by, the Holder of such Security, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against such Guarantor to enforce the obligation of such Guarantor hereunder without first proceeding against the Company.
| 72 |
The Guarantee by any Guarantor of any Security shall remain in full force and effect and continue notwithstanding any petition filed by or against the Company for liquidation or reorganization, the Company becoming insolvent or making an assignment for the benefit of creditors or a receiver or trustee being appointed for all or any significant part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment of such Security, is, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any Holder of such Security, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent transfer,” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment, or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned on a Security, such Security shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed paid only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.
No Subsidiary Guarantor shall consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets on a consolidated basis to any Person, in each case in a transaction in which the successor Person formed by such consolidation or merger or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease is made is an Affiliate of the Company (other than the Company or a Guarantor), unless, in any such case:
(1) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “Successor Guarantor”) shall be a corporation, limited liability company, partnership, trust, or other entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia;
(2) the Successor Guarantor (if not the predecessor Subsidiary Guarantor) shall expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, the performance or observance of every covenant of this Indenture and any Guarantees on the part of such Guarantor to be performed or observed;
(3) immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event that, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing; and
(4) such Subsidiary Guarantor has delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officer’s 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 provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.
| 73 |
The foregoing paragraph shall not apply to the merger into, or sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all properties and assets by any Subsidiary Guarantor to another Guarantor or the Company.
Upon any consolidation of any Guarantor with, or merger of such Guarantor with or into, or any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all the properties and assets of such Guarantor on a consolidated basis to, any Person, in each case in accordance with this paragraph, the Successor Guarantor shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, such Guarantor under this Indenture with the same effect as if the Successor Guarantor had been named as such Guarantor herein, and thereafter the predecessor Guarantor shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and any Guarantees of such Guarantor, except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Guarantor on a consolidated basis, in which case the predecessor Guarantor shall not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of, any premium on, and interest on the Securities.
Each Guarantor shall be released and discharged automatically and unconditionally from all its obligations under this Indenture and its Guarantees with respect to a series of Securities, and will cease to be a Guarantor with respect to such Securities, without further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, (a) in the case of a Subsidiary Guarantor, in the event the Subsidiary Guarantor is sold or disposed of (whether by merger, consolidation, the sale of a sufficient amount of its (or an intermediate holding company’s) capital stock so that it no longer constitutes a Subsidiary of the Company or the sale of all or substantially all of its properties and assets on a consolidated basis (other than by lease)), and whether or not the Guarantor is the surviving entity in such transaction, to a Person that is not (and does not thereupon become) the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company, (b) in the case of the Parent Guarantor, to the extent that the Company no longer intends to rely upon the annual reports and the information, documents and other reports filed by the Parent Guarantor for purposes of compliance with Section 704, upon delivery of an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee certifying thereto and confirming release of the guarantee provided by the Parent Guarantor, (c) upon any merger with and into Viper Energy Partners, Viper Energy or any other Guarantor, (d) in connection with any Covenant Defeasance or Defeasance pursuant to Article XIII or satisfaction and discharge of the Securities of that series pursuant to Article IV, (e) if no Event of Default has occurred and is then continuing, upon the liquidation or dissolution of the Guarantor, or (f) upon delivery of an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee certifying that such Guarantor does not guarantee (or is substantially concurrently being released from its guarantee of) the obligations of the Company under any indebtedness for borrowed money (including any release that would be conditioned only on the release or discharge of the Guarantee of the Securities, other than indebtedness for borrowed money). The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, cause any Guarantor to be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all its obligations under its Guarantees with respect to Securities of any series guaranteed by Guarantees of such Guarantor and under this Indenture upon (i) any conditions for such release provided with respect to Securities of such series in accordance with Section 301 having been satisfied and (ii) delivery by the Company to the Trustee of a Company Order relating to such release and discharge. If the Trustee is requested to acknowledge, authorize or sign a release (or similar or related document) of any Guarantor, such Guarantor will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel each stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction or release and discharge have been complied with.
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Anything in this Indenture, the Securities or any Guarantee to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of any Guarantor under its Guarantees and this Indenture shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantees and this Indenture not constituting a fraudulent advance or fraudulent transfer under any Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal, state or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally.
No Guarantee by any Guarantor of any Security, whether or not such Guarantee is or is to be endorsed thereon, shall be valid and obligatory for any purpose with respect to such Security until the certificate of authentication on such Security shall have been signed by or on behalf of the Trustee.
