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UNITED STATES |
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION |
Washington, D.C. 20549 |
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FORM 8-K |
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CURRENT REPORT |
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 |
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Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): September 30, 2011 |
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XL GROUP |
Public Limited Company |
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) |
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Ireland |
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1-10804 |
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98-0665416 |
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(State or other
jurisdiction of
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(Commission
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(IRS Employer
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No. 1 Hatch Street Upper, 4 th Floor, Dublin, Ireland |
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2 |
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(Address of principal executive offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: +353 (1) 405-2033
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Not Applicable |
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(Former name or former address, if changed since last report) |
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions ( see General Instruction A.2. below):
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Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
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Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
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Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On September 30, 2011, XL Group Ltd. (XL-Cayman), a wholly-owned subsidiary of XL Group plc (XL), completed the sale of $400 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.75% senior notes due 2021 (the Senior Notes ) at the issue price of 100% of the principal amount. The Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by XL. XL-Cayman received net proceeds of approximately $396.4 million from the offering.
The Senior Notes were sold pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the Underwriting Agreement ) dated September 27, 2011 among XL, XL-Cayman and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named therein. The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of XL-Cayman and XL, conditions to the closing, indemnification rights and obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The Senior Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, which XL-Cayman, as Issuer, and XL, as Guarantor, entered into with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee, on September 30, 2011 (the Base Indenture ), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, which XL-Cayman and XL entered into with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee, on September 30, 2011 (the First Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture ).
The Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 5.75% per annum, payable semiannually, beginning on April 1, 2012 and mature on October 1, 2021. Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default (as defined in the Indenture), all unpaid principal of and accrued interest and additional amounts, if any, on the Senior Notes then outstanding will become due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or the holders of any Senior Notes. XL-Cayman may redeem the Senior Notes, in whole or part, from time to time pursuant to the terms of the Indenture.
The Senior Notes were offered and sold pursuant to XLs automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, on Form S-3 ASR (File Number 333-155777), originally filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 28, 2008, as supplemented by the final prospectus supplement dated September 27, 2011.
The foregoing descriptions of the Underwriting Agreement, the Senior Notes and the Indenture do not purport to be complete and are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, the Senior Note and the Indenture, each of which is filed as an exhibit hereto and is incorporated by reference herein.
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Item 2.03. |
Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation. |
The information set forth under Item 1.01 above is incorporated by reference into this Item 2.03.
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Item 9.01. |
Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
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(d) |
Exhibits. The following exhibits are filed herewith: |
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Exhibit No. |
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Description |
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1.1 |
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Underwriting Agreement, dated September 27, 2011, among XL Group plc, XL Group Ltd. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named therein. |
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4.1 |
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Indenture, dated September 30, 2011, among XL Group plc, XL Group Ltd. and |
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Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee. |
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4.2 |
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First Supplemental Indenture, dated September 30, 2011 to the Indenture dated September 30, 2011 among XL Group plc, XL Group Ltd. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee. |
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4.3 |
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Form of 5.75% Senior Note due 2021, incorporated by reference to exhibit 4.2 hereto. |
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5.1 |
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Opinion of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP. |
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5.2 |
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Opinion of Maples and Calder. |
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5.3 |
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Opinion of A&L Goodbody. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: September 30, 2011
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XL Group plc |
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(Registrant) |
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By: |
/s/ Kirstin R. Gould |
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Name: Kirstin R. Gould |
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Title: General Counsel & Secretary |
Exhibit 1.1
XL Group Ltd.
Senior Notes
Guaranteed by
XL Group plc
Underwriting Agreement
September 27, 2011
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
301 S. College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
and
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
as Representatives of the several
Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the
Representatives
)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
XL Group Ltd., an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability (the Company ), proposes, subject to the terms and conditions stated herein, to issue and sell to the Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the Underwriters ) an aggregate of $400 million principal amount of 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021 (the Notes ). Payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed (the Guarantee and, together with the Notes, the Securities ) on an unsecured and unsubordinated basis by its parent company, XL Group plc, an Irish public limited company (the Guarantor ).
The Securities are being issued under an Indenture, to be dated as of September 30, 2011 (the Base Indenture ), among the Company, the Guarantor and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as trustee (the Trustee ), as supplemented by a Supplemental Indenture thereto, to be dated as of September 30, 2011 (the Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture ), among the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee.
1. The Company and the Guarantor represent and warrant to, and agree with, each of the Underwriters that:
(a) An automatic shelf registration statement as defined under Rule 405 under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act ), on Form S-3 (File No. 333-155777) in respect of the Securities has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; such registration statement, and any post-effective amendment thereto, became effective on filing; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any part thereof has been issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or threatened by the Commission, and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company or the Guarantor (the base prospectus filed as part of such registration statement, in the form in which it has most recently been filed with the Commission on or prior to the date of this Agreement, is hereinafter called the Basic Prospectus ; any preliminary prospectus (including any preliminary prospectus supplement) relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act is hereinafter called a Preliminary Prospectus ; the various parts of such registration statement,
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including all exhibits thereto but excluding any Form T-1 and including any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission and deemed by virtue of Rule 430B to be part of such registration statement, each as amended at the time such part of the registration statement became effective, are hereinafter collectively called the Registration Statement ; the Basic Prospectus, as amended and supplemented immediately prior to the Applicable Time (as defined in Section 1(c) hereof), is hereinafter called the Pricing Prospectus ; the form of the final prospectus relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof is hereinafter called the Prospectus ; any reference herein to the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the date of the respective prospectus; any reference to any amendment or supplement to the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act and any documents filed under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act ), and incorporated by reference therein, in each case after the date of the Basic Prospectus, such Preliminary Prospectus, or the Prospectus, as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any annual report of the Guarantor filed pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the effective date of the Registration Statement that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement; and any issuer free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 433 under the Act relating to the Securities is hereinafter called an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus );
(b) No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the Trust Indenture Act ) and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and did not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company or the Guarantor by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(c) For the purposes of this Agreement, the Applicable Time is 4:15 p.m. (Eastern time) on the date of this Agreement; the Pricing Prospectus as supplemented by the final term sheet in the form attached as Schedule III hereto and to be prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, taken together (collectively, the Pricing Disclosure Package ) as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Schedule II hereto does not conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus and each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, as supplemented by and taken together with the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time, did not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that this representation and warranty shall not apply to statements or omissions made in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company or the Guarantor by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(d) The documents incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further amendment or supplement thereto, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and no such documents were filed with the Commission since the Commissions close of business on the business day
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immediately prior to the date of this Agreement and prior to the execution of this Agreement, except as set forth on Schedule II hereto;
(e) The Registration Statement conforms, and the Prospectus and any further amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus will conform, in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and do not and will not, as of the applicable effective date as to each part of the Registration Statement and as of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements in the Registration Statement not misleading and the statements in the Prospectus in the light of the circumstances under which they were made not misleading; provided , however , that this representation and warranty shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company or the Guarantor by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein;
(f) Neither the Guarantor nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries (as defined below) has sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, which loss or interference would have a Material Adverse Effect (as defined below), or would reasonably be expected to have a prospective Material Adverse Effect; and, since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement and the Pricing Prospectus, there has not been any change in the capital stock (other than changes resulting from the exercise of stock options or the conversions of warrants or capital stock which were outstanding as of such date, or from the exercise of options granted after such date in the ordinary course of business or from repurchases of capital stock) or long-term debt of the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any material adverse change, or any development that would reasonably be expected to involve a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders or stockholders equity or results of operations of the Guarantor and its Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus;
(g) The Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a public limited company under the laws of Ireland and no steps have been taken or are being taken to appoint a receiver, examiner or liquidator over it or to wind it up. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as an exempted company with limited liability, in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Each of the Company and the Guarantor has full corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Pricing Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and the Notes and to consummate the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and the Notes and each has been duly qualified as a foreign company for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conduct any business so as to require such qualification, except where such failure to be so qualified in any such jurisdiction or to have any such power or authority would not have a material adverse effect on the current or future condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole or on the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (a Material Adverse Effect ); and each other Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation;
(h) The Guarantor had, on June 30, 2011 an authorized capitalization as set forth in the Pricing Prospectus and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and conform to the description thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus;
(i) The Notes have been duly and validly authorized and when authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters, the Notes will have been duly and validly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and remedies and to general equity principles, and will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture; the Indenture has been duly authorized by each of the Company
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and the Guarantor, and at the Time of Delivery, will be duly executed and delivered by each of the Company and the Guarantor and will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Guarantor, enforceable against each of the Company and the Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject, as to enforcement, to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors rights and remedies and to general equity principles; the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act; and the Securities and the Indenture will conform to the description thereof contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus with respect to the Securities and Indenture; the Base Indenture is substantially in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement;
(j) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Company and the Guarantor;
(k) The issue and sale of the Securities, the execution and delivery of this Agreement and the Indenture and the compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with all of the provisions of this Agreement, the Indenture and the Notes and the consummation by each of the Company and the Guarantor of the transactions contemplated herein and therein and in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is subject, nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of Association or the Memorandum of Association (or similar organizational documents) of the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body (a Governmental Agency ) having jurisdiction over the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any of its respective properties, or any rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange) (a Non-Governmental Authority ), except in each case (other than with respect to such Articles of Association or Memorandum of Association (or similar organizational documents)) of the Guarantor, for such conflicts, violations, breaches or defaults which would not result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(l) No consent, approval, authorization, order, filing, registration or qualification of or with any Governmental Agency or Non-Governmental Authority is required for the issue and sale by the Company and Guarantor of the Securities or the consummation by each of the Company and the Guarantor of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except such as have been, or will have been prior to the Time of Delivery, obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such consents, approvals, authorizations, registrations or qualifications as may be required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;
(m) All of the issued share capital of each Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor which is a corporation has been duly and validly authorized and issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and (except for directors qualifying shares) is owned directly or indirectly by the Guarantor, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, equities or claims (for purposes of this Agreement, (A) Subsidiary means, as applied to any person, any corporation, limited or general partnership, trust, association or other business entity of which an aggregate of greater than 50% of the outstanding Voting Shares of such person is, at any time, directly or indirectly, owned by such person and/or one or more subsidiaries of such person, (B) Significant Subsidiary shall have the meaning of significant subsidiary as set forth in Regulation S-X under the Act; (C) for purposes of the definition of Subsidiary, Voting Shares means, with respect to any corporation, the capital stock having the general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect at least a majority of the board of directors (irrespective of whether or not at the time capital stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency);
(n) Prior to the date hereof, neither the Company or the Guarantor, nor to the Companys or the Guarantors knowledge, respectively, have any of their affiliates taken any action which is designed to or which has constituted or which might have been expected to cause or result in stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company or the Guarantor in connection with the offering of the Securities in violation of the Exchange Act;
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(o) Other than as set forth or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus prior to the date hereof, or as encountered in the ordinary course of business in the Guarantors or any of its Significant Subsidiaries claims activities, there are no legal or governmental actions, suits or proceedings pending to which the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is a party or of which any property of the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries is the subject, which would individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and, to the best of the Guarantors knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others;
(p) The financial statements of the Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Guarantor and its consolidated Subsidiaries as of the dates shown and their results of operations and cash flows for the periods shown, and except as otherwise disclosed in the Pricing Prospectus, such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis;
(q) Each of the Guarantor and its Significant Subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities, licenses or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by them and have not received any written notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority, license or permit that would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;
(r) Neither the Guarantor nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries is in violation of its Articles of Association or Memorandum of Association (or similar organizational documents) or is in default in the performance or observance of any material obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement, lease or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties may be bound, except for such defaults which would not result in a Material Adverse Effect;
(s) The statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the captions Debt Securities and Guarantees and Description of the Senior Notes and the Guarantee, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Securities and the other transaction documents described therein, and the statements set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus under the caption Certain Tax Considerations, insofar as they purport to describe the provisions of the laws referred to therein, are accurate, complete and fair in all material respects;
(t) Neither the Company nor the Guarantor is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof, will be an investment company, as such term is defined in the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the Investment Company Act );
(u) PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has audited the consolidated financial statements of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries and has audited the Guarantors internal control over financial reporting, is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Guarantor and its subsidiaries as required by the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States);
(v) No stamp or other issuance or transfer taxes or duties and no capital gains, income, withholding or other taxes are payable by or on behalf of the Underwriters to the Cayman Islands or to Ireland or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein in connection with (A) the issuance, sale and delivery by the Company and the Guarantor to or for the respective accounts of the Underwriters of the Securities, or (B) the sale or delivery outside the Cayman Islands and Ireland by the Underwriters of the Securities to the initial purchasers thereof, other than as described in the opinions of Maples and Calder as to the Cayman Islands and Matheson Ormsby Prentice as to Ireland, delivered pursuant to Sections 8(d) and 8(g) of this Agreement;
(w) (A) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), and (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) under the Act) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption of
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Rule 163 under the Act, each of the Company and the Guarantor was a well-known seasoned issuer as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; and (B) at the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company, the Guarantor or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2) under the Act) of the Securities, neither the Company nor the Guarantor was an ineligible issuer as defined in Rule 405 under - the Act;
(x) The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries maintain a system of internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act). The Guarantors and its Subsidiaries internal control over financial reporting is effective and the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries are not aware of any material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting;
(y) The Guarantor and its Subsidiaries maintain disclosure controls and procedures (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are effective.
(z) None of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Guarantor, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or other person acting on behalf of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries is aware of or has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would result in a violation by such persons of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the FCPA), including, without limitation, making use of the mails or any means or instrumentality of interstate commerce corruptly in furtherance of an offer, payment, promise to pay or authorization of the payment of any money, or other property, gift, promise to give, or authorization of the giving of anything of value to any foreign official (as such term is defined in the FCPA) or any foreign political party or official thereof or any candidate for foreign political office, in contravention of the FCPA, except for any violations that would not have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the offering and sale of the Securities, and the Guarantor and, to the knowledge of the Guarantor, its affiliates have conducted their businesses in compliance with the FCPA and have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to ensure, and which are reasonably expected to continue to ensure, continued compliance therewith;
(aa) The operations of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Money Laundering Laws ), except for any violations that would not have a Material Adverse Effect or a material adverse effect on the offering and sale of the Securities, and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Guarantor, threatened; and
(bb) None of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries, or to the knowledge of the Guarantor, any director, officer, agent, employee, affiliate or person acting on behalf of the Guarantor or any of its Subsidiaries is currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department ( OFAC ); and the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity, for the purpose of financing the activities of any person currently subject to any U.S. sanctions administered by OFAC.
2. Subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to each of the Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at a purchase price of 99.35% of the principal amount thereof, the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule I hereto.
3. Upon the authorization by the Representatives of the release of the Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus.
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4. The Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter hereunder will be represented by one or more definitive global Securities in book-entry form which will be deposited by or on behalf of the Company with The Depository Trust Company ( DTC ) or its designated custodian. The Company will deliver the Securities to the Representatives, for the account of each Underwriter, against payment by or on behalf of such Underwriter of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer of Federal (same-day) funds to the account specified by the Company to the Representatives at least twenty-four hours in advance, by causing DTC to credit the Securities to the account of the Representatives at DTC. The Company will, upon request by the Representatives, cause the certificates representing the Securities to be made available to the Representatives for checking at least twenty-four hours prior to the Time of Delivery (as defined below) with respect thereto at the office of DTC or its designated custodian (the Designated Office ). The time and date of such delivery and payment shall be, with respect to the Securities, 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on September 30, 2011 or such other time and date as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing. Such time and date for delivery of the Securities is herein called the Time of Delivery .
The documents to be delivered at the Time of Delivery by or on behalf of the parties hereto pursuant to Section 8 hereof, including the cross-receipt for the Securities and any additional documents requested by the Underwriters pursuant to Section 8(n) hereof, will be delivered at the offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, Four Times Square, New York, New York 10036 (the Closing Location ), and the Securities will be delivered at the Designated Office, all at the Time of Delivery. A meeting will be held at the Closing Location at 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next preceding the Time of Delivery, at which meeting the final drafts of the documents to be delivered pursuant to the preceding sentence will be available for review by the parties hereto.
5. The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally agree with each of the Underwriters:
(a) To prepare the Prospectus in a form approved by the Representatives and to file such Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than the Commissions close of business on the second business day following the execution and delivery of this Agreement; to make no further amendment or any supplement to the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus or the Prospectus prior to the Time of Delivery which shall be disapproved by the Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof; to advise you, promptly after they receive notice thereof, of the time when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus has been filed and to furnish the Representatives with copies thereof; to prepare a final term sheet containing a description of the Securities, in the form attached hereto as Schedule III and approved by the Representatives, and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act within the time required by such Rule; to file promptly all other material required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act; to file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company or the Guarantor with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; to advise the Representatives, promptly after they receive notice thereof, of the issuance by the Commission prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement (the date of which shall be confirmed to the Company by the Representatives) of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus in respect of the Securities, of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act, of the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, of the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for any such purpose, or of any request by the Commission prior to the completion of the distribution of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement for the amending or supplementing of the Registration Statement or Prospectus or for additional information; and, in the event of the issuance of any stop order or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or other prospectus or suspending any such qualification, to promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of such order; and in the event of the issuance of any such notice of objection, promptly to amend the Registration Statement in such manner as may be required to permit offers and sales of the Securities;
(b) If required by Rule 430B(h) under the Act in connection with the offering of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement, to prepare a form of prospectus in a form approved by the
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Representatives and to file such form of prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act not later than may be required by Rule 424(b) under the Act; and to make no further amendment or supplement to such form of prospectus which shall be disapproved by the Representatives promptly after reasonable notice thereof;
(c) Promptly from time to time, to take such action as the Representatives may reasonably request to qualify the Securities for offering and sale under the securities laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request and to comply with such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein in such jurisdictions for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities, provided that in connection therewith neither the Company nor the Guarantor shall be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;
(d) If by the third anniversary (the Renewal Deadline ) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Securities remain unsold by the Underwriters, the Company and the Guarantor will file, if they have not already done so and are eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives. If at the Renewal Deadline the Company and the Guarantor are no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement and the distribution of the Securities contemplated by this Agreement has not yet been completed, the Company and the Guarantor will, if they have not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Securities, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives and will use their best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline. The Company and the Guarantor will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement relating to the Securities. References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be;
(e) Prior to 3:00 p.m., New York City time, on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement and from time to time, to furnish the Underwriters with written and electronic copies of the Prospectus in New York City in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request, and, if the delivery of a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is required at any time prior to the expiration of nine months after the time of issue of the Prospectus in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities and if at such time any event shall have occurred as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made when such Prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) is delivered, not misleading, or, if for any other reason it shall be necessary during such same period to amend or supplement the Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document incorporated by reference in the Prospectus in order to comply with the Act, the Exchange Act or the Trust Indenture Act, to notify the Representatives and upon the Representatives request to file such document and to prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter and to any dealer in securities as many written and electronic copies as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an amended Prospectus or a supplement to the Prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance; and in case any Underwriter is required to deliver a prospectus (or in lieu thereof, the notice referred to in Rule 173(a) under the Act) in connection with sales of any of the Securities at any time nine months or more after the time of issue of the Prospectus, upon the Representatives request but at the expense of such Underwriter, to prepare and deliver to such Underwriter as many written and electronic copies as the Representatives may request of an amended or supplemented Prospectus complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act; the Representatives will inform the Company and the Guarantor when the Underwriters obligation to deliver a prospectus has expired;
(f) To make generally available to its security holders as soon as practicable, but in any event not later than 18 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act), an earnings statement of the Guarantor and its Subsidiaries (which need not be audited) complying with Section 11(a) of the Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (including, at the option of the Guarantor, Rule 158);
(g) For a period of 30 days after the date of the initial public offering of the Securities, the Company and the Guarantor will not offer, pledge, announce the intention to sell, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant to purchase
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or otherwise transfer or dispose of, directly or indirectly, any debt securities of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, that mature more than one year after such Time of Delivery and are substantially similar to the Securities, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, other than the Securities to be sold hereunder;
(h) To pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) under the Act without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Act;
(i) To take all reasonable actions necessary, including engaging advisers to act on behalf of the Company, to enable Moodys Investors Service, Standard & Poors Ratings Service, Fitch, Inc. and A.M. Best Company to provide at the Time of Delivery their respective credit ratings of the Securities;
(j) The Company will use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the Pricing Prospectus and Prospectus under the caption Use of Proceeds; and
(k) Upon request of any Underwriter, the Guarantor will furnish, or cause to be furnished, to such Underwriter an electronic version of its corporate logo for use on the website, if any, operated by such Underwriter for the purpose of facilitating the on-line offering of the Securities (the License ); provided , however , that the License shall be used solely for the purpose described above, is granted without any fee and may not be assigned or transferred.
