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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

____________________________

 

FORM 8-K

____________________________

 

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

 

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): August 8, 2025 (August 5, 2025)

 

____________________________

 

MSCI Inc.  

(Exact name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

 

 

Delaware   001-33812   13-4038723

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation) 

 

(Commission 

File Number) 

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, 49th Floor, New York, New York 10007

(Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)

 

(212) 804-3900 

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

NOT APPLICABLE  

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

 

____________________________

 

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

 

Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

 

Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

 

Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class  

Trading

Symbol(s) 

  Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share

MSCI

 

New York Stock Exchange

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.

  

 

 

 

 

Item 8.01 Other Events.

 

Notes Offering

 

On August 8, 2025 (the “Closing Date”), MSCI Inc. (the “Company”) completed its previously announced public offering of $1.25 billion in aggregate principal amount of 5.250% senior unsecured notes due 2035 (the “Notes”), pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement (attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and incorporated herein by reference), dated as of August 5, 2025, by and between the Company, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and BofA Securities, Inc., as representatives of the underwriters listed in Schedule 1 thereto.

 

The sale of the Notes was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission on a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277791) (the “Registration Statement”). The Notes were offered pursuant to a prospectus dated March 8, 2024 and a prospectus supplement dated August 5, 2025.

 

The Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture (attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1 and incorporated herein by reference), dated as of August 8, 2025, by and between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (attached hereto as Exhibit 4.2 and incorporated herein by reference), dated as of August 8, 2025, by and between the Company and the Trustee.

 

A copy of the opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel to the Company, relating to the legality of the Notes is filed as Exhibit 5.1 to this Current Report.

 

Item 9.01

Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)       Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

No.

Description
1.1

Underwriting Agreement among MSCI Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and BofA Securities, Inc., as representatives of the Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 thereto, dated August 5, 2025

   
4.1

Indenture between MSCI Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, dated August 8, 2025

   
4.2

First Supplemental Indenture between MSCI Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee, dated August 8, 2025

   
4.3

Form of Global Note representing the Company’s 5.250% Notes due 2035 (included in Exhibit 4.2)

   
5.1

Opinion of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP

   
23.1

Consent of Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

   
104 Cover Page Interactive File, embedded in Inline XBRL

 

 

 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

 

  MSCI Inc.
   
   
Date: August 8, 2025 By: /s/ Henry A. Fernandez
    Name: Henry A. Fernandez
    Title: Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
         

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

  

$1,250,000,000

 

MSCI Inc.

 

5.250% Senior Notes due 2035

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

August 5, 2025

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC 

BofA Securities, Inc. 

  As Representatives of the 

  several Underwriters listed 

  in Schedule 1 hereto

 

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC 

383 Madison Avenue 

New York, New York  10179

 

c/o BofA Securities, Inc. 

One Bryant Park 

New York, New York 10036

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

MSCI Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $1,250,000,000 principal amount of its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Securities”).  The Securities will be issued pursuant to an Indenture to be dated as of August 8, 2025 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended by a Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of August 8, 2025 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).

 

The Company hereby confirms its agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

 

1.   Registration Statement.  The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277791), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities.  Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act to be part of the registration

 

 

 

statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before effectiveness, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Securities Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Securities Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities.  If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement.  Any reference in this agreement (this “Agreement”) to the Registration Statement, 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 Securities Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to 3:15 PM, New York City time, on August 5, 2025, the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Sale”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Time of Sale Information”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated August 5, 2025, and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Securities Act) listed on Annex A hereto.

 

2.   Purchase and Sale of the Securities.

 

(a)   The Company agrees to issue and sell the Securities to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 98.767% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest, if any, from August 8, 2025 to the Closing Date (as defined below).  The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Securities except upon payment for all the Securities to be purchased as provided herein.

 

(b)   The Company understands that the Underwriters intend to make a public offering of the Securities as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in the judgment of the Representatives is advisable, and initially to offer the Securities on the terms set forth in the Time of Sale Information.  The Company acknowledges and agrees that the Underwriters may offer and sell Securities to or through any affiliate of an

 

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Underwriter and that any such affiliate may offer and sell Securities purchased by it to or through any Underwriter.

 

(c)   Payment for and delivery of the Securities will be made at the offices of Paul Hastings LLP at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on August 8, 2025, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the fifth business day thereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing.  The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.