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.
| 75 |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.
| VIPER ENERGY PARTNERS LP | |||
| By: | Viper Energy GP LLC, its general partner | ||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
| VIPER ENERGY, INC. | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
Signature Page to Indenture
| COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee | |||
| By: | |||
| Name: | |||
| Title: | |||
Signature Page to Indenture
Exhibit 5.1
| 811 Main Street, Suite 3700 Houston, TX 77002 Tel: +1.713.546.5400 Fax: +1.713.546.5401 www.lw.com
|
 |
FIRM / AFFILIATE OFFICES | |
| Austin | Milan | |
|
March 9, 2026
Viper Energy, Inc. 500 West Texas Ave., Suite 100 Midland, Texas 79701
|
Beijing | Munich |
| Boston | New York | |
| Brussels | Orange County | |
| Chicago | Paris | |
| Dubai | Riyadh | |
| Düsseldorf | San Diego | |
| Frankfurt | San Francisco | |
| Hamburg | Seoul | |
| Hong Kong | Silicon Valley | |
| Houston | Singapore | |
| London | Tel Aviv | |
| Los Angeles | Tokyo | |
| Madrid | Washington, D.C. | |
| Re: | Registration Statement on Form S-3 |
To the addressee set forth above:
We have acted as special counsel to Viper Energy, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Viper Energy Partners LP, a Delaware limited partnership (“VEP”), in connection with their filing on the date hereof with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) of a registration statement on Form S-3 (as amended, the “Registration Statement”), including a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), which provides that it will be supplemented by one or more prospectus supplements (each such prospectus supplement, together with the Base Prospectus, a “Prospectus”), under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), relating to the registration for issue and sale of (i) shares of the Company’s Class A common stock, $0.000001 par value per share (“Common Stock”), (ii) shares of one or more series of the Company’s preferred stock, $0.000001 par value per share (“Preferred Stock”), (iii) one or more series of VEP’s debt securities (collectively, “Debt Securities”) to be issued under an indenture to be entered into between VEP, as issuer, and Computershare Trust Company, National Association, as trustee (a form of which is included as Exhibit 4.13 to the Registration Statement) and one or more board resolutions, supplements thereto or officer’s certificates thereunder (such indenture, together with the applicable board resolution, supplement or officer’s certificate pertaining to the applicable series of Debt Securities, the “Applicable Indenture”), (iv) warrants to acquire Common Stock or Preferred Stock (“Warrants”) and (v) guarantees of the Debt Securities (the “Guarantees”) by the Company (in such capacity, the “Guarantor”). The Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Debt Securities, Warrants and Guarantees are referred to herein collectively as the “Securities.”
This opinion is being furnished in connection with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act, and no opinion is expressed herein as to any matter pertaining to the contents of the Registration Statement or related applicable Prospectus, other than as expressly stated herein with respect to the issue of the Securities.
As such counsel, we have examined such matters of fact and questions of law as we have considered appropriate for purposes of this letter. With your consent, we have relied upon certificates and other assurances of officers of the Company, VEP and others as to factual matters without having independently verified such factual matters. We are opining herein as to the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, the Delaware Revised Uniform Partnership Act, and with respect to the opinions set forth in paragraphs 3 and 4 below, the internal laws of the State of New York, and we express no opinion with respect to the applicability thereto, or the effect thereon, of the laws of any other jurisdiction or, in the case of Delaware, any other laws, or as to any matters of municipal law or the laws of any local agencies within any state.