6. (a) (i) The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally represent and agree that, other than the final term sheet in the form attached as Schedule III hereto and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof, without the prior consent of the Representatives, they have not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus as defined in Rule 405 under the Act; (ii) each Underwriter represents and agrees that, other than one or more term sheets relating to the Securities containing customary information and conveyed to the purchasers of the Securities, without the prior consent of the Company, the Guarantor and the Representatives (as to both form and content), they have not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute a free writing prospectus; and (iii) the Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally represent and agree that, any such free writing prospectus, the use and content of which have been consented to by the Company, the Guarantor and the Representatives (including the final term sheet in the form attached as Schedule III hereto and filed pursuant to Section 5(a) hereof) is listed on Schedule II hereto;
(b) The Company and the Guarantor have complied and will comply with the requirements of Rule 433 under the Act applicable to any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, including timely filing with the Commission or retention where required and legending; and
(c) The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally agree that, if at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus any event occurred or occurs as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus would conflict with the information in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus or would include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances then prevailing, not misleading, they will give prompt notice thereof to the Representatives and, if requested by the Representatives, will prepare and furnish without charge to each Underwriter an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or other document which will correct such conflict, statement or omission; provided , however , that this covenant shall not apply to any statements or omissions in an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company or the Guarantor by an Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
7. Subject to the last sentence of this Section 7, the Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally covenant and agree with the several Underwriters that the Company will pay or cause to be paid the following: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Companys and Guarantors counsel and accountants in connection with the registration of the Securities under the Act, and the issuance and sale of the Securities and all other expenses in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the Prospectus and any amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and
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dealers; (ii) the cost of printing or producing any Agreement among Underwriters, this Agreement, the Indenture, any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda and any closing documents (including any compilations thereof in connection with the offering, purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities); (iii) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities laws as provided in Section 5(c) hereof, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such qualification and in connection with any Blue Sky and Legal Investment Memoranda; (iv) any filing fees incident to, and the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with, any required reviews by the U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, of the terms of the sale of the Securities; (v) the cost of preparing the Securities; (vi) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any agent of the Trustee and the fees and disbursements of counsel for any such persons in connection with the Indenture or the Securities; (vii) all expenses and taxes arising as a result of the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities and of the sale and delivery outside of the Cayman Islands or Ireland of the Securities by the Underwriters to the initial purchasers thereof in the manner contemplated under this Agreement, including, in any such case, any Cayman Islands or Ireland income, capital gains, withholding, transfer or other tax, asserted against an Underwriter by reason of the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement; (viii) any fees charged by securities rating services for rating the Securities; and (ix) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance of the Companys or the Guarantors obligations hereunder which are not otherwise specifically provided for in this Section 7. It is understood, however, that, except as provided in this Section 7, and Sections 9, 12 and 25 hereof, the Underwriters will pay all of their own costs and expenses, including the fees of their counsel, transfer taxes on resale of any of the Securities by them, and any advertising expenses connected with any offers they may make.
8. The obligations of the Underwriters hereunder, as to the Securities to be delivered at the Time of Delivery, shall be subject, in their discretion, to the condition that all representations and warranties and other statements of the Company and the Guarantor herein are, at and as of the Time of Delivery, true and correct, the condition that the Company and the Guarantor shall have performed all of their obligations hereunder theretofore to be performed, and the following additional conditions:
(a) The Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by the rules and regulations under the Act and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; the final term sheet in the form attached as Schedule III hereto and filed as contemplated by Section 5(a) hereof, and any other material required to be filed by the Company or the Guarantor pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any part thereof shall have been issued and no proceeding for that purpose shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act shall have been received; no stop order suspending or preventing the use of the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been initiated or threatened by the Commission; and all requests for additional information on the part of the Commission shall have been complied with to the Representatives reasonable satisfaction;
(b) Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion or opinions and letter, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters;
(c) Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, United States counsel for the Company and the Guarantor, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion or opinions and letter, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form attached hereto in Annex I-1 and Annex I-2, respectively;
(d) Maples and Calder, Cayman Islands counsel for the Company and the Guarantor, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form attached hereto in Annex II;
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(e) A&L Goodbody, Ireland counsel for the Company and the Guarantor, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form attached hereto in Annex III;
(f) Kirstin Romann Gould, Executive Vice President and General Counsel to the Guarantor, shall have furnished to the Representatives her written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form attached hereto in Annex IV;
(g) Matheson Ormsby Prentice, Ireland tax counsel for the Company and the Guarantor, shall have furnished to the Representatives their written opinion or opinions, dated the Time of Delivery, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, in the form attached hereto in Annex V;
(h) On the date of this Agreement, on the effective date of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement filed subsequent to the date of this Agreement but prior to the Time of Delivery and at the Time of Delivery, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company and the Guarantor, which has audited the consolidated financial statements of the Guarantor and its subsidiaries and has audited the Guarantors internal control over financial reporting, shall have furnished to the Representatives a comfort letter or letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives;
(i) Neither the Guarantor nor any of its Significant Subsidiaries shall have sustained since the date of the latest audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Prospectus any loss or interference with its business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, and (ii) since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Pricing Prospectus, there shall not have been any change in the capital stock (other than changes resulting from the exercise of stock options or the conversion of warrants or capital stock which were outstanding as of such date, or from the exercise of options granted after such date in the ordinary course of business or from repurchases of capital stock) or long-term debt of the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries or any change, or any development involving a prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs, management, financial position, shareholders or stockholders equity or results of operations of the Guarantor and its Significant Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Pricing Prospectus, the effect of which, in any such case described in clause (i) or (ii), is in the Representatives judgment so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in this Agreement and the Prospectus;
(j) On or after the Applicable Time (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any of the Companys debt securities or the Guarantors or any Significant Subsidiarys financial strength or claims paying ability by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as that term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Act, and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible negative implications, its rating of the Securities or any of the Companys debt securities or the Guarantors or its Significant Subsidiaries financial strength or claims paying ability;
(k) On or after the date of the Applicable Time, there shall not have occurred any of the following: (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange; (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Guarantors securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities in New York, the Cayman Islands, Ireland or Bermuda declared by the relevant authority or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States or any other relevant jurisdiction; (iv) the outbreak or escalation of hostilities involving the United States, the Cayman Islands, Ireland or Bermuda or the declaration by the United States, the Cayman Islands, Ireland or Bermuda of a national emergency or war, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (iv) in the Representatives judgment is so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus; (v) a change or development involving a prospective change in the Cayman Islands, Ireland or Bermuda taxation affecting the Company, the Guarantor or the Securities,
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as the case may be, or the transfer thereof or the imposition of exchange controls by the United States, the Cayman Islands, Ireland or Bermuda; or (vi) the occurrence of any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or currency exchange rates or controls in the United States, the Cayman Islands, Ireland, Bermuda or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in this clause (vi) in the Representatives judgment is so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Securities being delivered at the Time of Delivery on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Prospectus;
(l) The Company and the Guarantor shall have complied with the provisions of Section 5(e) hereof with respect to the furnishing of prospectuses on the New York Business Day next succeeding the date of this Agreement;
(m) The Company and the Guarantor shall have furnished or caused to be furnished to the Representatives at the Time of Delivery certificates of their respective officers satisfactory to the Representatives as to the accuracy of the respective representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantor herein, at and as of the Time of Delivery, as to the performance by the Company and the Guarantor of all of their respective obligations hereunder to be performed at or prior to the Time of Delivery, as to the matters set forth in subsections (a), (i) and (j) of this Section 8 and as to such other matters as the Representatives may reasonably request; and
(n) Prior to the Time of Delivery, the Company and the Guarantor shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.
9. (a) The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally will indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which such Underwriter may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any issuer information filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, and will reimburse each Underwriter for any legal expenses of one counsel (in addition to any local counsel) engaged reasonably incurred by such Underwriter in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred; provided , however , that the Company and the Guarantor shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company and the Guarantor by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.
(b) Each Underwriter will indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Guarantor against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company or the Guarantor may become subject, under the Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon an untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in the Registration Statement, the Basic Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any such amendment or supplement thereto, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company or the Guarantor by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein; and will reimburse the Company and the Guarantor for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by the Company or the Guarantor in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim as such expenses are incurred, including the reasonable fees and expenses of one counsel (in addition to any local counsel).
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(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party shall, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under such subsection, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the omission so to notify the indemnifying party shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have to any indemnified party otherwise than under such subsection. In case any such action shall be brought against any indemnified party and it shall notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it shall wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel satisfactory to such indemnified party (who shall not, except with the consent of the indemnified party, be counsel to the indemnifying party), and, after notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof, the indemnifying party shall not be liable to such indemnified party under such subsection for any legal expenses of other counsel or any other expenses, in each case subsequently incurred by such indemnified party, in connection with the defense thereof other than reasonable costs of investigation (except as set forth below). Notwithstanding the indemnifying partys election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest; (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party, and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party; (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action, or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. No indemnifying party shall, without the written consent of the indemnified party, effect the settlement or compromise of, or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to, any pending or threatened action or claim in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified party is an actual or potential party to such action or claim) unless such settlement, compromise or judgment (1) includes an unconditional release of the indemnified party from all liability arising out of such action or claim and (2) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party under subsection (a) or (b) above in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to therein, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If, however, the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is not permitted by applicable law or if the indemnified party failed to give the notice required under subsection (c) above, then each indemnifying party shall contribute to such amount paid or payable by such indemnified party in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof), as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover page of the Prospectus. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantor on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The Company, the Guarantor and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this subsection (d) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above in this subsection (d). The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to above in this subsection (d) shall be deemed to include any legal or other expenses
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reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damages which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters obligations in this subsection (d) to contribute are several in proportion to their respective underwriting obligations and not joint.
(e) The obligations of the Company and the Guarantor under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the Company and the Guarantor may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of the Act; and the obligations of the Underwriters under this Section 9 shall be in addition to any liability which the respective Underwriters may otherwise have and shall extend, upon the same terms and conditions, to each officer and director of the Company and the Guarantor and to each person, if any, who controls the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, within the meaning of the Act.
10. (a) If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to purchase the Securities which it has agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery, the Representatives may in their discretion arrange for the Representatives or another party or other parties satisfactory to the Company and the Guarantor to purchase such Securities on the terms contained herein. If within thirty-six hours after such default by any Underwriter the Representatives does not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company and the Guarantor shall be entitled to a further period of thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties satisfactory to the Representatives to purchase such Securities on such terms. In the event that, within the respective prescribed periods, the Representatives notify the Company and the Guarantor that the Representatives have so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, or the Company and the Guarantor notify the Representatives that they have so arranged for the purchase of such Securities, the Representatives, or the Company and the Guarantor shall have the right to postpone the Time of Delivery for a period of not more than seven days, in order to effect whatever changes may thereby be made necessary in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or in any other documents or arrangements, and the Company and the Guarantor agree to file promptly any amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus which in the Representatives opinion may thereby be made necessary. The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall include any person substituted under this Section 10 with like effect as if such person had originally been a party to this Agreement with respect to such Securities.
(b) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives, the Company and the Guarantor as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities which remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, then the Company and the Guarantor shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder at the Time of Delivery and, in addition, to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase its pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
(c) If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the Representatives, the Company and the Guarantor as provided in subsection (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities which remains unpurchased exceeds one eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities to be purchased at the Time of Delivery, or if the Company and the Guarantor shall not exercise the right described in subsection (b) above to require non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters, then this Agreement shall thereupon terminate, without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter, the Company or the Guarantor, except for the expenses to be borne by the Company and the Underwriters as provided in Section 7 hereof and the indemnity and contribution agreements in Section 9 hereof; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.
14
11. The respective indemnities, agreements, representations, warranties and other statements of the Company, the Guarantor and the several Underwriters, as set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them, respectively, pursuant to this Agreement, shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation (or any statement as to the results thereof) made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or any controlling person of any Underwriter, the Company or the Guarantor, or any officer or director or controlling person of the Company or the Guarantor, and shall survive delivery of and payment for the Securities.
12. If this Agreement shall be terminated pursuant to Section 10 hereof, the Company and the Guarantor shall not then be under any liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7, 9 and 25 hereof; but, if for any other reason, any Securities are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company and the Guarantor as provided herein, the Company and the Guarantor will reimburse the Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved in writing by you, including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel, reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase, sale and delivery of the Securities not so delivered, but the Company and the Guarantor shall then be under no further liability to any Underwriter except as provided in Sections 7, 9 and 25 hereof.
13. In all dealings hereunder, the Representatives shall act on behalf of each of the Underwriters, and the parties hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any statement, request, notice or agreement on behalf of any Underwriter made or given by the Representatives.
14. All statements, requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the Representatives in care of Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 301 S. College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Transaction Department, Fax No.: (704) 383-9165 and in care of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Investment Banking Division, Fax No.: (212) 507-8999; if to the Company or to the Guarantor shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the respective addresses of the Company and the Guarantor set forth in the Registration Statement, Attention: Secretary; provided , however , that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 9(c) hereof shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to such Underwriter at its address set forth in its Underwriters Questionnaire, or telex constituting such Questionnaire, which address will be supplied to the Company and the Guarantor by the Representatives upon request. Any such statements, requests, notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.
15. This Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters, the Company and the Guarantor and, to the extent provided in Sections 9 and 11 hereof, the officers and directors of the Company and the Guarantor and each person who controls the Company, the Guarantor or any Underwriter, and their respective heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, and no other person shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement. No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.
16. The Company and the Guarantor irrevocably (i) agree that any legal suit, action or proceeding against the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, brought by any Underwriter or by any person who controls any Underwriter arising out of or based upon this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby may be instituted in the federal district court for the Southern District of New York and the New York County Court, (ii) waive, to the fullest extent they may effectively do so, any objection which they may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such proceeding and (iii) submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any such suit, action or proceeding. The Company and the Guarantor have appointed Puglisi & Associates as their authorized agent (the Authorized Agent ) upon whom process may be served in any such action arising out of or based on this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby which may be instituted in the federal district court for the Southern District of New York and the New York County Court by any Underwriter or by any person who controls any Underwriter, expressly consent to the jurisdiction of any such court in respect of any such action, and waive any other requirements of or objections to personal jurisdiction with respect thereto. Such appointment shall be irrevocable. The Company and the Guarantor represent and warrant that the Authorized Agent has agreed to act as such agent for service of process and agree to take any and all action, including the filing of any and all documents and instruments, that may be necessary to continue such appointment in full force and effect as aforesaid. Service of process upon the Authorized Agent and written notice of such service to the Company and
15
the Guarantor shall be deemed, in every respect, effective service of process upon the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be.
17. Time shall be of the essence in this Agreement. As used herein, the term business day shall mean any day when the Commissions office in Washington, D.C. is open for business. New York Business Day shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in New York are generally authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close.
18. The Company and the Guarantor jointly and severally acknowledge and agree that (i) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arms-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Guarantor, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not as the agent or fiduciary of the Company or the Guarantor, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or the Guarantor with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or the Guarantor on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Guarantor except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company and the Guarantor have consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate. The Company and the Guarantor agree that they will not claim that the Underwriters, or any of them, have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or the Guarantor in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.
19. For the avoidance of doubt and anything in this Agreement to the contrary notwithstanding, all references in this Agreement to the Pricing Disclosure Package as of the Applicable Time shall be deemed to include the final term sheet relating to the Securities substantially in the form attached as Schedule III hereto and to be filed with the Commission on September 27, 2011.
20. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company, the Guarantor and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.
21. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
22. The Company, the Guarantor and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.
23. This Agreement may be executed by any one or more of the parties hereto in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all such respective counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument.
24. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Company and the Guarantor are authorized to disclose to any persons the U.S. federal and state income tax treatment and tax structure of the potential transaction and all materials of any kind (including tax opinions and other tax analyses) provided to the Company and the Guarantor relating to that treatment and structure, without the Underwriters imposing any limitation of any kind. For this purpose, tax structure is limited to any facts that may be relevant to that treatment.
25. In respect of any judgment or order given or made for any amount due hereunder that is expressed and paid in a currency (the judgment currency ) other than United States dollars, the Company and the Guarantor will indemnify each Underwriter against any loss incurred by such Underwriter as a result of any variation between (i) the rate of exchange at which the United States dollar amount is converted into the judgment currency for the purpose of such judgment or order and (ii) the rate of exchange at which an Underwriter is able to purchase United States dollars with the amount of judgment currency actually received by such Underwriter. The foregoing indemnity shall constitute a separate and independent obligation of the Company and the Guarantor and
16
shall continue in full force and effect notwithstanding any such judgment or order aforesaid. The term rate of exchange shall include any premiums and costs of exchange payable in connection with the purchase of or conversion into United States dollars.
[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank; Signature Page Follows]
17
If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please sign and return to us 6 counterparts hereof, and upon the acceptance hereof by you, on behalf of each of the Underwriters, this letter and such acceptance hereof shall constitute a binding agreement among each of the Underwriters and the Company and the Guarantor. It is understood that your acceptance of this letter on behalf of each of the Underwriters is pursuant to the authority set forth in a form of Agreement among Underwriters, the form of which shall be submitted to the Company and the Guarantor for examination upon request, but without warranty on your part as to the authority of the signers thereof.
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Very truly yours, |
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XL GROUP LTD. |
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By: |
/ S / S IMON D. R ICH |
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Name: Simon D. Rich |
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Title: Director |
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XL GROUP PLC |
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By: |
/ S / S IMON D. R ICH |
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Name: Simon D. Rich |
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Title: Senior Vice President & Global Treasurer |
Accepted as of the date hereof:
as Representatives of the Underwriters
WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
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By: |
/ S / C AROLYN H URLEY |
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Name: Carolyn Hurley |
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Title: Director |
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MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC |
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By: |
/ S / Y URIJ S LYZ |
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Name: Yurij Slyz |
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Title: Executive Director |
18
SCHEDULE I
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Underwriter |
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Principal
|
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Wells Fargo Securities, LLC |
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$ |
140,000,000 |
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Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC |
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140,000,000 |
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Barclays Capital Inc. |
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14,000,000 |
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Citigroup Global Markets Inc. |
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14,000,000 |
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Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. |
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|
14,000,000 |
|
Goldman, Sachs & Co. |
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14,000,000 |
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HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. |
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14,000,000 |
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J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
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14,000,000 |
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BNP Paribas Securities Corp. |
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4,000,000 |
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Comerica Securities, Inc. |
|
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4,000,000 |
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Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. |
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|
4,000,000 |
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ING Financial Markets LLC |
|
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4,000,000 |
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Lloyds Securities Inc. |
|
|
4,000,000 |
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Mizuho Securities USA Inc. |
|
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4,000,000 |
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RBS Securities Inc. |
|
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4,000,000 |
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Scotia Capital (USA) Inc. |
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4,000,000 |
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UBS Securities LLC |
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4,000,000 |
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TOTAL |
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$ |
400,000,000 |
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Sched. I-1
SCHEDULE II
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(a) |
(i) |
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses not included in the Pricing Disclosure Package |
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Net roadshow |
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(ii) |
Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Pricing Disclosure Package |
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Final Pricing Term Sheet attached as Schedule III |
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(b) |
Additional Documents Incorporated by Reference |
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None |
Sched. II-1
SCHEDULE III
XL Group Ltd.
Senior Notes
Guaranteed by
XL Group plc
Pricing Term Sheet
$400,000,000 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021
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Issuer: |
XL Group Ltd. |
Guarantor: |
XL Group plc |
Expected Ratings (Moodys / S&P / Fitch)*: |
Baa2/ BBB+/ BBB |
Security Type: |
Senior Notes |
Principal Amount: |
$400,000,000 |
Trade Date: |
September 27, 2011 |
Settlement Date (T+3): |
September 30, 2011 |
Maturity Date: |
October 1, 2021 |
Interest Payment Dates: |
Semi-annually on April 1 and October 1, commencing on April 1, 2012 |
Coupon: |
5.75% |
Public Offering Price: |
100.00% |
Benchmark Treasury: |
2.125% due August 15, 2021 |
Benchmark Price / Yield: |
101-05+ / 1.994% |
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: |
+ 375.6 bps |
Yield to Maturity: |
5.75% |
Net Proceeds (Before Expenses) to Issuer: |
$397,400,000 |
Optional Redemption: |
T+ 50 bps |
Tax Event Redemption: |
XL Group Ltd. may redeem the Senior Notes, in whole, but not in part, at any time upon the occurrence of certain tax events as described in Description of the Senior Notes and GuaranteeTax Event Redemption in the prospectus supplement. |
Minimum Denominations: |
$2,000 x $1,000 |
CUSIP / ISIN: |
98372PAM0 / US98372PAM05 |
Joint Book-Running Managers: |
Wells
Fargo Securities, LLC
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Senior Co-Managers: |
Barclays
Capital Inc.
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Co-Managers: |
BNP
Paribas Securities Corp.
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Sched. III-1
Investing in the Senior Notes involves a number of risks. See Risk Factors beginning on page S-4 of the prospectus supplement.
* Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time.
XL Group Ltd. and XL Group plc have filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) and a prospectus supplement with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement, the prospectus supplement and other documents XL Group Ltd. and XL Group plc have filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer, the guarantor and this offering. You should rely on the prospectus, prospectus supplement and any relevant free writing prospectus or pricing supplement for complete details. You may get these documents for free by visiting the SEC website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, copies of the prospectus and the prospectus supplement may be obtained by contacting Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at: 1-800-326-5897 or email: cmClientsupport@wachovia.com, or Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, toll free: 1-866-718-1649 or email: prospectus@morganstanley.com.
Sched. III-2
ANNEX I-1
CLEARY GOTTLIEB STEEN & HAMILTON LLP FORM OF OPINION
1. Each of the Base Indenture (including the Guarantee) and the Supplemental Indenture has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantor under the law of the State of New York and the execution of the Supplemental Indenture is authorized or permitted by the Base Indenture.
2. The Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and is a valid, binding and enforceable agreement of the Company and the Guarantor.
3. The Notes have been duly executed and delivered by the Company under the law of the State of New York and are the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.
4. The statements under the headings Description of Debt Securities and Guarantees and Description of the Senior Notes and the Guarantee in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Securities and the Indenture, provide a fair summary of such provisions, and the statements under the heading Certain Tax Considerations United States in the Pricing Disclosure Package and in the Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain federal income tax laws of the United States, constitute a fair summary of the principal U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the Securities.
5. This Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the Guarantor under the law of the State of New York.
6. The issuance and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement do not, and the execution, delivery and performance by the Company and the Guarantor of their respective obligations in this Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities will not, (a) require any consent, approval, authorization, registration or qualification of or with any governmental authority of the United States or the State of New York that in opining counsels experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such issuance, sale or performance, except such as have been obtained or effected under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act (but opining counsel need express no opinion relating to any state securities or Blue Sky laws or as to any state insurance laws or regulations), or (b) result in a breach of any of the terms and provisions of, or constitute a default under, any of the agreements of the Company or the Guarantor identified in Exhibit I to such opinion, or a violation of any judgment, decree or order identified in Exhibit II to such opinion, or (c) result in a violation of any United States federal or New York State law or published rule or regulation that in opining counsels experience normally would be applicable to general business entities with respect to such issuance, sale or performance (but opining counsel need express no opinion relating to the United States federal securities laws or any state securities or Blue Sky laws or as to any state insurance laws or regulations).
7. No registration of the Company or the Guarantor under the U.S. Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, is required for the offer and sale of the Securities by the Company in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Prospectus.
In rendering the foregoing opinions, counsel may make customary qualifications and assumptions.
I-1-1
ANNEX I-2
CLEARY GOTTLIEB STEEN & HAMILTON LLP FORM OF NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER
(a) The Registration Statement (except the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data included therein, as to which rendering counsel need express no view), at the time it became effective, and the Prospectus (except as aforesaid), as of the date thereof, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the rules and regulations thereunder. In addition, rendering counsel does not know of any contracts or other documents of a character required to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement or required to be described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus that are not filed or described as required.
(b) The documents incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus (except the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data and managements report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included therein, as to which rendering counsel need express no view), as of the respective dates of their filing with the Commission, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(c) No information has come to rendering counsels attention that causes such counsel to believe that the Registration Statement, including the documents incorporated by reference therein (except the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data and managements report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included therein, as to which rendering counsel need express no view), at the time it became effective, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.
(d) No information has come to rendering counsels attention that causes such counsel to believe that the Pricing Prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, considered together with the document listed on Schedule I hereto (except in each case the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data and managements report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the Pricing Prospectus, as to which rendering counsel need express no view), at the Applicable Time contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(e) No information has come to rendering counsels attention that causes such counsel to believe that the Prospectus, including the documents incorporated by reference therein (except the financial statements and schedules and other financial and statistical data and managements report on the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included therein, as to which rendering counsel need express no view), as of the date thereof or hereof, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(f) Rendering counsel confirms to you that (a) based solely upon email confirmation of receipt of the filing and Rule 462(e) under the Act the Registration Statement is effective under the Act, and (b) based solely upon a telephonic confirmation from a representative of the Commission, no stop order with respect thereto has been issued by the Commission, and to the best of rendering counsels knowledge, no proceeding for that purpose has been instituted or threatened by the Commission.
I-2-1
ANNEX II
MAPLES AND CALDER FORM OF OPINION
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1.1 |
The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. |
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1.2 |
The Company has all the requisite power and authority under the Memorandum and Articles to enter into, execute and perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture (together, the Transaction Documents ) and the Notes, including the issue and offer of the Notes pursuant to the Transaction Documents. |
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1.3 |
The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents do not, and the issue and offer of the Notes by the Company and the performance of its obligations thereunder will not, conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of the Memorandum and Articles or any law, public rule, decree or regulation applicable to the Company currently in force in the Cayman Islands. |
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1.4 |
The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents have been duly authorised by and on behalf of the Company and the Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company and constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms. |
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1.5 |
The Notes have been duly authorised by the Company and when the Notes are signed in facsimile or manually by a director on behalf of the Company and, if appropriate, authenticated in the manner set forth in the Indenture and delivered against due payment therefor will be duly executed, issued and delivered and will constitute the legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms. |
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1.6 |
No authorisations, consents, approvals, licences, validations or exemptions are required by law from any governmental authorities, courts or agencies or other official bodies in the Cayman Islands in connection with: |
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(a) |
the issue of the Prospectus; |
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(b) |
the execution, creation or delivery of the Transaction Documents by and on behalf of the Company; |
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(c) |
subject to the payment of the appropriate stamp duty, enforcement of the Transaction Documents against the Company; |
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(d) |
the offering, execution, authentication, allotment, issue or delivery of the Notes; |
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(e) |
the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Notes and the Transaction Documents; or |
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(f) |
the payment of the principal and interest and any other amounts under the Notes. |
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1.7 |
No taxes, fees or charges (other than stamp duty) are payable (either by direct assessment or withholding) to the government or other taxing authority in the Cayman Islands under the laws of the Cayman Islands in respect of: |
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(a) |
the execution or delivery of the Transaction Documents or the Notes; |
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(b) |
the enforcement of the Transaction Documents or the Notes; |
II-1
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(c) |
payments made under, or pursuant to, the Transaction Documents or the Notes; or |
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(d) |
the issue, transfer or redemption of the Notes. |
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The Cayman Islands currently have no form of income, corporate or capital gains tax and no estate duty, inheritance tax or gift tax. |
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1.8 |
The courts of the Cayman Islands will observe and give effect to the choice of the Relevant Law as the governing law of the Transaction Documents and the Notes. |
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1.9 |
The obligations of the Company under the Transaction Documents and the Notes rank and will rank at least pari passu with all its other present and future unsecured obligations (other than those preferred by law). |
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1.10 |
The Company is not entitled to any immunity under the laws of the Cayman Islands whether characterised as sovereign immunity or otherwise for any legal proceedings in the Cayman Islands to enforce or to collect upon the Transaction Documents or the Notes. |
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1.11 |
None of the Underwriters (as defined in this Agreement) or the holders of Notes will be required to be licensed, qualified, or otherwise entitled to carry on business in the Cayman Islands in order to enforce their respective rights under the Transaction Documents, or as a consequence of the execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents, or the issue of the Notes. None of the Underwriters is or will be treated as resident, domiciled or carrying on or transacting business in the Cayman Islands solely by reason of the negotiation, preparation or execution of the Transaction Documents or the issue of the Notes. |
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1.12 |
Based solely on our search of the Register of Writs and Other Originating Process (the Court Register ) maintained by the Clerk of the Court of the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands from the date of incorporation of the Company to the close of business (Cayman Islands time) on [ ] (the Litigation Search ), the Court Register disclosed no writ, originating summons, originating motion, petition, counterclaim nor third party notice ( Originating Process ) nor any amended Originating Process pending before the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, in which the Company is a defendant or respondent, including, without limitation, with respect to the winding up of the Company. |
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1.13 |
Although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the Relevant Jurisdiction, a judgment obtained in such jurisdiction will be recognised and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any re-examination of the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment: |
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(a) |
is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction; |
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(b) |
imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given; |
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(c) |
is final; |
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(d) |
is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and |
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(e) |
was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. |
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1.14 |
The submission by the Company in the Transaction Documents to the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal district court for the Southern District of New York and the New York County Court is legal, valid and binding on the Company assuming that the same is true under the governing law of the Transaction Documents and under the laws, rules and procedures applying in the courts of federal district court for the Southern District of New York and the New York County Court. |
II-2
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1.15 |
It is not necessary to ensure the legality, validity, enforceability or admissibility in evidence of the Transaction Documents or the Notes that any document be filed, recorded or enrolled with any governmental authority, court or agency or any official body in the Cayman Islands. |
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1.16 |
The statements made in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus under the caption Certain Tax Considerations Cayman Islands are correct in so far as such statements are summaries of or relate to Cayman Islands law. |
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1.17 |
The Articles of Association of the Company do not entitle any shareholder of the Company to any pre-emptive right or other similar rights to subscribe for the Notes. |
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1.18 |
There is no exchange control legislation under Cayman Islands law and accordingly there are no exchange control regulations imposed under Cayman Islands law. |
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In rendering the foregoing opinions, counsel may make customary qualifications and assumptions. |
II-3
ANNEX III
A&L GOODBODY FORM OF OPINION
1. The Guarantor is a public company duly incorporated with limited liability under the laws of Ireland and is a separate legal entity, subject to suit in its own name. Based only on searches carried out in the Irish Companies Registration Office and the Central Office of the High Court on [ ] 2011, the Guarantor is validly existing under the laws of Ireland and no steps have been taken or are being taken to appoint a receiver, examiner or liquidator over it or to wind it up.
2. The issuance of the Guarantee by the Guarantor is not subject to any pre-emptive or similar rights under Irish law.
3. The Guarantor has the necessary power and authority, and all necessary corporate and other action has been taken, to enable it to execute, deliver and perform the obligations undertaken by it under this Agreement, the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture (together, the Transaction Documents ) (including the Guarantee), and the execution, delivery and performance by the Guarantor of the foregoing will not:
(i) cause any limit on it or on its directors (whether imposed by the documents constituting the Guarantor or by statute or regulation) to be exceeded; or
(ii) cause any law, regulation, rule or order to be contravened; or
(iii) result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of the Memorandum or Articles of Association.
Opining counsel notes that the Guarantor has provided an Officers Certificate which states that the execution and delivery of, and performance of its obligations under the Transaction Documents will not result in a breach of the terms or provisions, or constitute a default under, any material contract to which the Guarantor is a party.
4. The Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered on the Guarantors behalf.
5. No authorisations, approvals, licences, exemptions or consents of governmental, judicial or regulatory authorities with respect to the execution, delivery and entry into of, or the performance by the Guarantor of its obligations under, the Transaction Documents are required to be obtained in Ireland.
6. It is not necessary or advisable under the laws of Ireland in order to ensure the validity, enforceability or priority of the obligations or rights of any party to the Transaction Documents, that the Transaction Documents be filed, registered, recorded, or notarised in any public office or elsewhere or that any other instrument relating thereto be signed, delivered, filed, registered or recorded.
7. The Guarantor is not entitled to claim any immunity from suit, execution, attachment or other legal process in Ireland.
8. In any proceedings taken in Ireland for the enforcement of the Transaction Documents, the choice of the laws of the State of New York as the governing law of the contractual rights and obligations of the parties under the Transaction Documents would be upheld by the Irish Courts in accordance with and subject to the provisions of the Rome I Regulation EC No 593/2008 on the Law Applicable to Contractual Obligations.
9. The submission by the Guarantor in the Transaction Documents to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the federal district court for the Southern District of New York and the New York County Court will be upheld by the Irish Courts.
10. In any proceedings taken in Ireland for the enforcement of a judgment obtained against the Guarantor in the federal district court for the Southern District of New York and the New York County Court (a Foreign Judgment ) the Foreign Judgment should be recognised and enforced by the courts of Ireland save that to enforce such a Foreign
III-1
Judgment in Ireland it would be necessary to obtain an order of the Irish courts. Such order should be granted on proper proof of the Foreign Judgment without any re-trial or examination of the merits of the case subject to the following qualifications:
(i) the Foreign Judgment was not obtained by fraud;
(ii) that the Foreign Judgment is not contrary to public policy or natural justice as understood in Irish law;
(iii) that the Foreign Judgment is final and conclusive;
(iv) that the Foreign Judgment is for a definite sum of money; and
(v) that the procedural rules of the court giving the Foreign Judgment have been observed.
Any such order of the Irish courts may be expressed in a currency other than euro in respect of the amount due and payable by the Guarantor but such order may be issued out of the Central Office of the Irish High Court expressed in euro by reference to the official rate of exchange prevailing on the date of issue of such order. However, in the event of a winding up of the Guarantor, amounts claimed against the Guarantor in a currency other than the euro (the Foreign Currency ) would, to the extent properly payable in the winding up, be paid, if not in the Foreign Currency, in the euro equivalent of the amount due in the Foreign Currency converted at the rate of exchange pertaining on the date of the commencement of such winding up.
11. All payments of principal, premium (if any) and interest on the Notes pursuant to the Guarantee may be paid by the Guarantor to the registered holder thereof in U.S. dollars.
12. It is not necessary under the laws of Ireland (a) in order to enable the Underwriters to enforce their rights under the Transaction Documents, or (b) by reason of the execution, performance or enforcement of the Transaction Documents by the Underwriters, that the Underwriters should be licensed, qualified or otherwise entitled to carry on business in Ireland.
13. The Underwriters will not be deemed to be resident, domiciled or carrying on business in Ireland by reason only of the execution, delivery, performance and enforcement of the Transaction Documents by the Underwriters.
In rendering the foregoing opinions, counsel may make customary qualifications and assumptions.
III-2
ANNEX IV
XL GROUP FORM OF OPINION
1. To the best of opining counsels knowledge, neither the Company nor the Guarantor is in violation of any organizational document, corporate minute or resolution or any instrument or agreement of which opinion counsel has knowledge after due inquiry, in each case binding on it or affecting its property in any manner that could have a Material Adverse Effect.
2. To the best of opining counsels knowledge, there is no litigation or governmental proceeding by or against the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor or concerning any property of the Guarantor or any of its Significant Subsidiaries, pending or threatened, that (A) could reasonably be expected (in light of reserves and total shareholders equity of the Guarantor after taking into account the Guarantors business and activities) to have a Material Adverse Effect if adversely determined or (B) is required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, Pricing Disclosure Package or Prospectus and is not so disclosed, other than in the case of clause (A), as routinely encountered in claims activity or as disclosed in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or the documents incorporated therein by reference.
3. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture and the transactions contemplated thereby and the issuance and sale of the Securities by the Company and the Guarantor will not (A) violate or conflict with the terms, conditions or provisions of the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association or other organizational documents of the Company or the Guarantor or any applicable law, rule or administrative regulation of the United States or the State of New York, or any order or administrative decree of any United States or State of New York governmental body or agency or court of which opining counsel has knowledge or (B) constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to financial ratios or tests to which the Guarantor or any Significant Subsidiary of the Guarantor is subject.
4. To opining counsels knowledge, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between the Company or the Guarantor and any person granting such person the right (other than rights which have been waived or satisfied) to require the Company or the Guarantor to include any securities of the Company or the Guarantor owned by such person in the Prospectus or Registration Statement.
In rendering the foregoing opinions, counsel may make customary qualifications and assumptions.
IV-1
ANNEX V
MATHESON ORMSBY PRENTICE FORM OF OPINION
1. The statements contained in the section headed Certain Tax ConsiderationsIreland in the Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus are true and correct in all material respects.
2. No charge to Irish stamp duty or similar Irish tax will arise upon the execution, delivery or performance of this Agreement, the Base Indenture, the Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, or upon the production of such documents as evidence in any Irish court.
In rendering the foregoing opinions, counsel may make customary qualifications and assumptions.
V-1
Exhibit 4.1
as Issuer
XL GROUP PLC
as Guarantor
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
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INDENTURE |
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Dated as of September 30, 2011 |
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Senior Debt Securities
Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture.
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TRUST INDENTURE ACT SECTION |
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INDENTURE SECTION |
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ss.310 |
(a) |
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6.09 |
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(b) |
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6.08, 6.10 |
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(c) |
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Not Applicable |
ss.311 |
(a) |
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6.13 |
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(b) |
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6.13 |
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(c) |
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Not Applicable |
ss.312 |
(a) |
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7.01, 7.02(a) |
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(b) |
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7.02(b) |
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(c) |
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7.02(c) |
ss.313 |
(a) |
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7.03(a) |
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(b) |
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7.03(b) |
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(c) |
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7.03(b) |
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(d) |
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7.03(c) |
ss.314 |
(a) |
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7.04 |
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(b) |
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Not Applicable |
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(c) |
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1.02 |
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(d) |
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Not Applicable |
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(e) |
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1.02 |
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(f) |
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Not Applicable |
ss.315 |
(a) |
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6.01 |
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(b) |
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6.02, 7.03(b) |
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(c) |
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6.01(b) |
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(d) |
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6.01(c) |
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(e) |
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5.14 |
ss.316 |
(a)(1) |
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5.12, 5.13 |
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(b) |
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5.08 |
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(c) |
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1.04(d) |
ss.317 |
(a)(1) |
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5.03 |
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(b) |
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5.04 |
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(c) |
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10.03 |
ss.318 |
(a) |
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1.07 |
NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of the Indenture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page
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ARTICLE I
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Section 1.01. |
Definitions |
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1 |
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Section 1.02. |
Compliance Certificates and Opinions |
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7 |
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Section 1.03. |
Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee |
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7 |
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Section 1.04. |
Acts of Holders |
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8 |
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Section 1.05. |
Notices, Etc., to Trustee, the Company and the Guarantor |
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9 |
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Section 1.06. |
Notice to Holders; Waiver |
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9 |
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Section 1.07. |
Conflict with Trust Indenture Act |
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10 |
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Section 1.08. |
Effect of Headings and Table of Contents |
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10 |
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Section 1.09. |
Successors and Assigns |
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10 |
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Section 1.10. |
Separability Clause |
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10 |
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Section 1.11. |
Benefits of Indenture |
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10 |
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Section 1.12. |
Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial |
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10 |
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Section 1.13. |
Legal Holidays |
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10 |
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Section 1.14. |
References to Currency |
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10 |
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Section 1.15. |
Force Majeure |
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11 |
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Section 1.16. |
USA PATRIOT Act |
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11 |
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ARTICLE II |
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SECURITY FORMS |
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Section 2.01. |
Forms Generally |
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11 |
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Section 2.02. |
Form of Trustees Certificate of Authentication |
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11 |
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Section 2.03. |
Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security |
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12 |
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ARTICLE III |
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THE SECURITIES |
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Section 3.01. |
Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series |
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14 |
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Section 3.02. |
Denominations |
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16 |
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Section 3.03. |
Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating |
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16 |
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Section 3.04. |
Temporary Securities |
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17 |
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Section 3.05. |
Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange |
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18 |
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Section 3.06. |
Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities |
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19 |
-i-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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Section 3.07. |
Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved |
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20 |
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Section 3.08. |
Persons Deemed Owners |
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21 |
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Section 3.09. |
Cancellation |
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21 |
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Section 3.10. |
Computation of Interest |
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21 |
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Section 3.11. |
CUSIP Numbers |
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21 |
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ARTICLE IV |
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SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE |
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Section 4.01. |
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture |
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21 |
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Section 4.02. |
Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification |
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23 |
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Section 4.03. |
Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture |
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23 |
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Section 4.04. |
Defeasance of Certain Obligations |
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25 |
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ARTICLE V |
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REMEDIES |
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Section 5.01. |
Events of Default |
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26 |
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Section 5.02. |
Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment |
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27 |
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Section 5.03. |
Collection of Indebtedness and Suits For Enforcement By Trustee |
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28 |
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Section 5.04. |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim |
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29 |
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Section 5.05. |
Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities |
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30 |
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Section 5.06. |
Application of Money Collected |
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30 |
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Section 5.07. |
Limitation on Suits |
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30 |
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Section 5.08. |
Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest |
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31 |
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Section 5.09. |
Restoration of Rights and Remedies |
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31 |
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Section 5.10. |
Rights and Remedies Cumulative |
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31 |
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Section 5.11. |
Delay or Omission Not Waiver |
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31 |
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Section 5.12. |
Control by Holders |
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31 |
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Section 5.13. |
Waiver of Past Defaults |
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32 |
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Section 5.14. |
Undertaking for Costs |
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32 |
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Section 5.15. |
Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws |
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33 |
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ARTICLE VI |
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THE TRUSTEE |
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Section 6.01. |
Certain Duties and Responsibilities |
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33 |
-ii-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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Section 6.02. |
Notice of Defaults |
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34 |
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Section 6.03. |
Certain Rights of Trustee |
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34 |
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Section 6.04. |
Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities |
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36 |
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Section 6.05. |
May Hold Securities |
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36 |
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Section 6.06. |
Money Held in Trust |
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36 |
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Section 6.07. |
Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification |
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36 |
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Section 6.08. |
Disqualification; Conflicting Interests |
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37 |
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Section 6.09. |
Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility |
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37 |
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Section 6.10. |
Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor |
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37 |
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Section 6.11. |
Acceptance of Appointment by Successor |
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39 |
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Section 6.12. |
Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business |
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40 |
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Section 6.13. |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company or Guarantor |
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40 |
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ARTICLE VII |
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HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY |
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Section 7.01. |
Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders |
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40 |
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Section 7.02. |
Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders |
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41 |
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Section 7.03. |
Reports by Trustee |
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42 |
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Section 7.04. |
Reports |
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43 |
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ARTICLE VIII |
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SUCCESSOR CORPORATION |
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Section 8.01. |
When Company or Guarantor May Merge or Transfer Assets |
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44 |
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ARTICLE IX |
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AMENDMENTS & SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES |
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Section 9.01. |
Amendments or Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders |
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45 |
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Section 9.02. |
Amendments or Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders |
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46 |
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Section 9.03. |
Execution of Supplemental Indentures |
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48 |
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Section 9.04. |
Effect of Supplemental Indentures |
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48 |
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Section 9.05. |
Conformity with Trust Indenture Act |
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48 |
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Section 9.06. |
Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures |
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48 |
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ARTICLE X |
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COVENANTS |
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Section 10.01. |
Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest |
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48 |
-iii-
TABLE OF CONTENTS
(continued)
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Page
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Section 10.02. |
Maintenance of Office or Agency |
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48 |
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Section 10.03. |
Money for Securities; Payments to Be Held in Trust |
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49 |
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Section 10.04. |
Corporate Existence |
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50 |
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Section 10.05. |
Maintenance of Properties |
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50 |
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Section 10.06. |
Statement by Officers as to Default |
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51 |
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Section 10.07. |
Waiver of Certain Covenants |
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51 |
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Section 10.08. |
Calculation of Original Issue Discount |
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51 |
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ARTICLE XI |
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THE GUARANTEE |
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Section 11.01. |
Unconditional Guarantee |
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51 |
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Section 11.02. |
Guarantee for the Benefit of the Holders |
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53 |
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Section 11.03. |
Waiver of Subrogation |
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53 |
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Section 11.04. |
No Suspension of Remedies |
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53 |
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Section 11.05. |
Termination |
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53 |
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ARTICLE XII |
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REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES |
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Section 12.01. |
Applicability of Article |
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54 |
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Section 12.02. |
Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee |
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54 |
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Section 12.03. |
Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed |
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54 |
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Section 12.04. |
Notice of Redemption |
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54 |
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Section 12.05. |
Deposit of Redemption Price |
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55 |
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Section 12.06. |
Securities Payable on Redemption Date |
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55 |
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Section 12.07. |
Securities Redeemed in Part |
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56 |
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ARTICLE XIII |
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SINKING FUNDS |
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Section 13.01. |
Applicability of Article |
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56 |
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Section 13.02. |
Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities |
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57 |
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Section 13.03. |
Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund |
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57 |
-iv-
INDENTURE, dated as of September 30, 2011, among XL Group Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (herein called the Company or the Issuer ), having its principal office at XL House, One Bermudiana Road, Hamilton, HM 08, Bermuda, XL Group plc, an Irish public limited company (herein called the Guarantor ), having its principal office at No. 1 Hatch Street Upper, 4th Floor, Dublin 2, Ireland and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association, as trustee hereunder (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.