 

(d)   Payment for the Securities shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the nominee of The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), for the account of the Underwriters, of one or more global notes representing the Securities (collectively, the “Global Note”), with any transfer taxes payable in connection with the sale of the Securities duly paid by the Company.  The Global Note will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

 

(e)   The Company acknowledges and agrees that each Underwriter is acting solely in the capacity of an arm’s length contractual counterparty to the Company with respect to the offering of Securities contemplated hereby (including in connection with determining the terms of the offering) and not as a financial advisor or a fiduciary to, or an agent of, the Company or any other person.  Additionally, neither the Representatives nor any other Underwriter is advising the Company or any other person as to any legal, tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction.  The Company shall consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Underwriters shall have no responsibility or liability to the Company with respect thereto.  Any review by the Representatives or any Underwriter of the Company, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Representatives or such Underwriter, as the case may be, and shall not be on behalf of the Company, as the case may be, or any other person.

 

3.   Representations and Warranties of the Company.  The Company represents and warrants to each Underwriter that:

 

(a)   Preliminary Prospectus.  No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Preliminary Prospectus.

 

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(b)   Time of Sale Information.  The Time of Sale Information, at the Time of Sale did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus.  No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Time of Sale Information and no statement of material fact included in the Time of Sale Information that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom.

 

(c)   Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.  The Company (including its agents and representatives, other than the Underwriters in their capacity as such) has not prepared, made, used, authorized, approved or referred to and will not prepare, make, use, authorize, approve or refer to any “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i) (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Securities Act or Rule 134 under the Securities Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex A hereto, including a Pricing Term Sheet substantially in the form of Annex B hereto, which constitute part of the Time of Sale Information and (v) any electronic road show or other written communications, in each case approved in writing in advance by the Representatives.  Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Securities Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Securities Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, at the Time of Sale, did not, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to any statements or omissions made in each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(d)   Registration Statement and Prospectus.  The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Securities Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; 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 Securities Act has been received by the Company.  No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act against the

 

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Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit 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; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

(e)   Incorporated Documents.  The documents incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information, when they were filed with the Commission conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act, and none of such documents contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(f)   Financial Statements.  The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly in all material respects the consolidated financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”); and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly in all material respects the information shown thereby.  The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(g)   No Material Adverse Change.  Since the date of the most recent financial statements of the Company included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i) there has

 

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not occurred any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries have not incurred any material liability or obligation, direct or contingent, nor entered into any material transaction; (iii) the Company has not purchased any of its outstanding capital stock (other than in connection with previously announced share repurchase authorizations), nor declared, paid or otherwise made any dividend or distribution of any kind on its capital stock other than ordinary and customary dividends, except for any repurchases by the Company following the date hereof to the Closing Date, pursuant to the existing plan that has been previously announced that are not material; and (iv) there has not been any material change in the capital stock, short term debt or long term debt of the Company and its subsidiaries, except in each case as otherwise disclosed in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(h)   Organization and Good Standing.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries have been duly organized and are validly existing and in good standing under the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, are duly qualified to do business and are in good standing in each jurisdiction in which their respective ownership or lease of property or the conduct of their respective businesses requires such qualification, and have all power and authority necessary to own or hold their respective properties and to conduct the businesses in which they are engaged, except where the failure to be so qualified, in good standing or have such power or authority would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or on the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement and the Securities (a “Material Adverse Effect”).  The Company does not own or control, directly or indirectly, any corporation, association or other entity other than the subsidiaries listed in Exhibit 21 to the Registration Statement, except for entities that have been omitted pursuant to Item 601(b)(21) of Regulation S-K.

 

(i)   Capitalization.  The Company has the capitalization as set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Capitalization”; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and are owned directly or indirectly by the Company, free and clear of any liens, encumbrances, security interests or claims of any third party.

 

(j)   Due Authorization.  The Company has full right, corporate power and authority to execute and deliver this Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture (collectively, the “Transaction Documents”) and to perform its obligations hereunder and thereunder; and all action required to be taken for the due and proper authorization, execution and delivery of each of the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby has been duly and validly taken.