March 9, 2026 Page 2 |
Subject to the foregoing and the other matters set forth herein, it is our opinion that, as of the date hereof:
| 1. | When an issuance of Common Stock has been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, upon issuance, delivery and payment therefor in an amount not less than the par value thereof in the manner contemplated by the applicable Prospectus and by such corporate action, such shares of Common Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. |
| 2. | When a series of Preferred Stock has been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, upon issuance, delivery and payment therefor in an amount not less than the par value thereof in the manner contemplated by the applicable Prospectus and by such corporate action, such shares of such series of Preferred Stock will be validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable. In rendering the foregoing opinion, we have assumed that the Company will comply with all applicable notice requirements regarding uncertificated shares provided in the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. |
| 3. | When the Applicable Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by all necessary limited partnership action of VEP and, if applicable, all necessary corporate action of the Guarantor, and when the specific terms of a particular series of Debt Securities have been duly established in accordance with the terms of the Applicable Indenture and authorized by all necessary limited partnership action of VEP and, if applicable, all necessary corporate action of the Guarantor, and such Debt Securities have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered against payment therefor, and when the Guarantees of such Debt Securities have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Guarantor and duly executed and delivered by the Guarantor, in accordance with the terms of the Applicable Indenture and in the manner contemplated by the applicable Prospectus and by such corporate or limited partnership action, (i) such Debt Securities will be the legally valid and binding obligations of VEP, enforceable against VEP in accordance with their terms, and (ii) such Guarantees will be the legally valid and binding obligations of the Guarantor, enforceable against the Guarantor in accordance with their terms. |
March 9, 2026 Page 3 |
| 4. | When the applicable warrant agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and when the specific terms of a particular issuance of Warrants have been duly established in accordance with the terms of the applicable warrant agreement and authorized by all necessary corporate action of the Company, and such Warrants have been duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered against payment therefor in accordance with the terms of the applicable warrant agreement and in the manner contemplated by the applicable Prospectus and by such corporate action (assuming the securities issuable upon exercise of such Warrants have been duly authorized and reserved for issuance by all necessary corporate action), such Warrants will be the legally valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms. |
Our opinions are subject to: (i) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, preference, fraudulent transfer, moratorium or other similar laws relating to or affecting the rights and remedies of creditors; (ii) (a) the effect of general principles of equity, whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law (including the possible unavailability of specific performance or injunctive relief), (b) concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing, and (c) the discretion of the court before which a proceeding is brought; and (iii) the invalidity under certain circumstances under law or court decisions of provisions providing for the indemnification of or contribution to a party with respect to a liability where such indemnification or contribution is contrary to public policy. We express no opinion as to (a) any provision for liquidated damages, default interest, late charges, monetary penalties, make-whole premiums or other economic remedies to the extent such provisions are deemed to constitute a penalty, (b) consents to, or restrictions upon, governing law, jurisdiction, venue, arbitration, remedies, or judicial relief, (c) waivers of rights or defenses, (d) any provision requiring the payment of attorneys’ fees, where such payment is contrary to law or public policy, (e) any provision permitting, upon acceleration of any Debt Securities, collection of that portion of the stated principal amount thereof which might be determined to constitute unearned interest thereon, (f) the creation, validity, attachment, perfection, or priority of any lien or security interest, (g) advance waivers of claims, defenses, rights granted by law, or notice, opportunity for hearing, evidentiary requirements, statutes of limitation, trial by jury or at law, or other procedural rights, (h) waivers of broadly or vaguely stated rights, (i) provisions for exclusivity, election or cumulation of rights or remedies, (j) provisions authorizing or validating conclusive or discretionary determinations, (k) grants of setoff rights, (l) proxies, powers and trusts, (m) provisions prohibiting, restricting, or requiring consent to assignment or transfer of any right or property, (n) any provision to the extent it requires that a claim with respect to a security denominated in other than U.S. dollars (or a judgment in respect of such a claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate of exchange at a particular date, to the extent applicable law otherwise provides, and (o) the severability, if invalid, of provisions to the foregoing effect.
With your consent, we have assumed (a) that each of the Debt Securities, Guarantees, Warrants and the Applicable Indenture and warrant agreements governing such Securities (collectively, the “Documents”) will be governed by the internal laws of the State of New York, (b) that each of the Documents will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the parties thereto, (c) that each of the Documents will constitute legally valid and binding obligations of the parties thereto other than the Company and VEP, as applicable, enforceable against each of them in accordance with their respective terms, and (d) that the status of each of the Documents as legally valid and binding obligations of the parties will not be affected by any (i) breaches of, or defaults under, agreements or instruments, (ii) violations of statutes, rules, regulations or court or governmental orders, or (iii) failures to obtain required consents, approvals or authorizations from, or to make required registrations, declarations or filings with, governmental authorities.
March 9, 2026 Page 4 |
This opinion is for your benefit in connection with the Registration Statement and may be relied upon by you and by persons entitled to rely upon it pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Act. We consent to your filing this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm contained in the Prospectus under the heading “Legal Matters.” In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
| Sincerely, | |
| /s/ Latham & Watkins LLP |
Exhibit 22.1
Viper Energy, Inc.