The Guarantor has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for its Guarantee of the Securities as in this Indenture provided.
All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company and the Guarantor, 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 covenanted and 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 1.01. Definitions . For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:
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(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; |
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(2) all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein; |
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(3) all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term generally accepted accounting principles with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted at the date of such computation; |
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(4) the words herein, hereof and hereunder and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular article, section or other subdivision; and |
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(5) all references used herein to the male gender shall include the female gender. |
Act when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 1.04.
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.
Board of Directors when used with reference to the Company or the Guarantor means either the board of directors of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, or any duly authorized committee of such board duly authorized to act hereunder.
Board Resolution means a copy of a resolution, certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, delivered to the Trustee.
Business Day means, with respect to any Securities, a day that in the City of New York or in any Place of Payment is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized by law or regulation to close.
Capital Stock for any entity means any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) shares issued by that entity.
Certificated Securities means Securities that are in registered definitive form.
Commission means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, 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 entity shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter Company shall mean such successor entity.
Company Request or Company Order means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by its chairman of the board, a vice chairman, its president or a vice
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president, and by its treasurer, an assistant treasurer, its secretary or an assistant secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.
Corporate Trust Office means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any particular time the trust created by this Indenture shall be administered, which office, at the time of the execution of this Indenture, is located at 45 Broadway, 14 th Floor, New York, New York 10006, or any office of Trustee or any successor Trustee as may be designated in writing.
Covenant Defeasance has the meaning specified in Section 4.04.
Defaulted Interest has the meaning specified in Section 3.07.
Depositary means, unless otherwise specified by the Company pursuant to either Section 2.03 or 3.01, with respect to Securities of any series issuable or issued as a Global Security, The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, or any successor thereto registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other applicable statute or regulation.
Guarantee means the guarantee of the Companys obligations under a given series of Securities by the Guarantor as provided in Article XI of this Indenture.
Guarantor means the Person named as the Guarantor in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor entity shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, and thereafter Guarantor shall mean such successor entity.
Event of Default has the meaning specified in Section 5.01.
Global Security means a Security issued to evidence all or a part of any series of Securities which is executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or its custodian or pursuant to the Depositarys instruction, all in accordance with this Indenture and pursuant to a Company Order, which shall be registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee.
Holder means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.
Holder Action has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(d).
Indenture means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more amendments or indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 3.01.
Interest , when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, means interest payable after Maturity.
Interest Payment Date , when used with respect to any Security, means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.
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Issuer means the Person named as the Issuer in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor entity shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter Issuer shall mean such successor entity.
Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment has the meaning specified in Section 13.01.
Maturity , when used with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.
Officers Certificate means a certificate signed by the chairman of the board, the president or a vice president, and by the treasurer, an assistant treasurer, the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.
Opinion of Counsel means a written opinion of counsel in a form reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, who may be counsel for the Company or the Guarantor and who shall be acceptable to the Trustee.
Optional Sinking Fund Payment has the meaning specified in Section 13.01.
Original Issue Discount Security means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.02.
Outstanding , when used with respect to Securities, means, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:
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(i) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; |
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(ii) Securities for whose payment or redemption money or evidences of indebtedness 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; and |
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(iii) Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 3.06 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 bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; |
provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice,
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consent or waiver hereunder, Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgees right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor. In case of a dispute as to such right, any decision by the Trustee shall be full protection to the Trustee. Upon request of the Trustee, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officers Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Company to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described persons; and, subject to Section 6.01, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officers Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Securities not listed therein are Outstanding for the purposes of any such determination.
Paying Agent means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.
Person means any individual, corporation, exempted limited company, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.
Place of Payment , when used with respect to the Securities of any series, means the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 3.01.
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 3.06 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.
Redemption Date , when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.
Redemption Price , when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.
Regular Record Date for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series means the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 3.01.
Responsible Officer shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the Persons who at the time
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shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such Persons knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.
Securities has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.
Security Register and Security Registrar have the respective meanings specified in Section 3.05.
Special Record Date for the payment of any Defaulted Interest means a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.07.
Stated Maturity , when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, means the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any Person:
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(1) any corporation or company a majority of whose Capital Stock with voting power, under ordinary circumstances, to elect directors is, at the date of determination, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person (a subsidiary), by one or more subsidiaries of such Person or by such Person and one or more subsidiaries of such Person; |
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(2) a partnership in which such Person or a subsidiary of such Person is, at the date of determination, a general partner of such partnership; or |
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(3) any partnership, limited liability company or other Person in which such Person, a subsidiary of such Person or such Person and one or more subsidiaries of such Person, directly or indirectly, at the date of determination, has (x) at least a majority ownership interest or (y) the power to elect or appoint or direct the election or appointment of the managing partner or member of such Person or, if applicable, a majority of the directors or other governing body of such Person. |
Trust Indenture Act means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and in force at the date as of which this instrument was executed, except as provided in Section 9.05.
Trustee means the Person named as the Trustee in the first paragraph of this instrument 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.
U.S. Government Obligations means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of
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the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case, are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company which is a member of the Federal Reserve System and having a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as custodian with respect to any such obligation evidenced by such depository receipt or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the obligation set forth in (i) or (ii) above or the specific payment of interest on or principal of such obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.
Section 1.02. Compliance Certificates and Opinions . Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and, where appropriate as to matters of law, an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.
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Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include: |
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(1) a statement that the Person signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto; |
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(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; |
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(3) a statement that, in the opinion of each such Person, such Person has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such condition or covenant has been complied with; and |
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(4) a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with. |
Section 1.03. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee . In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.
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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters is erroneous. Any certificate of counsel or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.
Section 1.04. Acts of Holders .
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given 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 duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are received by the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the Act of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 6.01) conclusive in favor of the Trustee, the Company and the Guarantor, if made in the manner provided in this Section 1.04.
(b) The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may be proved in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in any reasonable manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.
(c) The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.
(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Notwithstanding Trust Indenture Act Section 316(c), such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such Board Resolution, which shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 days prior to the first solicitation of Holders generally in connection therewith and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities
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shall be computed as of such record date; provided , however , that no such authorization, agreement or consent by such Holders on such record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than eleven months after the record date.
(e) 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, the Company or the Guarantor in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.
Section 1.05. Notices, Etc., to Trustee, the Company and the Guarantor . 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,
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(1) the Trustee by any Holder, the Company or the Guarantor shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing (including a facsimile transmission) to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, Attention: Corporate Trust Services Administrator XL Group PLC, |
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(2) the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing (including a facsimile transmission) and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company, addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company, to the attention of the secretary of the Company, or |
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(3) the Guarantor by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing (including a facsimile transmission) and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Guarantor, addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Guarantor, to the attention of the general counsel of the Guarantor. |
Section 1.06. Notice to Holders; Waiver . Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice hereunder. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by 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.
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In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other case it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.
Section 1.07. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act . If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by any of the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, such required or deemed provision shall control.
Section 1.08. 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 1.09. Successors and Assigns . All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company and the Guarantor shall bind their successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.
Section 1.10. Separability Clause . In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 1.11. Benefits of Indenture . Nothing in this Indenture or in 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.
Section 1.12. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial . This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes will be construed in accordance with the laws of said State without giving effect to principles of conflicts of laws of such State.
EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
Section 1.13. Legal Holidays . In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity of any Security shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any) need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Stated Maturity, provided that no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Stated Maturity, as the case may be.
Section 1.14. References to Currency . All references in this Indenture to dollars or $ are to the currency of the United States of America.
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Section 1.15. Force Majeure . In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
Section 1.16. USA PATRIOT Act . The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the USA PATRIOT Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the USA PATRIOT Act.
ARTICLE II
SECURITY FORMS
Section 2.01. Forms Generally . The Securities of each series shall be in substantially the forms established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto or approved from time to time by or pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Company in accordance with Section 3.01, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and any indenture supplemental hereto, 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 securities regulatory authority or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of the Securities. 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 3.03 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities.
The definitive Securities shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
Section 2.02. Form of Trustees Certificate of Authentication . The Trustees certificate of authentication required by this article shall be in substantially the form set forth below:
This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
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WELLS FARGO
BANK, NATIONAL
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as Trustee |
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By: |
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Authorized Signatory |
Section 2.03. Securities Issuable in the Form of a Global Security .
(a) If the Issuer shall establish pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 3.01 that the Securities of a particular series are to be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, then the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with Section 3.03 and the Company Order delivered to the Trustee thereunder, authenticate and deliver, such Global Security or Securities, which (i) shall represent, and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of, the Outstanding Securities of such series to be represented by such Global Security or Securities, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities or its nominee, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to the Depositary or its custodian or pursuant to the Depositarys instruction and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect: UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE (I) BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR (II) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.03 or of Section 3.05, unless the terms of a Global Security expressly permit such Global Security to be exchanged in whole or in part for individual Securities, a Global Security may be transferred, in whole but not in part and in the manner provided in Section 3.05, only to another nominee of the Depositary for such Global Security, or to a successor Depositary for such Global Security selected or approved by the Issuer or to a nominee of such successor Depositary.
(c) (i) If at any time the Depositary for a Global Security notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or if at any time
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the Depositary for the Securities for such series shall no longer be eligible or in good standing under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or other applicable statute or regulation, the Issuer shall appoint a successor Depositary with respect to such Global Security. If a successor Depositary for such Global Security is not appointed by the Issuer within 90 days after the Issuer receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Issuer will execute a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of individual Securities of such series in exchange for such Global Security, and the Trustee, upon receipt of such Company Order, will authenticate and deliver individual Securities of such series of like tenor and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security in exchange for such Global Security.
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(ii) If an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or an event shall have occurred which with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would constitute an Event of Default with respect to the Securities represented by such Global Security, the Trustee, upon receipt of a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of individual Securities of such series in exchange for such Global Security, will authenticate and deliver individual Securities of such series of like tenor and terms in definitive form in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security in exchange for such Global Security. |
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(iii) If specified by the Issuer pursuant to Section 3.01 with respect to Securities issued or issuable in the form of a Global Security, the Depositary for such Global Security may surrender such Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for individual Securities of such series of like tenor and terms in definitive form on such terms as are acceptable to the Issuer and such Depositary. Thereupon the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge, (1) to each Person specified by such Depositary a new Security or Securities of the same series of like tenor and terms in definitive form and of any authorized denomination of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof as requested by such Person in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Persons beneficial interest in the Global Security; and (2) to such Depositary a new Global Security of like tenor and terms and in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of individual Securities delivered to Holders thereof. |
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(iv) In any exchange provided for in any of the preceding three paragraphs, the Issuer will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver individual Securities in definitive registered form in authorized denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. Upon the exchange of a Global Security for individual Securities, such Global Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee. Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.03 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the |
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Trustee. The Trustee shall deliver such Securities to the persons in whose names such Securities are so registered. |
ARTICLE III
THE SECURITIES
Section 3.01. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series . The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.
The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution of the Company and set forth in an Officers Certificate of the Company, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series,
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(1) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 2.03, 3.04, 3.05, 3.06, 9.06 or 12.07); |
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(2) the issue price, expressed as a percentage of the aggregate principal amount; |
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(3) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable; |
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(4) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for the interest payable on the Interest Payment Date; |
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(5) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or repurchase Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, repaid or repurchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation; |
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(6) the period of periods within which, the price or prices or ratios at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be redeemed, converted or exchanged, in whole or in part; |
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(7) if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable; |
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(8) if other than the full principal amount, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which will be payable upon declaration of acceleration or provable in bankruptcy; |
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(9) any events of default not set forth in this Indenture; |
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(10) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities shall be payable (if other than the currency of the United States of America), which unless otherwise specified shall be the currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public or private debts; |
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(11) if the principal of (and premium, if any), or interest, if any, on such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or any Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, then the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made; |
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(12) whether interest will be payable in cash or additional Securities at the Companys or the Holders option and the terms and conditions upon which the election may be made; |
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(13) if such Securities are to be denominated in a currency or currencies, including composite currencies, other than the currency of the United States of America, the equivalent price in the currency of the United States of America for purposes of determining the voting rights of Holders of such Securities as Outstanding Securities under this Indenture; |
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(14) if the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any), or portions thereof, or interest, if any, on such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method based on a coin or currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined; |
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(15) any restrictive covenants or other material terms relating to the offered debt securities, which covenants and terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture; |
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(16) whether the Securities of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of a Global Security or Securities; the terms and conditions, if any, upon which such Global Security or Securities may be exchanged in whole or in part for other individual Securities; and the Depositary for such Global Security or Securities; |
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(17) any listing of such Securities on any securities exchange; |
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(18) additional or alternative provisions, if any, related to defeasance and discharge of the offered debt securities; |
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(19) the applicability of any additional guarantees; |
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(20) if convertible or exchangeable for other securities, the terms on which such Securities are convertible or exchangeable, including the initial conversion or |
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exchange price, the conversion or exchange period, any events requiring an adjustment of the applicable conversion or exchange price and any requirements relating to the reservation of securities for purposes of conversion in the case of convertible securities; |
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(21) provisions, if any, granting special rights to the Holders of Securities of the series upon the occurrence of such events as may be specified; |
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(22) each initial Place of Payment; and |
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(23) any other terms of the series, which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture. |
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 such Board Resolution and set forth in such Officers Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.
If any of the terms of the Securities of any series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers Certificate setting forth the terms of the Securities of any series.
Section 3.02. Denominations . The Securities of each series shall be issuable in registered form without coupons in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 3.01. In the absence of any such provisions with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Section 3.03. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating . The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by any two of the following individuals: any member of its Board of Directors, its president, treasurer, any of its corporate secretaries, assistant secretary or any of its vice presidents. The signature of any of these individuals on the Securities may be manual, facsimile or electronic (including .pdf format).
Securities bearing the manual, facsimile or electronic (including .pdf format) signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.
At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee, in accordance with the Company Order, shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01, or by one or more indentures supplemental hereto as provided by Section 9.01, in authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such
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Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,
(a) that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
(b) that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;
(c) that such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization and other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors rights and to general equity principles;
(d) that all laws and requirements in respect of the execution and delivery by the Company of the Securities have been complied with; and
(e) the items set forth in Section 1.02 hereof and such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request.
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 Trustees own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by the terms established and contemplated by Section 3.01.
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 and is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.
Section 3.04. Temporary Securities . Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities.
If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series
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at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for that series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations. 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.
Section 3.05. Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange . The Company shall cause to be kept at one of its offices or agencies maintained pursuant to Section 10.02 or at the office of the Security Registrar a register (the register maintained in such office and in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the Security Register ) in which, subject to Section 2.03 and to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee initially is hereby appointed Security Registrar for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided. The Company may act as Security Registrar and may change or appoint a Security Registrar without prior notice to Holders or to the Trustee.
Subject to Section 2.03, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of any series at the office or agency in a Place of Payment for that series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor.
Subject to Section 2.03, 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 a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.
Subject to Section 2.03, all Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed, by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing.
No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 2.03, 3.04, 9.06 or 12.07 not involving any transfer.
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The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that series selected for redemption (under Section 12.03) and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (ii) 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.
Each Holder of a Security agrees to indemnify the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee against any liability that may result from the transfer, exchange or assignment of such Holders Security in violation of any provision of this Indenture and/or applicable United States federal or state securities law.
The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Security (including any transfers between or among depositary participants or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Security) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by the terms of, this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.
Neither the Trustee nor any agent shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Depositary.
Section 3.06. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities . If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i)(A) any mutilated Security or (B) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to hold each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its written request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for such mutilated 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 stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.
Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 3.06, 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, which shall include any attorneys fees and expenses) connected therewith.
Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section 3.06 in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for such mutilated Security, shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled
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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 3.06 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.
Section 3.07. Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved . Interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall 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.
Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called Defaulted Interest ) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below:
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(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (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 Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 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 Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of Securities of such series at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so mailed, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (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 the Securities of any 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 |
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Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause, such manner of payment shall be deemed practicable by the Trustee. |
Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 3.07, each Security lawfully delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.
Section 3.08. Persons Deemed Owners . Subject to Section 2.03, the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Guarantor or the Trustee may 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 premium, if any) and (subject to Section 3.07) interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and none of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee or any agent of the Company, the Guarantor or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
Section 3.09. Cancellation . All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange 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 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 3.09, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall dispose of cancelled Securities in accordance with its customary procedures and deliver evidence of such destruction, at the request of, and at the expense of, the Company.
Section 3.10. Computation of Interest . Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for the 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 3.11. CUSIP Numbers . The Company in issuing the Securities may use CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP 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 will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 4.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture . This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities (except as to (i) any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Securities herein expressly
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provided for, (ii) rights hereunder of Holders to receive payments of principal of, and premium, if any, and interest on, Securities, and other rights, duties and obligations of the Holders as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the amounts, if any, so deposited with the Trustee, (iii) remaining obligations of the Company to make Mandatory Sinking Fund Payments and (iv) the rights, obligations and immunities of the Trustee hereunder), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, when:
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(1) either |
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(a) |
all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities of such series which have been mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 3.06 and (ii) Securities of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 10.03) 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 |
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(i) have become due and payable, |
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(ii) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or |
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(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, |
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and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust (i) money in dollars in an amount (or if the Securities are denominated in any currency other than dollars, an amount of the applicable currency), (ii) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment referred to in this subparagraph, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment banking firm or firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal (and premium, if any) and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be; |
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(2) if all series of Securities are being discharged, the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and |
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(3) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with. |
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.07, and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Subclause (1)(b) of this Section 4.01, the obligations of the Trustee under Section 4.02 and the next to last paragraph of Section 10.03, shall survive.