 

(k)   The Indenture.  Each of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and on the Closing Date will be duly executed

 

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and delivered by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the other parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability (collectively, the “Enforceability Exceptions”); and on the Closing Date the Indenture will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

(l)   The Securities.  The Securities have been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed, authenticated, issued and delivered as provided in the Indenture and paid for as provided herein, will be duly and validly issued and outstanding and will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, subject to the Enforceability Exceptions, and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

 

(m)   Underwriting Agreement.  This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

 

(n)   Descriptions of the Transaction Documents.  Each Transaction Document conforms in all material respects to the description thereof contained in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(o)   No Violation or Default.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is (i) in violation of its certificate of incorporation or by-laws or similar organizational documents; (ii) in default, and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such a default, in the due performance or observance of any term, covenant or condition contained in any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any property or asset of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject; or (iii) in violation of any law or statute or any judgment, order, rule or regulation of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, except, in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for any such default or violation that would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(p)   No Conflicts.  The execution, delivery and performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents, the issuance and sale of the Securities and compliance by the Company with the terms thereof and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents will not contravene (i) any provision of applicable law; (ii) any provision of the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Company; (iii) any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries that is material to the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; or (iv) any judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, except, in the case of clauses (i) and (iv) above, where such contravention would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(q)   No Consents Required.  No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the Company of its obligations under each of the Transaction Documents , the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by the Transaction Documents, except for (i) the registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, (ii) the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, (iii) such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders and registrations or qualifications as may be required under applicable state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters or (iv) the absence of which would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(r)   Legal Proceedings.  There are no legal, governmental or regulatory proceedings pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject other than proceedings accurately described in all material respects in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or proceedings that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(s)   Independent Accountants.  PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, who have certified certain financial statements and supporting schedules and information of the Company and its subsidiaries , is an independent registered public accounting firm with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries within the applicable rules and regulations adopted by the Commission and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and as required by the Securities Act.

 

(t)   Title to Real and Personal Property.  The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them which is material to the business of the Company and subsidiaries, except such as are described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not materially interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, subsisting and enforceable leases with such exceptions that are not material and do not interfere with the use made and proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company and its subsidiaries, in each case, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(u)   Intellectual Property.  (i) The Company and its subsidiaries own or possess or, to the knowledge of the Company, it or its subsidiaries can acquire on reasonable terms, all patents, patent rights, inventions, copyrights, know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or procedures), trademarks, service marks and trade names currently employed by them in connection with the business now operated by them, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received any notice of infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect to any of the foregoing, except in each case which, singly or in the aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(v)   Investment Company Act.  The Company is not, and after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, will not be required to register as an “investment company” within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(w)   Taxes.  Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, the Company and each of its subsidiaries have filed all tax returns required to be filed by them through the date of this Agreement (or have requested extensions thereof) and have paid all taxes required to be paid by them (including in their capacity as withholding agent).  Except as currently being contested in good faith and for which reserves required by GAAP have been created in the financial statements of the Company, no tax deficiency has been determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, nor does the Company nor any of its subsidiaries have any notice or knowledge of any tax deficiency which could reasonably be expected to be determined adversely to the Company or its subsidiaries and which has had or could reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(x)   Licenses and Permits.  The Company and its subsidiaries possess all licenses, sub-licenses, certificates, authorizations and permits issued by the appropriate federal, state or foreign regulatory authorities necessary to conduct their respective businesses as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, except as would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has received notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such license, sub-license, certificate, authorization or permit which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, would have a Material Adverse Effect, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(y)   No Labor Disputes.  No labor dispute with employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, or, to the knowledge of the Company, is imminent; and the Company is not aware of any existing, threatened or imminent labor disturbance by the employees of any of its principal suppliers, manufacturers or contractors that could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)   Compliance with Environmental Laws.  The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively, “Environmental Laws”); (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses and (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material

 

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Adverse Effect.  There are no costs or liabilities associated with Environmental Laws (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties) which would, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as described in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, there are no proceedings that are pending, or that are known to be contemplated, against the Company or any of its subsidiaries under any Environmental Laws in which a governmental entity is also a party, other than such proceedings regarding which it is reasonably believed no monetary sanctions of $300,000 or more will be imposed.

 

(aa)   Compliance with ERISA.  Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company has been maintained in all material respects in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  No prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code, has occurred with respect to such plan, excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption and transactions with respect to which no material liability to the Company or any of its subsidiaries has occurred or could reasonably be expected to occur, either singly or in the aggregate, and for each such plan that is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no failure to satisfy any “minimum funding standards” within the meaning of Section 430 of the Code has occurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeds the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions, except, in each case, as would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb)   Disclosure Controls.  The Company and its subsidiaries maintain an effective system of “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.  The Company and its subsidiaries have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act.