List of Issuers and Subsidiary Guarantors
The following entities are the issuer and the guarantors, as specified below, of Viper Energy, Inc.'s senior notes registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended:
| Entity | Jurisdiction of Organization | Role | ||
| Viper Energy Partners LP | Delaware | Issuer | ||
| Viper Energy, Inc. | Delaware | Guarantor |
Exhibit 23.2
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
We have issued our reports dated February 25, 2026 with respect to the consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting of Viper Energy, Inc. included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, which are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. We consent to the incorporation by reference of the aforementioned reports in this Registration Statement, and to the use of our name as it appears under the caption “Experts.”
/s/ GRANT THORNTON LLP
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
March 9, 2026
Exhibit 23.3
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
We have issued our report dated March 21, 2025 with respect to the statements of revenues and direct operating expenses attributable to certain mineral and royalty interests of Diamondback Energy, Inc. and several of its subsidiaries, Endeavor Energy Resources, LP, 1979 Royalties, LP and 1979 Royalties GP, LLC, for the years ended December 31, 2024 and 2023, included in the definitive proxy statement on Schedule DEFM 14A of Viper Energy, Inc. filed on March 31, 2025, which are 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
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
March 9, 2026
Exhibit 23.4
 |
|
| KPMG LLP 811 Main Street Houston, TX 77002 |
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
We consent to the use of our report dated February 26, 2025, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Sitio Royalties Corp., and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, incorporated herein by reference, and to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in the prospectus.
Houston, Texas
March 9, 2026
| KPMG LLP, a Delaware limited liability partnership, and its subsidiaries are part of the KPMG global organization of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Limited, a private English company limited by guarantee. |
EXHIBIT 23.5
 |  |
||
| TBPELS REGISTERED ENGINEERING FIRM F-1580 | |||
| 1100 LOUISIANA SUITE 4600 | HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-5294 | TELEPHONE (713) 651-9191 | |
CONSENT OF RYDER SCOTT COMPANY, L.P.
We have issued our report dated January 13, 2026 on the audit of estimated quantities of proved reserves, future production and income attributable to certain royalty interests of Viper Energy, Inc. (the “Company”), as of December 31, 2025 (the “Reserve Report”), included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025 (the “Annual Report”). As independent oil and gas consultants, we hereby consent to (i) the incorporation by reference of the Reserve Report in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 (this “ Registration Statement”) and (ii) the use in this Registration Statement of the information contained in the Reserve Report and in our prior reserve reports referenced in this Registration Statement or in the Annual Report, which is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement. We further consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in this Registration Statement.
| /s/ RYDER SCOTT COMPANY, L.P. | |
| RYDER SCOTT COMPANY, L.P. | |
| TBPELS Firm Registration No. F-1580 |
Houston, Texas
March 9, 2026
| SUITE 2800, 350 7TH AVENUE, S.W. | CALGARY, ALBERTA T2P 3N9 | TEL (403) 262-2799 |
| 555 17TH STREET, SUITE 985 | DENVER, COLORADO 80202 | TEL (303) 339-8110 |
Exhibit 25.1
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM T-1
STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY
UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A
CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE
CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A
TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b)(2) [___]
Computershare Trust Company, National Association
(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)
| National Banking Association (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization if not a U.S. national bank) |
04-3401714 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
| 150 Royall Street, Canton, MA (Address of principal executive offices) |
02021 (Zip Code) |
|
Law Department Computershare Trust Company, National Association 150 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021 (781) 575-2000 (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service) | |
Viper Energy Partners LP*
(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)
| Delaware (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
35-2486057 (I.R.S. Employer Identification Number) |
|
500 West Texas Ave., Suite 100 Midland, Texas (Address of principal executive offices) |
|
Debt Securities
(Title of the indenture securities)
*See Table of Additional Obligors on following page
TABLE OF ADDITIONAL OBLIGORS
The following are obligors that guarantee the debt securities:
| Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter (1) | State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization |
I.R.S. Employer Identification Number | ||
| Viper Energy, Inc. | Delaware | 39-2596878 |
| (1) | The address, including zip code, of the principal executive offices of each of the obligors listed in this table is c/o Viper Energy, Inc., 500 West Texas Ave., Suite 100, Midland, Texas 79701. |
| Item 1. | General Information. Furnish the following information as to the trustee: |
| (a) | Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject. |
Comptroller of the Currency
340 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10017-2613
| (b) | Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers. |
The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.
| Item 2. | Affiliations with the obligor. If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe such affiliation. |
None.
| Items 3-15. | No responses are included for Items 3-15 of this Form T-1 because, to the best of the Trustee’s knowledge, neither the obligor nor any guarantor is in default under any Indenture for which the Trustee acts as Trustee and the Trustee is not a foreign trustee as provided under Item 15. |
| Item 16. | List of exhibits. List below all exhibits filed as a part of this statement of eligibility. |
1. A copy of the articles of association of the trustee. (See Exhibit 1 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-200089).