Section 4.02. Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification . (a) Subject to the provisions of the next to last paragraph of Section 10.03, all money and U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01, 4.03 or 4.04 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.01, 4.03 or 4.04 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or to make Mandatory Sinking Fund Payments or analogous payments as contemplated by Section 4.03 or 4.04, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 4.01, 4.03 or 4.04, or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.
(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request, any U.S. Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Section 4.01, 4.03 or 4.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment banking firm or firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such obligations or money were deposited or received.
Section 4.03. Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture . The Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Outstanding Securities on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) of this Section 4.03, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such Outstanding Securities, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:
(a) the rights of Holders of Securities to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and each installment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Outstanding Securities on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (ii) the benefit of any Mandatory Sinking Fund Payments applicable to the Securities on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities;
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(b) the Companys obligations with respect to such Securities under Sections 3.05, 3.06, 10.02 and 10.03; and
(c) the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 6.07;
provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:
(d) the Company has or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 4.02) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities, (i) money in dollars in an amount (or if the Securities are denominated in any currency other than dollars, an amount of the applicable currency), (ii) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment referred to in clause (A) or (B) of this subparagraph, money in an amount, or (iii) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment banking firm or firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge (A) the principal of (and premium, if any) and each installment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Outstanding Securities on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest or on the applicable Redemption Date and (B) any Mandatory Sinking Fund Payments applicable to the Securities on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of the Securities;
(e) such deposit shall not cause the Trustee with respect to the Securities to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to the Securities;
(f) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any applicable laws, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;
(g) no Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;
(h) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company; and
(i) if the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) of this Section 4.03 is to be made on or prior to one year from the Stated Maturity for payment of principal of the Outstanding Securities, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel with no material qualifications, or a favorable ruling of the Internal Revenue Service, in either case to the effect that Holders of the Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred.
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Section 4.04. Defeasance of Certain Obligations . If this Section 4.04 is specified to be applicable to Securities of any series, the Company and the Guarantor may omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in the sections of this Indenture or such Security with respect to the Securities of that series ( Covenant Defeasance ) if:
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(1) with reference to this Section 4.04, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of that series, (i) money in dollars in an amount (or if the Securities are denominated in any currency other than dollars, an amount of the applicable currency), or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide not later than one day before the due date of any payment referred to in clause (A) or (B) of this subparagraph money in an amount, or (iii) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized investment banking firm or firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge (A) the principal of (and premium, if any) and each installment of principal (and premium, if any) and interest on the Outstanding Securities of that series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest and (B) any Mandatory Sinking Fund Payments or analogous payments applicable to Securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities; |
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(2) such deposit shall not cause the Trustee with respect to the Securities of that series to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to the Securities of any series; |
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(3) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound; |
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(4) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate as to solvency and the absence of any intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Company; |
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(5) if the deposit referred to in subparagraph (1) of this Section 4.04 is to be made on or prior to one year from the Stated Maturity for payment of principal of the Outstanding Securities, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel with no material qualifications, or a favorable ruling of the Internal Revenue Service, in either case to the effect that Holders of the Securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance of certain obligations and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred; and |
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(6) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section 4.04 have been complied with. |
In the event the Company effects Covenant Defeasance with respect to any Securities and such Securities are declared due and payable because of the occurrence of any Event of Default, other than an Event of Default with respect to any covenant as to which there has been Covenant Defeasance, the U.S. Government Obligations on deposit with the Trustee will be sufficient to pay amounts due on such Securities at the time of the Stated Maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on such Securities at the time of the acceleration resulting from such Event of Default.
ARTICLE V
REMEDIES
Section 5.01. Events of Default .
Event of Default (except as otherwise specified or contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events:
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(1) default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 60 days; |
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(2) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security of that series at its Maturity; |
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(3) default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of a Security of that series; |
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(4) default in the performance, or breach, of any material covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section 5.01 specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series) and continuance of such for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a Notice of Default hereunder; |
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(5) the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company or the Guarantor as bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company or the Guarantor under any |
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applicable law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or the Guarantor or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; |
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(6) the commencement by the Company or the Guarantor of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or the Guarantor of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due and its willingness to have a case commenced against it or to seek an order for relief under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law or the taking of corporate action by the Company or the Guarantor in furtherance of any such action; |
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(7) the Guarantee being declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or ceasing to be in full force and effect, or the Guarantor denying or disaffirming its obligations under this Indenture or the Guarantee other than by reason of the termination of this Indenture of the release of such Guarantee in accordance with this Indenture; or |
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(8) any other Event of Default expressly provided with respect to Securities of that series. |
Section 5.02. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment . If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default resulting from bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization) with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount (or, if the Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that series) of all of the Securities of that series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) shall become immediately due and payable.
In the case of an Event of Default resulting from bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, which occurs and is continuing with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, then all unpaid principal of and accrued interest on all such Outstanding Securities of that series shall become immediately due and payable without any notice or other action on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of any Securities of such series.
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At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:
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(1) the Company or the Guarantor has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay |
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(a) |
all overdue interest (including Defaulted Interest) on all Securities of that series, |
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(b) |
the principal of (and premium, if any, on) any Securities of that series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, |
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(c) |
to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and |
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(d) |
all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee hereunder and all sums due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.07; and |
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(2) all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 5.13. |
No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 5.03. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits For Enforcement By Trustee . The Company covenants that if
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(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 30 days, or |
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(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 premium, if any) and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal (and premium, if any) and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further
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amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 6.07.
If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, at the expense of Company, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or the Guarantor or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.
If any 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 appropriate judicial proceedings necessary to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.
Section 5.04. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim . In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:
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(1) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal (and premium, if any) and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and |
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(2) 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 hereunder.
Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement,
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adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.
Section 5.05. Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities . All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.
Section 5.06. 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 premium, if any) 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:
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FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee (including its agents and counsel) and each predecessor Trustee hereunder; |
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SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of (and premium, if any) 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 premium, if any) and interest, respectively; and |
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THIRD: To the Company or the Guarantor, as applicable. |
Section 5.07. Limitation on Suits . No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:
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(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; |
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(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; |
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(3) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request; |
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(4) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and |
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(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 (it being further understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to 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 such Holders. |
Section 5.08. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest . Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and (subject to Section 3.07) interest on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.
Section 5.09. Restoration of Rights and Remedies . If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.
Section 5.10. Rights and Remedies Cumulative . Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 3.06, 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 5.11. 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 any 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 5.12. Control by Holders . The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series (or if more than one series is affected thereby, of all series so affected, voting as a single class) shall have the right to direct the time, method and
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place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that:
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(1) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture, expose the Trustee to personal liability or be unduly prejudicial to Holders not joining therein, and |
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(2) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction. |
Nothing in this Indenture shall impair the right of the Trustee to take any other action which is not inconsistent with such direction.
Section 5.13. Waiver of Past Defaults . The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default
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(1) in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security of such series, or |
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(2) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under this Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected. |
Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 5.14. Undertaking for Costs . All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 5.14 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company or the Guarantor, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Securities on or after the Stated Maturity or Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date). This Section 5.14 shall be in lieu of Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and such Section 315(e) is hereby expressly excluded from this Indenture, as permitted by the Trust Indenture Act.
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Section 5.15. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws . The Company and the Guarantor each covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and each of the Company and the 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 6.01. Certain Duties and Responsibilities .
(a) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series,
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(1) the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with respect to such series, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and |
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(2) 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. |
(b) In case an Event of Default has occurred with respect to Securities of any series and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture with respect to such series of Securities, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.
(c) No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
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(1) this subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of Subsection (a) of this Section 6.01; |
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(2) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error or judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; |
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(3) 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 5.12 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 |
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(4) no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. |
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 6.01.
Section 6.02. Notice of Defaults . Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security of such series or in the payment of any sinking fund installment with respect to Securities of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Holders of Securities of such series; and provided , further , that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 5.01(4) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section 6.02, the term default means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.
Section 6.03. Certain Rights of Trustee . Subject to the provisions of Section 6.01:
(a) the Trustee may conclusively rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any Board Resolution, resolution, Officers Certificate, certificate, statement, instrument, Opinion of Counsel, 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;
(b) any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;
(c) whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action
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hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon an Officers Certificate;
(d) 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 in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;
(e) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;
(f) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;
(g) the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;
(h) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action;
(i) 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;
(j) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder;
(k) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers Certificate may be signed by any
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person authorized to sign an Officers Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;
(l) the Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder;
(m) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture; and
(n) the Trustee may request that the Company deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
Section 6.04. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities . The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustees certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.
Section 6.05. May Hold Securities . The Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 6.08 and 6.12, may otherwise deal with, and collect obligations owed to it by, the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.
Section 6.06. Money Held in Trust . Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.
Section 6.07. Compensation, Reimbursement and Indemnification . The Company agrees:
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(1) to pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for all services rendered by it hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust); |
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(2) except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its own negligence or bad faith; and |
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(3) to indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder and the performance of its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Company, the Guarantor, a Holder or any other Person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense is due to its own negligence or bad faith. |
To ensure the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder, the Trustee shall have a senior claim to which the Securities are hereby made subordinate upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except property and funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on particular Securities.
When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01, 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.
The provisions of this Section 6.07 shall survive the termination of this Indenture.
Section 6.08. Disqualification; Conflicting Interests . The Trustee shall comply with the terms of Section 3.10(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.
Section 6.09. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility . There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder which shall 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 exercise corporate trust powers having (or, in the case of the subsidiary of a bank holding company that guarantees the obligations of the Trustee under this Indenture, such holding companys parent shall have) a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authority. If such corporation or holding company parent publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section 6.09, the combined capital and surplus of such corporation or holding company parent 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 shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.09, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this article.
Section 6.10. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor . (a) No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 6.11.
(b) The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 6.11 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within
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30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may, at the expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series. If the acceptance of appointment is substantially contemporaneous with the resignation, then the notice called for by the first sentence of this subsection may be combined with the instrument called for by Section 6.11.
(c) The Trustee, upon 30 days notice, 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.
(d) 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, at the expense of the Company, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.
(e) If at any time:
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(1) the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 6.08 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, |
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(2) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 6.09 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder, or |
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(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, upon 30 days notice, (i) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (ii) subject to Section 5.14, 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.
(f) The Company also may remove the Trustee with or without cause if the Company so notifies the Trustee 30 days in advance and if no Default occurs or is continuing during the 30-day period.
(g) 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 6.11. 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
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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 6.11, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor 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 6.11, 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.
(h) 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 by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Securities of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register. 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. The Trustee shall have no liability or responsibility for the actions or inaction of any successor Trustee.
Section 6.11. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor . (a) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.
(b) In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the 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
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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, at the expense of the Company, 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.
(c) Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 6.11, as the case may be.
(d) 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 6.12. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business . Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee (including the administration of this Indenture), 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 6.13. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company or Guarantor . If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities) or the Guarantor, 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) or the Guarantor. A trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to the Trust Indenture Act Section 311(a) to the extent provided therein.
ARTICLE VII
HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
Section 7.01. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders . The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee and Security Registrar (if not the Trustee) with respect to the Securities of each series
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(a) semi-annually, not more than 15 days after each Regular Record Date, or, in the case of any series of Securities on which semi-annual interest is not payable, not more than fifteen days after such semi-annual dates as may be specified by the Trustee, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders as of such Regular Record Date or such semi-annual date, as the case may be, and
(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;
provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar, no such list need be furnished.
Section 7.02. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders .
(a) The Security Registrar shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished by the Company as provided in Section 7.01. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 7.01 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.
(b) If three or more Holders (herein referred to as applicants) apply in writing to the Trustee, and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities and is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five Business Days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either
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(i) afford such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), or |
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(ii) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a), and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Holders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application. |
If the Trustee shall elect not to afford such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Holder whose name and address appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with Section 7.02(a) a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment by such requesting Holders, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission, together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interest of the Holders or would be in violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall
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specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of an order sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all such Holders with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.
(c) Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee or any agent thereof shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders in accordance with Section 7.02(b), regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 7.02(b).
(d) Subject to Sections 7.02(a), 7.02(b), 7.02(c) and 6.01, if the Company or any other person (other than the Trustee) shall desire to communicate with Holders of Securities to solicit or obtain from them any proxy, consent, authorization, waiver, approval of a plan of reorganization, arrangement or readjustment or other action ( Holder Action ), the Trustee shall have no duty to participate in such communication or solicitation or the processing of responses in any manner except (i) to furnish the rules and regulations and to perform the functions referred to in Section 1.04 and (ii) to receive (A) the instruments evidencing the Holder Action together with (B) the Officers Certificate and Opinion of Counsel referred to below. The Company hereby covenants that any and all communications and solicitations distributed by it in connection with any Holder Action will comply in all material respects with applicable law, including, without limitation, applicable law concerning adequacy of disclosure. The Trustee shall have no responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of any materials circulated to solicit any Holder Action or for any related communications or for the compliance thereof with applicable law. No Holder Action shall become effective until the Trustee shall have received from the Company or other person who solicited the Holder Action the instruments evidencing such Holder Action (x) (in the case of Holder Action solicited by the Company or the representative of the Companys estate if the Company is the debtor in any bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding) an Officers Certificate and (y) (in all cases) an Opinion of Counsel, each specifying the Holder Action taken and stating that such Holder Action has been duly and validly taken in compliance with this Indenture in all material respects. Such Officers Certificate, if any, shall also certify that (after giving effect to such Holder Action) no Event of Default or event or condition which, with notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or has not been waived.
(e) The Depositary may grant proxies and otherwise authorize its participants which own the Global Securities to give or take any Act which a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture; provided , however , that the Depositary has delivered a list of such participants to the Trustee.
Section 7.03. Reports by Trustee .
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(a) Within 60 days after September 30 of each year commencing with the first September 30 following the date of this Indenture, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, a brief report dated as of such September 30, to the extent required by Section 3.13(a) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(b) The Trustee shall comply with Sections 3.13(b) and 3.13(c) of the Trust Indenture Act.
(c) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange, or of any delisting thereof.
Section 7.04. Reports .
The Company shall:
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(1) file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (provided that availability of such reports on a website maintained by the Commission shall be deemed to fulfill this requirement); or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations; and |
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(2) file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations. |
For so long as the Guarantor remains a guarantor under this Indenture, or if at any time any other direct or indirect parent company of the Company is a guarantor of the Securities, the reports, information and other documents required to be filed and furnished pursuant to this Section 7.04 may, at the option of the Company, be filed by and be those of the Guarantor or such other parent, as applicable, rather than the Company.
Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustees receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the
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Companys or the Guarantors compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers Certificates).
ARTICLE VIII
SUCCESSOR CORPORATION
Section 8.01. When Company or Guarantor May Merge or Transfer Assets . (a) The Company shall not (1) consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person (other than the Guarantor) or convey, transfer, sell or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person (other than the Guarantor), (2) permit any Person (other than the Guarantor) to consolidate with or merge into the Company, or (3) permit any Person (other than the Guarantor) to convey, transfer, sell or lease that Persons properties and assets substantially as an entirety to the Company, unless:
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(i) in the case of (1) and (2) above, either (x) the Company shall be the surviving person or (y) the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance, transfer or lease the properties and assets of the Company substantially as an entirety is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (including any State thereof or the District of Columbia), the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda or any country which is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development or the European Union and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture; |
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(ii) 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 |
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(iii) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, sale or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture, comply with this Section 8.01 and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been satisfied. |
(b) The Guarantor shall not (1) consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person (other than the Company) or convey, transfer, sell or lease its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person (other than the Company), (2) permit any Person (other than the Company) to consolidate with or merge into the Guarantor, or (3) permit any Person to convey, transfer, sell or lease that Persons properties and assets substantially as an entirety to the Guarantor, unless:
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(i) in the case of (1) and (2) above, either (x) the Guarantor shall be the surviving person or (y) the Person (if other than the Guarantor) formed by such consolidation or into which the Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by conveyance, transfer or lease the properties and assets of the Guarantor substantially as an entirety is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (including any State thereof or the District of Columbia), the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda or any country which is a member of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development or the European Union and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Guarantor under the Securities and this Indenture; |
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(ii) 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 |
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(iii) the Guarantor shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, sale or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture, comply with this Section 8.01 and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been satisfied. |
(c) The successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company or the Guarantor is merged or the successor Person to which such conveyance, transfer, sale or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor had been named as the Company or Guarantor, respectively, herein; and thereafter, the Company or the Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities. Subject to Section 9.03, the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the successor Person shall enter into a supplemental indenture to evidence the succession and substitution of such successor Person and such discharge and release of the Company or the Guarantor.
ARTICLE IX
AMENDMENTS & SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
Section 9.01. Amendments or Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders . The Company and the Guarantor, when authorized by Board Resolutions, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities or waive any provision of this Indenture or the Securities without the consent of any Holder, so long as such changes or waivers, other than those in clause (2), do not materially and adversely affect the interests of the Holder:
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(1) to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency; |
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(2) to make any modifications or amendments that do not, in the good faith opinion of the Companys or the Guarantors Board of Directors and the Trustee, adversely affect the interests of the Holders in any material respect, provided that any amendment or supplement conforming this Indenture, as applied to a series of Securities, to the terms described in the prospectus (including any prospectus supplement) pursuant to which the Securities were initially sold shall be deemed not to adversely affect the interest of Holders; |
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(3) to provide for the assumption of the Companys or the Guarantors obligations under this Indenture by a successor upon any merger, consolidation or asset transfer as permitted by and in compliance with Article VIII of this Indenture; |
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(4) to provide any security for or additional guarantees of the Securities; |
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(5) to add Events of Default with respect to the Securities; |
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(6) to add covenants for the benefit of the Holders or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or the Guarantor by this Indenture; |
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(7) to make any change necessary to comply with the Trust Indenture Act, or any amendment thereto, or to comply with any requirement of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; |
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(8) to provide for uncertificated Securities in addition to or in place of certificated Securities or to provide for bearer Securities; |
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(9) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons; |
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(10) to change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture, provided , however , that any such change or elimination shall become effective only when there is no Security Outstanding of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture which is entitled to the benefit of such provision; |
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(11) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01; or |
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(12) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.11(b). |
Section 9.02. Amendments or Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders . With the written consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all series affected by such amendment or supplement (taken together as one class), the Company and the Guarantor, when authorized by a Board
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Resolution, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities. However, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment of or a supplement to this Indenture or the Securities may not:
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(1) change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or premium, if any, or any installment of interest with respect to the Securities; |
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(2) reduce the principal amount of, or the rate of interest on, or any premium payable upon the redemption of, the Securities; |
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(3) change the currency of payment of principal of or interest on the Securities; |
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(4) change the redemption provisions, if any, of any Securities in any manner adverse to the Holders of such Securities; |
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(5) impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to the Securities; |
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(6) reduce the above-stated percentage of Holders of the Securities of any series necessary to modify or amend this Indenture; |
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(7) if the Securities are convertible or exchangeable, adversely affect the right to convert or exchange the Securities in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture; |
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(8) release the Guarantor from any of its obligations under the Guarantee, except in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; |
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(9) modify or change any provision of this Indenture or the related definitions affecting the ranking of the Securities or the Guarantee in any manner which adversely affects the Holders; or |
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(10) modify the foregoing requirements or reduce the percentage of Outstanding Securities necessary to waive any covenant or past default. |
It shall not be necessary for any Act of the Holders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act approves the substance thereof.
After an amendment or supplemental indenture under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to each Holder a notice briefly describing the amendment or supplemental indenture.
An amendment or supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.
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Section 9.03. Execution of Supplemental Indentures . The Trustee shall sign any supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this article if the amendment contained therein does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may, but need not, sign such supplemental indenture. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall receive, and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that this Indenture as amended by such supplemental indenture is the valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company and Guarantor in accordance with its terms.
Section 9.04. Effect of Supplemental Indentures . Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.
Section 9.05. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act . Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.
Section 9.06. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures . Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.
ARTICLE X
COVENANTS
Section 10.01. 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 premium, if any) and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture. At the option of the Company, payment of principal (and premium, if any) and interest may be made by wire transfer or (subject to collection) by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the Security Register.
Section 10.02. 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 registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture
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may be served. The Company hereby initially appoints the Trustee its office or agency for each of said purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.
The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.
Section 10.03. 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 (and premium, if any) 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 premium, if any) or interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to each due date of the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay the principal (and premium, if any) or interest so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such principal, premium or interest, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.
The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 10.03, that such Paying Agent will:
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(1) hold all sums held by it for the payment on the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on Securities of that series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided; |
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(2) give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities of that series; and |
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(3) at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent. |
The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture 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 (and premium, if any) or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal (and premium, if any) or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look, only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall at the expense of the Company cause to be mailed or published once, in a newspaper published in the English language, customarily published on each Business Day and of general circulation in the City, County and State of New York, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such mailing or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.
The Company shall have no obligation to make payment of principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any Security in immediately available funds, except that if the Company shall have received original payment for Securities in immediately available funds it shall make available immediately available funds for payment of the principal of such Securities.
Section 10.04. Corporate Existence . Subject to Article VIII, the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, rights (charter and statutory) and franchises; provided , however , that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right or franchise if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and that the loss thereof is not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.
Section 10.05. Maintenance of Properties . The Company will use its reasonable efforts to cause all material properties used or useful in the conduct of its business to be maintained and kept in good condition, repair and working order (subject to wear and tear) and supplied with all necessary material equipment and will use its reasonable efforts to cause to be made all necessary material repairs, renewals, replacements, betterments and improvements thereof, all as in the judgment of the Company may be necessary so that the business carried on in connection therewith may be properly and advantageously conducted at all times; provided , however , that
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nothing in this Section 10.05 shall prevent the Company from discontinuing the operation or maintenance of any of such properties if such discontinuance is, in the judgment of the Company, desirable in the conduct of its business and not disadvantageous in any material respect to the Holders.
Section 10.06. Statement by Officers as to Default . The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, a certificate of the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company stating whether or not to the best knowledge of the signers thereof the Company or the Guarantor are in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture, and if the Company or the Guarantor shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.
Section 10.07. Waiver of Certain Covenants . The Company and the Guarantor may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in this Article X if, before or after the time for such compliance, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities (taken together as one class) shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition; except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the Guarantor and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 10.08. Calculation of Original Issue Discount . The Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (i) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on Outstanding Securities as of the end of such year and (ii) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
ARTICLE XI
THE GUARANTEE
Section 11.01. Unconditional Guarantee .
(a) The Guarantor does hereby fully and unconditionally guarantee to the Holders of the Securities of each series all payments of principal, premium, if any, and interest on such Securities when due, in accordance with the provisions of such series of Securities and this Indenture.
(b) The Guarantor hereby waives notice of acceptance of the Guarantee and of default of performance by the Company, and hereby agrees that payment under the Guarantee shall be subject to no condition other than the giving of a written request for payment stating the fact of default of performance, in the manner provided in Section 1.05 of this Indenture. The Guarantee is a guarantee of payment and not of collection.
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(c) The obligations of the Guarantor under the Guarantee shall in no way be impaired by: (i) any extension, amendment, modification or renewal of the Securities of the relevant series; (ii) any waiver of any Event of Default, extension of time or failure to enforce any of the provisions of the Securities of the relevant series or the Indenture; or (iii) any extension, moratorium or other relief granted to the Company pursuant to any applicable law or statute.
(d) The Guarantor shall be obligated to make payment under the Guarantee, for the benefit of the Holders of each series of Securities, in the same manner in which the Company is obligated to make payments on such series of Securities.
(e) Subject to clause (f) below, the Guarantor hereby agrees that:
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(i) each series of Securities will be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of such series of Securities and the Indenture, regardless of the value, genuineness, validity, regularity or enforceability of such series of Securities and the Indenture, and of any law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of the Trustee with respect thereto, to the fullest extent permitted by law; and |
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(ii) the liability of the Guarantor to the extent herein set forth shall be absolute and unconditional, not subject to any reduction, limitation, impairment, termination, defense, offset, counterclaim, or recoupment whatsoever (all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Guarantor), whether by reason of any claim of any character whatsoever, including, without limitation, any claim of waiver, release, surrender, alteration or compromise, or by reason of any liability at any time to the Guarantor or otherwise, whether based upon any obligations or any other agreement or otherwise, and howsoever arising, whether out of action or inaction or otherwise and whether resulting from default, willful misconduct, negligence or otherwise, and without limiting the foregoing, irrespective of: |
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(1) any lack of validity or enforceability of any agreement or instrument relating to the Securities of the relevant series; |
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(2) any change in the time, manner or place of payment under, or in any other term in respect of, all or any Securities of the relevant series, or any other amendment or waiver of or consent to any departure from any other agreement relating to such series of Securities; |
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(3) any increase in, addition to, exchange or release of, or nonperfection of any lien on or security interest in, any collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to any departure from or failure to enforce any other guarantee, for all or any Securities of the relevant series; |
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(4) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, the Company in respect the Securities of the relevant series; |
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(5) the absence of any action on the part of the Trustee to obtain payment under the Securities of the relevant series or the Indenture from the Company; |
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(6) any insolvency, bankruptcy, reorganization or dissolution, or any similar proceeding of or in respect of the Company, including, without limitation, rejection of the Securities of the relevant series in such bankruptcy; or |
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(7) the absence of notice or any delay in any action to enforce any provision of the Securities of the relevant series or the Indenture or to exercise any right or remedy against the Guarantor or the Company, whether under the Indenture, the Securities of the relevant series or any agreement or any indulgence, compromise or extension granted. |
(f) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Guarantee, the Guarantor does not waive any defense that would be available to the Company based on a breach, default or misrepresentation by the Trustee, or failure of any condition to the Companys obligations under the Indenture or the illegality of any provision of the Indenture.
(g) The Guarantor further agrees that, to the extent that the Company or the Guarantor makes a payment or payments to the Trustee, which payment or payments or any part thereof are subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside and/or repaid to the Company or the Guarantor or their respective estate, trustee, receiver or any other party under any bankruptcy laws, state or federal law, common law or equitable cause, then to the extent of such payment or repayment, the Guarantee and the advances or part thereof which have been paid, reduced or satisfied by such amount shall be reinstated and continued in full force and effect as of the date such initial payment, reduction or satisfaction occurred.
Section 11.02. Guarantee for the Benefit of the Holders . The Guarantee contained in this Indenture is entered into by the Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders from time to time of the Securities. Such provisions shall not be deemed to create any right, or to be in whole or in part for the benefit, of any Person other than the Trustee, the Guarantor, the Holders from time to time of the Securities and their permitted successors and assigns.
Section 11.03. Waiver of Subrogation . The Guarantor shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders of the Securities and the Trustee against the Company pursuant to the provisions of the Guarantee; provided , however , that the Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce, or to receive any payments arising out of or based upon, such right of subrogation until the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the Securities of the relevant series issued under the Indenture shall have been paid in full.
Section 11.04. No Suspension of Remedies . Nothing contained in this Article XI shall limit the right of the Trustee or the Holders of the Securities to take any action pursuant to Article V of this Indenture or to pursue any other rights or remedies under the Indenture or under applicable law.
Section 11.05. Termination . The Guarantee shall remain in full force and effect and shall be binding on the Guarantor, its successors and assigns until the entire principal of and
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interest and any premium on the Securities shall have been paid in full or otherwise discharged in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
ARTICLE XII
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
Section 12.01. Applicability of Article . Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this article.
Section 12.02. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee . The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 45 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed, such notice to be accompanied by a written statement signed by an authorized officer of the Company stating that no defaults in the payment of interest or Events of Default with respect to the Securities of that series have occurred (which have not been waived or cured). In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee an Officers Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.
Section 12.03. Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed . If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate, subject to the customary procedures of the Depositary, and which may provide for the selection or redemption of portions (equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series or any integral multiple thereof) of the principal amount of Securities of such series of a denomination larger than the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of that series.
The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.
For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.
Section 12.04. Notice of Redemption . The Company shall give a notice of redemption by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 45 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the
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Security Register. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice. Failure to give notice by mail, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder in respect of any Security, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security.
All notices of redemption shall state:
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(1) the Redemption Date, |
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(2) the Redemption Price and any accrued interest, |
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(3) if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed, |
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(4) that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price and any accrued interest will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed together with accrued interest thereon and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date, |
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(5) the place or places where such Securities are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price and any accrued interest, |
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(6) that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case, and |
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(7) the CUSIP number and, if applicable, the ISIN number, of the Securities being redeemed. |
Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Companys written request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.
Section 12.05. Deposit of Redemption Price . On or prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 10.03) an amount of money, in funds immediately available on the due date, sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date.
Section 12.06. Securities Payable on Redemption Date . Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified together with accrued interest thereon, 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 installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more
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Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 3.07.
If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal (and premium, if any) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.
The Trustee shall not redeem any Securities of any series pursuant to this article (unless all Outstanding Securities of such series are to be redeemed) or mail or give any notice of redemption of Securities during the continuance of an Event of Default hereunder known to the Trustee with respect to such series, except that, where the mailing of notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been made, the Trustee shall redeem or cause to be redeemed such Securities, provided that it shall have received from the Company a sum sufficient for such redemption. Except as aforesaid, any moneys theretofore or thereafter received by the Trustee shall, during the continuance of such Event of Default, be deemed to have been collected under Article V and held for the payment of all such Securities of such series. In case such Event of Default shall have been waived as provided in Section 5.13 or the default cured on or before the sixtieth day preceding the Redemption Date, such moneys shall thereafter be applied in accordance with the provisions of this article.
Section 12.07. Securities Redeemed in Part . Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company 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, 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.
ARTICLE XIII
SINKING FUNDS
Section 13.01. Applicability of Article . The provisions of this article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 3.01 for Securities of such series.
The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any series 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 Securities of any series is herein referred to as an Optional Sinking Fund Payment . If provided for by the terms of Securities of any series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 13.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any series as provided for by the terms of Securities of such series.
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Section 13.02. 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 credit Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted Optional Sinking Fund Payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as provided for by the terms of such series; provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.
Section 13.03. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund . Not less than 60 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company (1) will deliver to the Trustee an Officers Certificate (A) stating that no defaults in the payment of interest or Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series have occurred (which have not been waived or cured), (B) specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of Securities of that series, (C) stating whether or not the Company intends to exercise its right, if any, to make an Optional Sinking Fund Payment with respect to such series on the next ensuing sinking fund payment date and, if so, specifying the amount of such Optional Sinking Fund Payment and (D) specifying the portion of such sinking fund payment, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities of that series pursuant to Section 13.02 and (2) will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days before each such sinking fund payment date, the Trustee shall select the Securities of such series to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 12.03 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 12.04. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 12.05, 12.06 and 12.07. Failure of the Company, on or before any such 60th day, to deliver such Officers Certificate and Securities specified in this Section 13.03, if any, shall not constitute a default but shall constitute, on and as of such date, the irrevocable election of the Company (a) that the Mandatory Sinking Fund Payment for such series due on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date shall be paid entirely in cash without the option to deliver or credit Securities of such series in respect thereof and (b) that the Company will make no Optional Sinking Fund Payment with respect to Securities of such series as provided in this article.
The Trustee shall not redeem or cause to be redeemed any Security of a series with sinking fund moneys or mail any notice of redemption of Securities of such series by operation of the sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on such Securities or of any Event of Default with respect to such series except that, where the mailing of notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been made, the Trustee shall redeem or cause to be redeemed such Securities, provided that it shall have received from the Company a sum sufficient for such redemption. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund for such series at the time when any such default or Event of Default shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into the sinking fund, shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default, be deemed to have been collected under Article V and held for the payment of all such
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Securities of such series. In case such Event of Default shall have been waived as provided in Section 5.13 or the default cured on or before the 60th day preceding the sinking fund payment date, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date in accordance with this Section 13.03 to the redemption of such Securities.
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.
[Remainder of page intentionally blank]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party hereto has executed this Indenture as of the day and year first before written.
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XL GROUP LTD. |
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By: |
/s/ S IMON D. R ICH |
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Name: Simon D. Rich |
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Title: Director |
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SIGNED AND DELIVERED AS A DEED FOR AND ON BEHALF OF |
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XL GROUP PLC |
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as Guarantor |
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BY ITS LAWFULLY APPOINTED ATTORNEY |
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/s/ S IMON D. R ICH |
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Name: |
Simon D. Rich |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President & Global Treasurer |
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IN THE PRESENCE OF |
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Witness |
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/s/ R OBERT H AWLEY |
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Name: |
Robert Hawley |
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Address: |
XL House |
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One Bermudiana Road |
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Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda |
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WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, |
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as Trustee |
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By: |
/s/ R AYMOND D ELLI C OLLI |
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Name: Raymond Delli Colli |
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Title: Vice President |
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Exhibit 4.2
XL GROUP LTD.
as Issuer
XL GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY
as Guarantor
WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee
FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
5.75% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2021
SUPPLEMENT TO INDENTURE DATED AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 2011
FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of September 30, 2011 (the First Supplemental Indenture), by and among XL Group Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company (the Company ), having its principal office at XL House, One Bermudiana Road, Hamilton, HM 08, Bermuda, XL Group Public Limited Company, an Irish public limited company (the Guarantor ), having its principal office at No. 1 Hatch Street Upper, 4th Floor, Dublin 2, Ireland and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association, as trustee hereunder (the Trustee ).
WHEREAS, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee have as of September 30, 2011 entered into an Indenture (the Base Indenture ) providing for the issuance from time to time by the Company of Securities (as defined in Section 1.01 of the Base Indenture) and the Guarantee (as defined in Section 1.01 of the Base Indenture) by the Guarantor;
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01(11) of the Base Indenture, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee may enter into supplemental indentures to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 3.01 of the Base Indenture;
WHEREAS, the Company desires to issue a series of Securities under the Base Indenture and has duly authorized the creation and issuance of such series of Securities and the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture to modify the Base Indenture and provide certain additional provisions as hereinafter set forth (the Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, is hereinafter referred to as the Indenture );
WHEREAS, the Company and the Guarantor deem it advisable to enter into this First Supplemental Indenture for the purposes of establishing the terms of such series of Securities and providing for the rights, obligations and duties of the Trustee with respect to such series of Securities;
WHEREAS, the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture has been authorized by a resolution of the Board of Directors of each of the Company and the Guarantor, or a duly authorized committee thereof;
WHEREAS, concurrently with the execution hereof, the Company has delivered an Officers Certificate and has caused its counsel to deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel; and
WHEREAS, all conditions and requirements of the Base Indenture necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding and legal instrument in accordance with its terms have been performed and fulfilled by the parties hereto and the execution and delivery thereof have been in all respects duly authorized by the parties hereto.
NOW, THEREFORE, THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:
For and in consideration of the mutual premises and agreements herein contained, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the 2021 Notes (as defined below), as follows:
ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
Section 1.1 Definition of Terms .
Unless otherwise provided herein or unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) a term defined in the Base Indenture has the same meaning when used in this First Supplemental Indenture;
(b) a term defined anywhere in this First Supplemental Indenture has the same meaning throughout;
(c) the singular includes the plural and vice versa;
(d) headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect interpretation; and
(e) the following terms have the meanings given to them in this Section 1.1(e):
Additional Amounts has the meaning set forth in Section 2.13(b).
Comparable Treasury Issue means the United States Treasury security selected as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the 2021 Notes to be redeemed that would be used, at the time of selection and under customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the 2021 Notes.
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Comparable Treasury Price means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for the Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or if the Trustee obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations.
Depositary has the meaning set forth in Section 2.7.
Designated Subsidiary means any present or future consolidated subsidiary of the Guarantor that is a regulated insurance company, the assets of which constitute at least 20% of the Guarantors consolidated assets.
Global Note means a Global Security representing the 2021 Notes.
Issue Date means September 30, 2011.
Pricing Date means September 27, 2011.
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the average, as determined by the Trustee, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Trustee by the Reference Treasury Dealer at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day before the Redemption Date.
Reference Treasury Dealers means (i) Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and its successors; and (ii) three other primary U.S. government securities dealers in New York City the Company selects. If any of the foregoing ceases to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in New York City, the Company must substitute another primary U.S. government securities dealer in New York City.
Relevant Date means, in respect of any payment, the date on which such payment first becomes due and payable, but if the full amount of the moneys payable has not been received by the Trustee on or prior to such due date, it means the first date on which, the full amount of such moneys having been so received and being available for payment to Holders, notice to that effect shall have been duly given to the Holders of the 2021 Notes.
Tax Event means if the Company or the Guarantor determines that, as a result of (1) any change in, or amendment to, the law or treaties (or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder), including the enactment of any legislation or the publication of any regulatory determination, of the Cayman Islands, Ireland, Bermuda, or any political subdivision thereof or any authority or agency therein having power to tax, or any other jurisdiction from or through which the Company or the Guarantor makes a payment on the 2021 Notes or in which the Company or the Guarantor generally becomes subject to taxation (each such jurisdiction, a Taxing Jurisdiction ); or (2) any change in, or amendment to, a position regarding the application, administration or interpretation of such laws, treaties, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction) (each of the foregoing in clauses (1) and (2), a Change In Tax Law ), (A) the Company or Guarantor is required, or on the next Interest Payment Date in respect of the 2021 Notes would be required to pay Additional Amounts with respect to the 2021 Notes pursuant to Section 2.13(b) (assuming, in the case of the Guarantor, the Guarantor would be unable, for reasons outside its control, to
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procure payment by the Company) determined without reference to any interest, fees, penalties or other additions to tax and (B) such requirement cannot be avoided by taking commercially reasonable measures available to the Company or the Guarantor; provided that the Change in Tax Law becomes effective on or after the Pricing Date, or in the case of a successor entity to the Company or the Guarantor, the Change in Tax Law becomes effective after the date that such successor entity first becomes an obligor on the 2021 Notes (unless the Change in Tax Law had already occurred prior to such date, but on or after the Pricing Date, with respect to the applicable original entity).
Treasury Rate means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date. The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date.
ARTICLE II
CREATION OF THE 2021 NOTES
Section 2.1 Designation of Series .
Pursuant to the terms hereof and Sections 2.01 and 3.01 of the Base Indenture, the Company hereby creates a series of its Securities designated as the 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021 (the 2021 Notes ), which 2021 Notes shall be deemed Securities for all purposes under the Indenture.
Section 2.2 Form of 2021 Notes .
The definitive form of the 2021 Notes shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A attached hereto, which is incorporated herein and made part hereof.
The Final Maturity of the 2021 Notes shall be October 1, 2021.
Section 2.3 Interest and Interest Rate Reset .
(a) The 2021 Notes will bear interest from the Issue Date or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, as the case may be, to maturity or early redemption, as the case may be, at the rate of 5.75% per annum payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on April 1, 2012, to the persons in whose names the 2021 Notes were registered at the close of business on the preceding March 15 and September 15, respectively.
(b) Interest on the 2021 Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest payable for any period shorter than a full semi-annual period for which interest is computed will be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in the 180-day period.
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Section 2.4 Limit on Amount of 2021 Notes .
(a) The 2021 Notes initially will be limited in aggregate principal amount to $400 million and may, upon execution of this First Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver said 2021 Notes in accordance with a Company Order.
(b) The Company may issue from time to time, without giving notice to or seeking the consent of the Holders of the 2021 Notes, additional notes having the same terms as the 2021 Notes (except for the initial public offering price, first Interest Payment Date and the Issue Date). Any such additional notes, together with the 2021 Notes, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture.
Section 2.5 Nature of 2021 Notes/Minimum Denomination .
(a) The 2021 Notes shall constitute senior, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company and shall rank pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.
(b) The 2021 Notes shall be issuable only in registered form and without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
Section 2.6 No Sinking Fund .
The 2021 Notes do not have the benefit of any mandatory redemption or sinking fund obligation and are not redeemable at the option of the Holders.
Section 2.7 Issuance of 2021 Notes and Payment .
(a) The 2021 Notes, on original issuance, shall be issued in the form of one fully registered Global Note registered in the name of The Depository Trust Company, as Depositary (the Depositary ), or its nominee, and deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depositary, for credit by the Depositary to the respective accounts of beneficial owners of the 2021 Notes represented thereby (or such other accounts as they may direct).
(b) The payment of principal of and the interest on the 2021 Notes will be payable at the Corporate Trust Office or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to each Holder at its address set forth in the Security Register; provided , however , that if a Holder has given wire transfer instructions to the Company and the Paying Agent and Security Registrar at least ten Business Days prior to the applicable payment date, payment of principal of and the interest on the 2021 Notes will be payable by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified in such instructions.
Section 2.8 2021 Notes Not Convertible or Exchangeable .
The 2021 Notes will not be convertible or exchangeable for other securities or property.
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Section 2.9 Redemption .
Pursuant to Section 3.01(6) and Section 12.01 of the Base Indenture, so long as any of the 2021 Notes are Outstanding, the following provisions shall be applicable to the 2021 Notes:
(a) The 2021 Notes will be redeemable, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the Companys option, at a redemption price equal to accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the 2021 Notes being redeemed to the Redemption Date plus the greater of: (A) 100% of the principal amount of the 2021 Notes to be redeemed, and (B) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the 2021 Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate, plus 50 basis points.