2. A copy of the certificate of authority of the trustee to commence business.
3. A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certification of Fiduciary Powers for Computershare Trust Company, National Association.
4. A copy of the existing bylaws of the trustee, as now in effect. (See Exhibit 4 to Form T-1 filed with Registration Statement No. 333-200089).
5. Not applicable
6. The consent of the Trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.
7. A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.
8. Not applicable
9. Not applicable
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, the trustee, Computershare Trust Company, National Association, a national banking association, organized and existing under the laws of the United States, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of St. Paul, and State of Minnesota, on the 9th day of March, 2026.
| COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Katherine M. O'Brien Mathis | |
| Name: Katherine M. O'Brien Mathis | ||
| Title: Vice President | ||
EXHIBIT 2
A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certificate of Corporate Existence for Computershare Trust Company, National Association, dated February 3, 2026.
EXHIBIT 3
A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certification of Fiduciary Powers for Computershare Trust Company, National Association, dated February 3, 2026.
EXHIBIT 6
CONSENT OF THE TRUSTEE
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 321 (b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, and in connection with the proposed issue of debt securities, Computershare Trust Company, National Association hereby consents that reports of examinations by Federal, State, Territorial or District authorities may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon request therefore.
| COMPUTERSHARE TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION | ||
| By: | /s/ Katherine M. O'Brien Mathis | |
| Title: Vice President | ||
| March 9, 2026 | ||
EXHIBIT 7
Consolidated Report of Condition of
Computershare TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
150 Royall Street, Canton, MA 02021
at the close of business December 31, 2025.
ASSETS | Dollar Amounts In Thousands | |||
| Cash and balances due from depository institutions: | ||||
| Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin | 705 | |||
| Interest-bearing balances | 429,716 | |||
| Securities: | ||||
| Held-to-maturity securities | -0- | |||
| Available-for-sale securities | -0- | |||
| Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell: | ||||
| Federal funds sold in domestic offices | -0- | |||
| Securities purchased under agreements to resell | -0- | |||
| Loans and lease financing receivables: | ||||
| Loans and leases held for sale | -0- | |||
| Loans and leases, net of unearned income | -0- | |||
| LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses | -0- | |||
| Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance | -0- | |||
| Trading assets | -0- | |||
| Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases) | 6,375 | |||
| Other real estate owned | -0- | |||
| Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies | -0- | |||
| Direct and indirect investments in real estate ventures | -0- | |||
| Intangible assets: | ||||
| Goodwill | 134,206 | |||
| Other intangible assets | 387,223 | |||
| Other assets | 137,153 | |||
| Total assets | 1,095,378 | |||
| LIABILITIES | ||||
| Deposits: | ||||
| In domestic offices | -0- | |||
| Noninterest-bearing | -0- | |||
| Interest-bearing | -0- | |||
| Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase: | ||||
| Federal funds purchased in domestic offices | -0- | |||
| Securities sold under agreements to repurchase | -0- | |||
| Trading liabilities | -0- | |||
| Other borrowed money: (includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases) | -0- | |||
| Not applicable | ||||
| Not applicable | ||||
| Subordinated notes and debentures | -0- | |||
| Other liabilities | 156,885 | |||
| Total liabilities | 156,885 | |||
| EQUITY CAPITAL | ||||
| Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus | 0 | |||
| Common stock | 500 | |||
| Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock) | 850,876 | |||
| Retained earnings | 87,117 | |||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income | -0- | |||
| Other equity capital components | -0- | |||
| Total bank equity capital | 938,493 | |||
| Noncontrolling (minority) interests in consolidated subsidiaries | -0- | |||
| Total equity capital | 938,493 | |||
| Total liabilities and equity capital | 1,095,378 |
2
I, Greg Brandt, Assistant Controller of the above named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition is true and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
/s/ Greg Brandt
Greg Brandt
Assistant Controller
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