(b) If a Tax Event occurs and is continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the 2021 Notes in whole, but not in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2021 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Redemption Date and Additional Amounts, if any, then due or that will become due on the date fixed for redemption as a result of such redemption. Installments of interest on 2021 Notes which are due and payable on or prior to a Redemption Date will be payable to Holders of the 2021 Notes registered as such at the close of business on the relevant record dates.
(c) (i) Notwithstanding Section 12.04 of the Base Indenture, any notice of redemption pursuant to Section 2.9(a) or (b) shall (A) be sufficient if instead of setting forth a specific price with respect to the Redemption Price, it sets forth the manner of calculation thereof and (B) be mailed to the Holders not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date.
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(ii) Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case of a Tax Event redemption, no such notice of redemption will be given (A) earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the applicable payor would be obliged to make such payment or withholding if a payment in respect of 2021 Notes by it were then due and (B) unless at the time such notice is given, such requirement to pay such Additional Amounts remains in effect. Prior to the publication or mailing of any notice of redemption of 2021 Notes pursuant to the foregoing, the Company will deliver to the Paying Agent and Trustee (x) an Officers Certificate stating that the Company is entitled to effect such redemption and setting forth a statement of facts showing that any factual conditions precedent to the Companys right to so redeem have been satisfied and (y) a legal opinion of an outside nationally recognized tax counsel or of a tax counsel that is otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Paying Agent, to the effect that the applicable Tax Event has occurred (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not be required to include an opinion as to whether commercially reasonable efforts could be undertaken to avoid the otherwise applicable requirement, as referenced in clause (B) of the definition of Tax Event in Section 1.1(e)). |
Section 2.10 Guarantee .
The 2021 Notes are entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee set forth in Article XI of the Base Indenture.
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Section 2.11 Place of Payment .
The Paying Agent for the 2021 Notes shall initially be the Trustee, and the Place of Payment for the 2021 Notes shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office, which as of the date hereof for such purpose is located at 45 Broadway, 14th Floor, New York, New York 10006. The Company may from time to time designate one or more additional offices or agencies where 2021 Notes may be presented or surrendered for payment.
Section 2.12 Events of Default .
The following shall constitute additional Events of Default pursuant to Section 5.01 of the Base Indenture with respect to the 2021 Notes with the same effect as if expressly set forth in such Section 5.01:
(a) default by the Company under any instrument or instruments under which there is or may be secured or evidenced any of the Companys indebtedness (other than the 2021 Notes) having an outstanding principal amount of $50,000,000 (or its equivalent in any other currency or currencies) or more, individually or in the aggregate, that has caused the holders thereof to declare such indebtedness to be due and payable prior to its stated maturity, unless such declaration has been rescinded within 30 days;
(b) default by the Company in the payment when due of the principal of or premium, if any, on any bond, debenture, note or other evidence of the Companys indebtedness, in each case for money borrowed, or in the payment of principal or premium, if any, under any mortgage, indenture, agreement or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness of the Company for money borrowed, which default for payment of principal or premium, if any, is in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $50,000,000 (or its equivalent in any other currency or currencies), if such default shall continue unremedied or unwaived for more than 30 days after the expiration of any grace period or extension of the time for payment applicable thereto;
(c) default in the payment of any Additional Amounts payable with respect to interest on any 2021 Notes, when such Additional Amounts become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; and
(d) default in the payment of any Additional Amounts payable with respect to any principal of or premium, if any, on any 2021 Notes, when such Additional Amounts become due and payable either at maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration of acceleration or otherwise.
In addition, with respect to the 2021 Notes, the reference to 60 days in Section 5.01(1) of the Base Indenture shall be amended to be 30 days with respect to the 2021 Notes.
The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice of any Event of Default or any event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute an Event of Default.
Section 2.13 Covenants .
The 2021 Notes shall be entitled to the benefit of each of the covenants in Article X of the Base Indenture and the following additional covenants (each of which shall be deemed to be a provision of the
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Indenture and, when referred to as a provision of the Indenture, shall be identified by reference to the Section number that is set forth immediately preceding the covenant):
(a) SECTION 10.09. Limitation on Liens on Stock of Designated Subsidiaries . The Guarantor covenants that, so long as any 2021 Notes are outstanding, the Guarantor will not, nor will the Guarantor permit any Designated Subsidiary to, create, assume, incur, guarantee or otherwise permit to exist any indebtedness evidenced by notes, debentures, bonds or similar instruments, which is secured by any mortgage, pledge, lien, security interest or other encumbrance upon any shares of Capital Stock of any Designated Subsidiary (whether such shares of stock are now owned or hereafter acquired) without effectively providing concurrently that the 2021 Notes will be secured equally and ratably with such indebtedness for at least the time period such other indebtedness is so secured. The term Capital Stock for the purpose of this Section 10.09 shall include preferred stock, but exclude any debt securities convertible into such Capital Stock.
(b) SECTION 10.10. Additional Amounts . All amounts payable (whether in respect of principal, interest or otherwise) in respect of the 2021 Notes will be made free and clear of and without withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future taxes, duties, levies, assessments or governmental charges of whatever nature imposed or levied by or on behalf of any Taxing Jurisdiction, unless the withholding or deduction of such taxes, duties, levies, assessments or governmental charges is required by law. In that event, the Company or the Guarantor will pay, or cause to be paid, such additional amounts as may be necessary in order that the net amounts receivable by a Holder after such withholding or deduction (including any withholding or deduction on such payment of additional amounts) shall equal the respective amounts that would have been receivable by such Holder had no such withholding or deduction been required ( Additional Amounts ), except that no such Additional Amounts shall be payable in relation to any payment (including a payment made in connection with a redemption) in respect of any of the 2021 Notes (a) to, or to a third party on behalf of, a Person who would be able to avoid such withholding or deduction by complying with such Persons statutory requirements or by making a declaration of non-residence or similar claim for exemption (including a claim under an applicable double taxation treaty) but, in either case, fails to do so, or is liable for such taxes, duties, levies, assessments or governmental charges in respect of such 2021 Note by reason of such Person (or such third party) having some connection with (including, without limitation, being a citizen of, being incorporated or engaged in a trade or business in, or having a residence or principal place of business or other presence in) the Taxing Jurisdiction, other than (i) the mere holding of such 2021 Note; (ii) the receipt of principal, interest or other amount in respect of such 2021 Note; or (iii) the mere enforcement of rights with respect to such 2021 Note; (b) presented for payment more than 30 days after the Relevant Date, except to the extent that the relevant Holder would have been entitled to such Additional Amounts on presenting the same for payment on or before the expiration of such period of 30 days; (c) to a fiduciary, a partnership or person who is not the beneficial owner of a 2021 Note, if and to the extent that, as a result of an applicable tax treaty, no Additional Amounts would have been payable had the beneficiary, partner or beneficial owner owned the 2021 Note directly; (d) on account of any inheritance, gift, estate, personal property, stamp, sales or transfer or similar taxes, duties, levies, assessments or similar governmental charges; or (e) on account of any taxes, duties, levies, assessments or governmental charges that are payable otherwise than by withholding from payments in respect of such 2021 Note.
In the event that payments in respect of the 2021 Notes are subject to withholding or deduction for or on account of any taxes, the Company or the Guarantor will (i) make any required withholding or deduction and (ii) remit the full amount deducted or withheld to the relevant Taxing Jurisdiction in accordance with applicable law. The Company and the Guarantor will use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain certified copies of tax
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receipts evidencing the payment of any taxes so deducted or withheld from each relevant Taxing Jurisdiction imposing such taxes and will use commercially reasonable efforts to provide or make available such certified copies (or other documentary evidence establishing the payment of such taxes) to each Holder.
Any reference in the Indenture to principal, premium or interest in respect of the 2021 Notes, any redemption amount and any other amounts in the nature of principal shall be deemed also to refer to any Additional Amounts that may be payable under the Indenture, and the express mention of the payment of Additional Amounts (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.
Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to the Indenture, if the 2021 Notes require the payment of Additional Amounts, at least 30 days prior to each date on which any payments under or with respect to the 2021 Notes are due and payable (unless such obligation to pay Additional Amounts arises shortly before or after the 30th day prior to such date, in which case it shall be promptly thereafter) the Company or its designee shall furnish to the Trustee, the Registrar and the Paying Agent an Officers Certificate stating the fact that Additional Amounts will be payable, the amounts so payable, and any other information to enable the Trustee or such Paying Agent to pay such Additional Amounts to Holders on the payment date.
The Company or the Guarantor will pay any present or future stamp, court or documentary taxes or any other excise or property taxes, charges or similar levies that arise in any jurisdiction from the execution, delivery or registration of any 2021 Notes or any other document or instrument referred to therein (other than a transfer of the 2021 Notes), or the receipt of any payments with respect to the 2021 Notes, excluding any such taxes, charges or similar levies imposed by any jurisdiction outside the Taxing Jurisdictions in which a Paying Agent is located, other than those resulting from, or required to be paid in connection with, the enforcement of the 2021 Notes, the Indenture or any other such document or instrument following the occurrence of any Event of Default with respect to the 2021 Notes.
ARTICLE III
APPOINTMENT OF THE TRUSTEE FOR THE 2021 NOTES
Section 3.1 Appointment of Trustee .
Pursuant and subject to the Indenture, the Company and the Guarantor hereby appoint the Trustee as trustee to act on behalf of the Holders of the 2021 Notes, and as the principal Paying Agent and Security Registrar for the 2021 Notes, effective upon execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture. By execution, acknowledgment and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture, the Trustee hereby accepts appointment as Trustee, Paying Agent and Security Registrar with respect to the 2021 Notes, and agrees to perform such trusts upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Base Indenture and in this First Supplemental Indenture.
Section 3.2 Rights, Powers, Duties and Obligations of the Trustee .
Any rights, powers, duties and obligations by any provisions of the Indenture conferred or imposed upon the Trustee shall, insofar as permitted by law, be conferred or imposed upon and exercised or performed by the Trustee with respect to the 2021 Notes.
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ARTICLE IV
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 4.1 Application of First Supplemental Indenture .
Each and every term and condition contained in this First Supplemental Indenture that modifies, amends or supplements the terms and conditions of the Base Indenture with respect to the 2021 Notes shall apply only to the 2021 Notes created hereby and not to any past or future series of Securities issued under the Base Indenture.
Section 4.2 Benefits of First Supplemental Indenture .
Nothing contained in this First Supplemental Indenture shall or shall be construed to confer upon any Person other than a Holder of the 2021 Notes, the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee any right or interest to avail itself or himself, as the case may be, of any benefit under any provision of the Base Indenture or this First Supplemental Indenture.
Section 4.3 Amendment of First Supplemental Indenture .
The Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may amend, modify or supplement this First Supplemental Indenture in accordance with the provisions of Article IX of the Base Indenture.
Section 4.4 Effective Date .
This First Supplemental Indenture shall be effective as of the date first above written and upon the execution and delivery hereof by each of the parties hereto.
Section 4.5 Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Submission to Jurisdiction; Judgment Currency .
THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE AND EACH 2021 NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS OF SUCH STATE.
EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, THE 2021 NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.
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Each of the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee hereby submits to the nonexclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and of any New York state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan in New York City for the purposes of all legal proceedings |
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arising out of or relating to the 2021 Notes, the Indenture or the transactions contemplated thereby. The Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any objection which they may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such proceeding brought in such a court and any claim that any such proceeding brought in such a court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Each of the Company and the Guarantor hereby designates and appoints Puglisi & Associates, 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, Delaware 19711, as its authorized agent upon which process may be served in any legal suit, action or proceeding arising out of or relating to the Indenture which may be instituted in any federal or state court in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, New York, and agrees that service of process upon such agent, and written notice of said service to the Company or the Guarantor, as applicable, by the Person serving the same, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company or the Guarantor, as applicable, in any such suit, action or proceeding and further designate its domicile, the domicile of Puglisi & Associates specified above and any domicile Puglisi & Associates may have in the future as its domicile to receive any notice hereunder (including service of process). If for any reason Puglisi & Associates (or any successor agent for this purpose) shall cease to act as agent for service of process as provided above, the Company and the Guarantor will promptly appoint a successor agent for this purpose reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The Company and the Guarantor agree to take any and all actions as may be necessary to maintain such designation and appointment of such agent in full force and effect. |
Each of the Company and the Guarantor agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium of, or interest or other amount on the 2021 Notes (the Required Currency ) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the Judgment Currency ), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the requisite amount of the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which a final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under the Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under the Indenture. For purpose of the foregoing, New York Banking Day means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed.
Section 4.6 Counterparts .
This First Supplemental Indenture 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.
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Section 4.7 Ratification of Base Indenture.
The Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this First Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Base Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided.
Section 4.8 Validity and Sufficiency .
The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which are made solely by the Company and the Guarantor.
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each party hereto has executed this First Supplemental Indenture as of the day and year first before written.
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XL GROUP LTD., |
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as Issuer |
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By: |
/s/ S IMON D. R ICH |
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Name: |
Simon D. Rich |
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Title: |
Director |
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SIGNED AND DELIVERED AS A DEED FOR AND ON BEHALF OF |
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XL GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY |
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as Guarantor |
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BY ITS LAWFULLY APPOINTED ATTORNEY |
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/s/ S IMON D. R ICH |
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Name: |
Simon D. Rich |
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Title: |
Senior Vice President & Global Tresasurer |
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IN THE PRESENCE OF |
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Witness |
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/s/ R OBERT H AWLEY |
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Name: |
Robert Hawley |
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Address: |
XL House |
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One Bermudiana Road |
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Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda |
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WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, |
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as Trustee |
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By: |
/s/ R AYMOND D ELLI C OLLI |
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Name: |
Raymond Delli Colli |
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Vice President |
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EXHIBIT A
FORM OF 2021 NOTE
[For Global Notes, insert: THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF THE DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY, WHICH MAY BE TREATED BY THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTOR, THE TRUSTEE AND ANY AGENT THEREOF AS OWNER AND HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY FOR ALL PURPOSES, INCLUDING THE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST.
UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR THE INDIVIDUAL SECURITIES REPRESENTED HEREBY, THIS GLOBAL SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE (I) BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR (II) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR THE DEPOSITARY TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.]
[If the Depository is The Depository Trust Company, insert: UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT AND ANY SECURITY ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND ANY PAYMENT HEREON IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.]
A-1
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No. |
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CUSIP No. |
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$_______________ |
XL GROUP LTD.
5.75% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2021
XL GROUP LTD., an exempted limited company duly organized and existing under the laws of the Cayman Islands (the Company , which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to __________________ the principal sum of ________________ United States dollars (U.S.$______________) [For Global Notes, insert:, as such amount may be increased or decreased as set forth on the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Note annexed hereto,] on October 1, 2021 (such date is hereinafter referred to as the Stated Maturity ), and to pay interest thereon, from September 30, 2011, or from the most recent Interest Payment Date (as defined below) to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, at the rate of 5.75% per annum to, but excluding, the relevant Interest Payment Date, until the Stated Maturity or early redemption.
Interest on this 2021 Note initially shall be payable semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 of each year (each, an Interest Payment Date ), commencing April 1, 2012 through and including the Stated Maturity or early redemption. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this 2021 Note (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 March 15 and September 15, respectively (whether or not a Business Day) preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date.
Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may be paid to the Person in whose name this 2021 Note (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 Trustee, notice of which shall be given to Holders of the 2021 Notes not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date and shall otherwise be payable, all as more fully provided in the Indenture.
Principal of and the interest on the 2021 Notes will be payable at the Corporate Trust Office, or, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to each Holder at its address set forth in the Security Register; provided , however , that if a Holder has given wire transfer instructions to the Company and the Paying Agent and Security Registrar at least ten Business Days prior to the applicable payment date, principal of and the interest on the 2021 Notes will be payable by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account specified in such instructions.
A-2
Interest on the 2021 Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months. The amount of interest payable for any period shorter than a full semi-annual period for which interest is computed will be computed on the basis of the actual number of days elapsed in the 180-day period.
Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this 2021 Note set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if fully set forth at this place.
Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this 2021 Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.
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A-3
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this 2021 Note to be executed and delivered as a deed.
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Dated: |
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XL GROUP LTD. |
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A-4
TRUSTEES CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
This is one of the Securities of the series designated herein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
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Dated: |
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WELLS FARGO
BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
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Authorized Signatory |
A-5
[FORM OF REVERSE]
This 2021 Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company designated as its 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021 (herein sometimes referred to as the 2021 Notes ), initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $400 million, issued under and pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of September 30, 2011 (the Base Indenture ), duly executed and delivered by and among the Company, as issuer, XL Group Public Limited Company, an Irish public limited company, as guarantor (the Guarantor ) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September 30, 2011 (the First Supplemental Indenture ), duly executed and delivered by and among the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee (such Base Indenture as amended and supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture ), to which the Indenture and all subsequent indentures supplemental thereto relating to the 2021 Notes reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and the Holders of the 2021 Notes and of the terms upon which the 2021 Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.
The 2021 Notes are issuable only in registered form without coupons, in 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, 2021 Notes so issued are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of 2021 Notes of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.
The 2021 Notes will be redeemable, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the Companys option, at a redemption price equal to the accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the 2021 Notes being redeemed to the Redemption Date plus the greater of: (A) 100% of the principal amount of the 2021 Notes to be redeemed, and (B) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the 2021 Notes to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate, plus 50 basis points, as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture.
If a Tax Event occurs and is continuing, the Company may, at its option, redeem the 2021 Notes in whole, but not in part, at any time at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2021 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Redemption Date and Additional Amounts, if any, then due or that will become due on the Redemption Date as a result of the redemption, as provided in, and subject to the terms of, the Indenture.
No sinking fund is provided for the 2021 Notes.
The 2021 Notes shall constitute the senior, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the Company and shall rank pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Company and the Guarantor from time to time outstanding.
In the case of an Event of Default described in Section 5.01(5) or 5.01(6) of the Indenture, all unpaid principal of and accrued interest and Additional Amounts on the 2021 Notes then Outstanding shall be due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or the Holders of any 2021 Notes. In the case of all other Events of Default, if any such Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, the
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principal of all of the 2021 Notes, together with accrued interest to the date of declaration, may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.
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 Guarantor and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company, the Guarantor and the Trustee with the written consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding and affected thereby. The Indenture also contains, with certain exceptions as therein provided, provisions permitting Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company and the Guarantor with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this 2021 Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this 2021 Note and of any 2021 Note issued in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this 2021 Note or such other 2021 Note.
As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this 2021 Note 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 (i) such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default, (ii) the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the 2021 Notes that are Outstanding shall have made a written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to it, (iii) the Trustee shall have failed to institute any such proceeding for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, and (iv) the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the 2021 Notes that are Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such written request during such 60-day period. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by any Holder of this 2021 Note for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.
This 2021 Note is entitled to the benefit of the Guarantee set forth in Article XI of the Indenture.
No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this 2021 Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this 2021 Note at the times, places and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.
As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this 2021 Note is registrable on the Security Register upon surrender of this 2021 Note for registration of transfer at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or at such other office or agency of the Company as may be designated by it for such purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York (which shall initially be an office or agency of the Trustee), or at such other offices or agencies as the Company may designate, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new 2021 Notes, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees by the Security Registrar. No service charge shall be made for any such
A-7
registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to recover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.
Prior to due presentation of this 2021 Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee and any agent of the Company, the Guarantor or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this 2021 Note is registered as the owner thereof for all purposes, whether or not such 2021 Note be overdue, and none of the Company, the Guarantor, the Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
No recourse for the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any on) or interest on this 2021 Note and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company or the Guarantor in the Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto or in any 2021 Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, employee, agent, officer or director or subsidiary, as such, past, present or future, of the Company, the Guarantor or of any successor entity thereof, either directly or through the Company, the Guarantor or any successor entity, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.
[For Global Notes, insert: This 2021 Note is a Global Note and is subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to Global Notes, including the limitations in Section 2.03 of the Base Indenture on transfers and exchanges of Global Notes.]
THE INDENTURE, THE GUARANTEE AND THIS 2021 NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS OF SUCH STATE.
All capitalized terms used in this 2021 Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.
A-8
ABBREVIATIONS
The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:
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TEN COM |
as tenants in common |
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UNIF GIFT MIN ACT |
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(Cust) |
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TEN ENT |
as tenants by the entireties |
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Custodian for: |
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(Minor) |
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JT TEN |
as joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common |
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under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act of: |
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(State) |
Additional abbreviations may also be used though not on the above list.
A-9
ASSIGNMENT
FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned assigns and transfers this 2021 Note to:
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(Insert assignees social security or tax identification number) |
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(Insert address and zip code of assignee) |
and irrevocably appoint _______________ agent to transfer this 2021 Note on the Security Register. The agent may substitute another to act for him or her.
Dated:
Signed:
Signature Guarantee:
(Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this 2021 Note)
Signatures must be guaranteed by an eligible guarantor institution meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program ( STAMP ) or such other signature guarantee program as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
A-10
[TO BE ATTACHED TO GLOBAL NOTES]
SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE
The following increases or decreases in this Global Note have been made:
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Amount of Decrease
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Amount of Increase
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Stated Amount of
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Signature of
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Date |
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A-11
Exhibit 5.1
[Letterhead of Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP]
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September 30, 2011 |
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XL Group Public Limited Company |
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XL Group Ltd. |
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No. 1 Hatch Street Upper, 4th Floor |
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Dublin 2 |
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Ireland |
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Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special United States counsel to XL Group Public Limited Company, a public company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of Ireland (the Company ), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, XL Group Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted company ( XL-Cayman ), in connection with XL-Caymans offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-155777) (the Registration Statement ) of XL-Caymans 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021 (the Notes ), the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on which is fully and unconditionally guaranteed (the Guarantee and, together with the Notes, the Securities ) by the Company, issued under an indenture dated as of September 30, 2011 (the Base Indenture ) and a supplemental indenture dated as of September 30, 2011 (the Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture ), each among XL-Cayman, the Company and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ). The prospectus dated September 27, 2011, included in the Registration Statement, together with the related prospectus supplement dated September 27, 2011, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) pursuant to Rule 424(b) under Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ), is herein called the Prospectus .
In arriving at the opinion expressed below, we have reviewed the following documents:
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(a) |
the Registration Statement and the documents incorporated by reference therein; |
XL Group
Public Limited Company
XL Group Ltd., p. 2
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(b) |
the Prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference therein; |
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(c) |
a copy of the Notes in global form as executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee; and |
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(d) |
an executed copy of each of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture. |
In addition, we have reviewed the originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of such other documents, and we have made such investigations of law, as we have deemed appropriate as a basis for the opinion expressed below.
In rendering the opinion expressed below, we have assumed the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies. In addition, we have assumed and have not verified the accuracy as to factual matters of each document we have reviewed.
Based on the foregoing, and subject to the further assumptions and qualifications set forth below, it is our opinion that the Notes are the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of XL-Cayman, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and the Guarantee is the valid, binding and enforceable obligation of the Company.
Insofar as the foregoing opinion relates to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Company or XL-Cayman, (a) we have assumed that each party to such agreement or obligation has satisfied those legal requirements that are applicable to it to the extent necessary to make such agreement or obligation enforceable against it (except that no such assumption is made as to XL-Cayman or the Company), (b) such opinion is subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors rights generally and to general principles of equity and (c) such opinion is subject to the effect of judicial application of foreign laws or foreign governmental actions affecting creditors rights.
In giving the foregoing opinion relating to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of XL-Cayman, we have relied without independent investigation, as to matters relating to the laws of the Cayman Islands, on the opinion of Maples and Calder and in giving the foregoing opinion relating to the validity, binding effect or enforceability of any agreement or obligation of the Company, we have relied without independent investigation, as to matters relating to the laws of Ireland, on the opinion of A&L Goodbody (together, the Local Opinions ), copies of which are filed as Exhibits 5.2 and 5.3, respectively, to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 30, 2011, which will be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, and our opinion is subject to all of the limitations and qualifications contained in the Local Opinions.
We note that any designation in Section 4.5 of the Supplemental Indenture of the U.S. federal courts sitting in New York City as the venue for actions or proceedings relating to such Securities is (notwithstanding the waiver in Section 4.5) subject to the power of such courts
XL Group
Public Limited Company
XL Group Ltd., p. 3
to transfer actions pursuant to 28 U.S.C. §1404(a) or to dismiss such actions or proceedings on the grounds that such a federal court is an inconvenient forum for such an action or proceeding.
We also note that the waivers of defenses contained in Article XI of the Base Indenture may be ineffective to the extent that any such defense involves a matter of public policy in New York.
Except insofar as we have relied on the Local Opinions, the foregoing opinion is limited to the federal law of the United States of America and the law of the State of New York (excluding for such purposes any matter relating to the insurance laws and regulations of such jurisdictions).
We hereby consent to the use of our name in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement dated September 27, 2011 relating to the Securities, as filed with Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under Securities Act, and the Prospectus, in each case under the heading Legal Matters, as counsel for the Company and XL-Cayman that has passed on the validity of the Securities, and to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Companys Current Report on Form 8-K dated September 30, 2011, which will be incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. We assume no obligation to advise you or any other person, or to make any investigations, as to any legal developments or factual matters arising subsequent to the date hereof that might affect the opinion expressed herein.
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Very truly yours,
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By |
/ S / J ANET L. F ISHER |
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Janet L. Fisher, a Partner |
Exhibit 5.2
[Letterhead of Maples and Calder]
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to the Addressees named in the First Schedule |
30 September 2011
Dear Sirs
XL Group Ltd.
We have acted as counsel as to Cayman Islands law to XL Group Ltd., an exempted company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with limited liability (the Company ), and XL Group Public Limited Company, an Irish public limited company (the Guarantor ), in connection with the offering of the Companys U.S.$400,000,000 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021 (the Notes ), the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on which is fully and unconditionally guaranteed (the Guarantee and, together with the Notes, the Securities ) by the Guarantor, to be issued under an indenture dated as of 30 September, 2011 (the Base Indenture ) and a supplemental indenture dated as of 30 September, 2011 (the Supplemental Indenture and, together with the Base Indenture, the Indenture ), each among the Company, the Guarantor and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ). The prospectus dated 27 September, 2011 together with the preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Securities dated 27 September, 2011 is herein called the Pricing Prospectus and the prospectus dated 27 September, 2011 together with the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities dated 27 September, 2011 is herein called the Final Prospectus .
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Documents Reviewed |
We have reviewed originals, copies, drafts or conformed copies of the following documents:
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1.1 |
The Certificate of Incorporation of the Company dated 16 March 1998 and the Certificates of Incorporation on Change of Name of the Company dated 7 August 1998, 30 April 2010 and 1 July 2010. |
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The amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company as registered or adopted pursuant to special resolution dated 19 November 2010 (the Memorandum and Articles ). |
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The minutes (the Board Minutes ) of a meeting (the Board Meeting ) of the board of directors of the Company held on 5 May 2011, the minutes (the SFC Minutes , and together with the Board Minutes, the Minutes ) of a meeting (the SFC Meeting , and together with the Board Meeting, the Meeting ) of a committee of the board of directors of the Company dated 28 June |
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2011, and the corporate records of the Company maintained at its registered office in the Cayman Islands. |
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1.4 |
A certificate of good standing issued by the Registrar of Companies dated 29 September 2011(the Certificate of Good Standing ). |
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A certificate from a director of the Company a copy of which is annexed hereto (the Directors Certificate ). |
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1.6 |
The Pricing Prospectus and the Final Prospectus. |
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The transaction documents listed in the Second Schedule (the Transaction Documents ). |
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Assumptions |
The following opinions are given only as to, and based on, circumstances and matters of fact existing and known to us on the date of this opinion letter. These opinions only relate to the laws of the Cayman Islands which are in force on the date of this opinion letter. In giving the following opinions, we have relied (without further verification) upon the completeness and accuracy of the Directors Certificate and the Certificate of Good Standing. We have also relied upon the following assumptions, which we have not independently verified:
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2.1 |
The Transaction Documents and the Notes have been or will be authorised and duly executed and unconditionally delivered by or on behalf of all relevant parties in accordance with all relevant laws (other than, with respect to the Company, the laws of the Cayman Islands). |
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Where we have been provided with successive drafts of a Transaction Document marked to show changes to a previous draft, all such changes have been accurately marked. |
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Copies of documents, conformed copies or drafts of documents provided to us are true and complete copies of, or in the final forms of, the originals, and translations of documents provided to us are complete and accurate. |
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2.4 |
All signatures, initials and seals are genuine. |
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2.5 |
The capacity, power, authority and legal right of all parties under all relevant laws and regulations (other than, with respect to the Company, the laws of the Cayman Islands) to enter into, execute, unconditionally deliver and perform their respective obligations under the Transaction Documents. |
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2.6 |
The Notes will be issued and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of Indenture. |
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2.7 |
No monies paid to or for the account of any party under the Transaction Documents represent or will represent criminal property or terrorist property (as defined in the Proceeds of Crime Law 2008, and the Terrorism Law (2009 Revision), respectively). |
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2.8 |
No invitation has been or will be made by or on behalf of the Company to the public in the Cayman Islands to subscribe for any of the Notes. |
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2.9 |
There is nothing under any law (other than the laws of the Cayman Islands) which would or might affect the opinions set out below. Specifically, we have made no independent investigation of the laws of the State of New York. |
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Opinions |
Based upon, and subject to, the foregoing assumptions and the qualifications set out below, and having regard to such legal considerations as we deem relevant, we are of the opinion that:
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3.1 |
The Company has been duly incorporated as an exempted company with limited liability and is validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands. |
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The Company has all the requisite power and authority under the Memorandum and Articles to enter into, execute and perform its obligations under the Transaction Documents and the Notes, including the issue and offer of the Notes pursuant to the Transaction Documents. |
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The execution and delivery of the Transaction Documents do not, and the issue and offer of the Notes by the Company and the performance of its obligations thereunder will not, conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of the Memorandum and Articles or any law, public rule, decree or regulation applicable to the Company currently in force in the Cayman Islands. |
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The execution, delivery and performance of the Transaction Documents have been duly authorised by and on behalf of the Company and the Transaction Documents have been duly executed and delivered on behalf of the Company. |
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The Notes have been duly authorised by the Company and when the Notes are signed in facsimile or manually by a director on behalf of the Company and, if appropriate, authenticated in the manner set forth in the indenture and delivered against due payment therefore will be duly executed, issued and delivered. |
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The Company is not entitled to any immunity under the laws of the Cayman Islands whether characterised as sovereign immunity or otherwise for any legal proceedings in the Cayman Islands to enforce or to collect upon the Transaction Documents or the Notes. |
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Qualifications |
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The opinions expressed above are subject to the following qualifications: |
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4.1 |
To maintain the Company in good standing under the laws of the Cayman Islands, annual filing fees must be paid and returns made to the Registrar of Companies within the time frame prescribed by law. |
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4.2 |
We are not qualified to opine as to the meaning, validity or effect of any references to foreign (i.e. non-Cayman Islands) statutes, rules, regulations, codes, judicial authority or any other promulgations and any references to them in the Transaction Documents or the Notes. |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K that will be incorporated by reference into the registration statement on Form S-3 (No. 333-155777) . In providing our consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Rules and Regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder.
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We express no view as to the commercial terms of the Transaction Documents or the Notes or whether such terms represent the intentions of the parties and make no comment with regard to warranties or representations that may be made by the Company.
This opinion letter is to be construed restrictively. We have not been asked to review and we therefore have not reviewed any of the ancillary documents relating to the Transaction Documents and express no opinion or observation upon the terms of any such document. This opinion letter may be relied upon by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP for the purposes solely of any legal opinion that they may be required to give with respect to the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents.
Yours faithfully
/S/ M APLES AND C ALDER
Maples and Calder
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First Schedule
Addressees
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1 |
XL Group plc |
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1 Hatch Street Upper |
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4th Floor, Dublin 2 |
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Ireland |
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2 |
XL Group Ltd. |
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1 Hatch Street Upper |
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4th Floor, Dublin 2 |
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Ireland |
Second Schedule
Transaction Documents
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1 |
Underwriting Agreement dated 27 September 2011 among the Company, the Guarantor and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the Underwriting Agreement ). |
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The Base Indenture (including the Guarantee) and the Supplemental Indenture. |
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The global certificate evidencing the Notes executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee. |
Exhibit 5.3
[Letterhead of A&L Goodbody]
our ref | EMF 01360490 your ref | date | 30 September 2011
XL Group plc
1 Hatch Street Upper
Dublin 2
Ireland
XL Group Ltd.
1 Hatch Street Upper
Dublin 2
Ireland
XL Group Ltd.
US$ 400,000,000 5.75 % Senior Notes Due 2021
Guaranteed by XL Group plc
Dear Sirs,
We have acted as legal advisers as to matters of Irish law to XL Group plc, a public company limited by shares, incorporated under the laws of Ireland, with its registered office at 1 Hatch Street Upper, Dublin 2, Ireland (the Guarantor ) and XL Group Ltd, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands with its registered office at XL House, One Bermudiana Road, Hamilton HM 08, Bermuda (the Issuer ) in connection with (a) the provision of a guarantee by the Guarantor (the Guarantee ) in respect of the obligations of the Issuer under the US$ 400,000,000 5.75 % Senior Notes Due 2021 issued by the Issuer (the Notes ) pursuant to the indenture (the Indenture ) and the first supplemental indenture thereto (the Supplemental Indenture ), each dated 30 September 2011 and made among the Issuer, the Guarantor and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (the Trustee ) and (b) the filing of a post-effective amendment to the Companys Form S-3 registration statement (number 333-155777) and related prospectus in respect of the Notes (together the Registration Statement ) filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) on 27 September 2011 under the Securities Act of 1933 of the United States of America, as amended (the Securities Act ).
Documents Examined
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1 |
For the purposes of giving this Opinion we have examined (i) the Registration Statement and the prospectus supplement dated 27 September 2011 (the Supplement ) each published in connection with the Notes and the Guarantee (together the Offering Documents ); (ii) the documents set out in Schedule 1 (the Transaction Documents , and together with the Offering Documents, the Issue Documents ) and (iii) the corporate documents set out in Schedule 2 (the Corporate Documents and, together with the Issue Documents, the Documents ). |
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Bases of Opinion |
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2.1 |
Terms defined in the Issue Documents have the same meaning in this Opinion. |
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2.2 |
This Opinion is confined to matters of Irish law applied by the courts of Ireland as at the date hereof and is given on the basis that it shall be governed by and construed in accordance with Irish law without reference to the provisions of other laws imported by private international law. We have made no investigation of, and express no opinion as to, the laws of any other jurisdiction. We have no knowledge of whether, or to what extent, the laws of a jurisdiction other than Ireland would affect this Opinion. |
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2.3 |
This Opinion is limited strictly to the matters stated herein and is not to be read as extending by implication or otherwise to any other matter. |
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2.4 |
This Opinion is given as of the date hereof and may not be relied upon as of any later date. |
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Assumptions |
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3 |
For the purposes of issuing this Opinion we have made and relied on the following assumptions without any responsibility on our part if any assumption proves to be untrue as we have not independently verified any assumption: |
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3.1 |
the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the completeness and conformity to the originals of all copies of documents of any kind furnished to us; |
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3.2 |
that the copies produced to us of minutes of meetings and/or of resolutions are true |
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copies and correctly record the proceedings of such meetings and/or the subject-matter which they purport to record and that any meetings referred to in such copies were duly convened and held and that all resolutions set out in such minutes were duly passed and are in full force and effect; |
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3.3 |
the genuineness of the signatures and seals on all original and copy documents which we have examined; |
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3.4 |
that the memorandum and articles of association of the Guarantor are correct and up to date; |
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3.5 |
the accuracy and completeness as to factual matters of the representations and warranties of the Guarantor contained in the Documents and the accuracy of all certificates provided to us by the Guarantor; |
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3.6 |
that there are no agreements or arrangements in existence which in any way amend or vary the terms of the Transaction as disclosed by the Issue Documents; |
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3.7 |
without having made any investigation, that as a matter of the laws of the State of New York and all other applicable law (other than the laws of Ireland), the terms and conditions of the Notes and the provisions of the Transaction Documents constitute legal, valid, binding and enforceable obligations of each of the parties thereto; |
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3.8 |
the accuracy and completeness of all information appearing on public records; |
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3.9 |
that the Guarantor has entered into the Transaction Documents in good faith, for its legitimate business purposes, for good consideration, and that it will derive commercial benefit from the Transaction; |
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3.10 |
that (a) the Guarantor will be fully solvent at the time of and immediately following its entry into the Transaction Documents and the filing of the Registration Statement; (b) the Guarantor will not become insolvent as a consequence of doing any act or thing which the Transaction Documents or the Registration Statement contemplates, permits or requires the Guarantor to do (including providing the Guarantee); (c) no resolution or petition for the appointment of a liquidator or examiner has been passed or presented in relation to the Guarantor; and (d) no receiver has been appointed in relation to any of the assets or undertaking of the Guarantor; |
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3.11 |
that the proceeds of the issue of the Notes were not directly or indirectly used to finance a purchase, or subscription made or to be made, by any person for any shares in the Guarantor; |
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3.12 |
no authorisations, approvals, licences, exemptions or consents of governmental or regulatory authorities with respect to the agreements or arrangements referred to in the Registration Statement or with respect to the entry of the Guarantor into the Transaction Documents are or will be required to be obtained; |
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3.13 |
that, for the purposes of Directive 2003/71/EC, no offering of the Notes will be made to the public within the European Economic Area and no application will be made to have the Notes admitted to the official list or to trading on any regulated market situated or operating within the European Economic Area; and |
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3.14 |
the Transaction Documents or the Notes and the transactions and other matters contemplated thereby are not and will not be affected by any financial restrictions arising from orders made by the Minister for Finance under the Financial Transfers Act 1992, the Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005, the European Communities Act 1972 or European Communities Regulations being directly applicable or having direct effect in Ireland. Orders which have been made under those acts and regulations that are in effect at the date of this Opinion impose restrictions on financial transfers involving residents of certain countries, certain named individuals and certain named entities arising from the implementation in Ireland of United Nations and EU sanctions. |
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Opinion |
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4 |
We express no opinion as to any matters falling to be determined other than under the laws of Ireland and, without reference to provisions of other laws imported by Irish private international law, in Ireland as of the date of this Opinion. Subject to that qualification and to the other qualifications set out herein, we are of the opinion that: |
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4.1 |
the Guarantor is a public company duly incorporated with limited liability under the laws of Ireland and is a separate legal entity, subject to suit in its own name. Based only on searches carried out in the Irish Companies Registration Office on 29 September 2011, the Guarantor is validly existing under the laws of Ireland; |
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4.2 |
the Guarantor has the necessary power and authority to enable it to execute, deliver |
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and perform the obligations undertaken by it under the Transaction Documents; |
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4.3 |
the execution of the Transaction Documents has been duly authorised by the Guarantor; |
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4.4 |
the execution, delivery and performance by the Guarantor of the Transaction Documents will not: |
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4.4.1 |
cause any law, regulation, rule or order of Ireland to be contravened; or |
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4.4.2 |
result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of the Memorandum or Articles of Association of the Guarantor; and |
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4.5 |
the Guarantor is not entitled to claim any immunity from suit, execution, attachment or other legal process in Ireland. |
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Qualifications |
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5 |
The opinions set forth in this opinion letter are given subject to the following qualifications: |
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5.1 |
this opinion is given subject to general provisions of Irish law relating to insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation, reorganisation, receivership, moratoria, court scheme of arrangement, administration and examination, and the fraudulent preference of creditors and other Irish law generally affecting the rights of creditors; |
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5.2 |
this opinion is subject to the general laws relating to the limitation of actions in Ireland; |
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5.3 |
a determination, description, calculation, opinion or certificate of any person as to any matter provided for in the Transaction Documents might be held by the Irish courts not to be final, conclusive or binding if it could be shown to have an unreasonable, incorrect, or arbitrary basis or not to have been made in good faith; |
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5.4 |
additional interest imposed by any clause of any Transaction Documents might be held to constitute a penalty and the provisions of that clause imposing additional interest would thus be held to be void. The fact that such provisions are held to be void would not in itself prejudice the legality and enforceability of any other provisions of the Transaction Documents but could restrict the amount recoverable by way of |
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interest under the Transaction Documents; |
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5.5 |
the Offering Documents have been prepared by the Issuer and we have not investigated or verified the truth or accuracy of the information contained therein, nor have we been responsible for ensuring that no material information has been omitted therefrom; and |
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5.6 |
we express no opinion on any taxation matters. |
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6 |
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6.1 |
This Opinion may be relied upon by the Issuers legal advisers, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP and Kirstin Romann Gould, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of the Guarantor. |
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6.2 |
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and to the reference to this firm in the prospectus constituting a part of the Registration Statement, and in the prospectus supplement related to the offering of the Notes, under the heading Legal Matters as counsel for the Guarantor who have passed, in accordance with the terms of this Opinion, on the validity as to matters of Irish law of the Notes being registered by the Registration Statement. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder. |
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Yours faithfully, |
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/s/ A&L G OODBODY |
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A&L Goodbody |
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SCHEDULE 1
Transaction Documents
All documents are dated on or about 30 September 2011, unless stated otherwise
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1 |
Indenture among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee. |
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2 |
Supplemental Indenture among the Issuer, the Guarantor and the Trustee. |
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SCHEDULE 2
Corporate Certificate of the Guarantor dated 30 September 2011 including, inter alia ;
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Resolutions of the directors of the Guarantor dated 6 May 2011; |
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Certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation, Certificate of Re-registration as a public limited company and Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Guarantor; and |
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Certified copy of the Power of Attorney duly executed by the Company. |
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