 

(cc)   Accounting Controls.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of “internal control over financial reporting” (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) of the Exchange Act) that comply with the requirements of the Exchange Act and have been designed by, or under the supervision of, their respective principal executive and principal financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for

 

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external purposes in accordance with GAAP.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorizations; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Time of Sale Information is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.  Since the end of the Company’s most recent audited fiscal year there has been (i) no material weakness in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting (whether or not remediated) and (ii) no change in the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting that has materially adversely affected, or is reasonably likely to materially adversely affect, the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting.

 

(dd)   Insurance.  The Company and each of its subsidiaries are insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amounts as are prudent and customary in the businesses in which they are engaged; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has been refused any insurance coverage sought or applied for; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has any reason to believe that it will not be able to renew its existing insurance coverage as and when such coverage expires or to obtain similar coverage from similar insurers as may be necessary to continue its business at a cost that would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ee)   No Unlawful Payments.  Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor their controlled affiliates, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer, employee, agent, or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries has (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee , including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit.  The Company and its subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.

 

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(ff)   Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering Laws.  The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of its subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines issued, administered or enforced by any applicable governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by any such government agency.

 

(gg)   No Conflicts with Sanctions Laws.  Neither the Company, its subsidiaries nor their controlled affiliates, nor, to the knowledge of the Company, any director, officer or employee, agent or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government, (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury (“OFAC”) or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council (“UNSC”), the European Union, His Majesty’s Treasury (“HMT”), or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company, any of its subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, the Crimea Region of Ukraine, the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, the so-called Luhansk People’s Republic, the non-government controlled areas of the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson Regions of Ukraine, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation of Sanctions by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions.  Since April 24, 2019, the Company and its subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

(hh)   No Restrictions on Subsidiaries.  No subsidiary of the Company is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, under any agreement or other instrument to which it is a party or is subject, from paying any dividends to the Company, from making any other distribution on such subsidiary’s capital stock or similar ownership interest, from repaying to the Company any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Company or from transferring any of such subsidiary’s properties or assets to the Company or any other subsidiary of the Company, except for any such restrictions (a) contained in (i) the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of January 26, 2024, among the Company, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., and the other lenders party thereto, (ii) the

 

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indenture, dated November 7, 2019, governing the Company’s 4.000% senior unsecured notes due 2029, (iii) the indenture, dated March 4, 2020, governing the Company’s 3.625% senior unsecured notes due 2030, (iv) the indenture, dated May 26, 2020, governing the Company’s 3.875% senior unsecured notes due 2031, (v) the indenture, dated May 14, 2021, governing the Company’s 3.625% Senior Notes due 2031 and (vi) the indenture, dated August 17, 2021, governing the Company’s 3.250% Senior Notes due 2033, as each described in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, or (b) that will be permitted by the Indenture.

 

(ii)   No Broker’s Fees.  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any contract, agreement or understanding with any person (other than this Agreement) that would give rise to a valid claim against any of them or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finder’s fee or like payment in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

 

(jj)   No Registration Rights.  No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Securities Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.

 

(kk)   No Stabilization.  The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(ll)   Margin Rules.  Neither the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities nor the application of the proceeds thereof by the Company as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus will violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System or any other regulation of such Board of Governors.

 

(mm)   Forward-Looking Statements.  No material forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(nn)   Statistical and Market Data.  Nothing has come to the attention of the Company that has caused the Company to believe that the statistical and market and industry-related data included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus is not based on or derived from sources that the Company reasonably believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects.

 

(oo)   Investment Advisers Act. Except for MSCI ESG Research LLC, neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is required to be registered, licensed or qualified pursuant to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (“Investment Advisers Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.  MSCI ESG Research LLC

 

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is registered under the Investment Advisers Act, and such registration is in full force and effect, and neither MSCI ESG Research LLC nor the Company has received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification any such registration.

 

(pp)   Cybersecurity.  Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus, (i)(x) there has been no security breach or other compromise of or relating to any of the Company’s or its subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data (including the data of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained by or on behalf of them), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”) and (y) the Company and its subsidiaries have not been notified of, and have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data; (ii) the Company and its subsidiaries are presently in compliance with all applicable laws or statutes and all judgments, orders, rules and regulations of any court or arbitrator or governmental or regulatory authority, internal policies and contractual obligations relating to the privacy and security of IT Systems and Data and to the protection of such IT Systems and Data from unauthorized use, access, misappropriation or modification; and (iii) the Company and its subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology consistent with industry standards and practices; except as would not, in the case of clause (i) or clause (ii), singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(qq)   Sarbanes-Oxley Act.  There is and has been no failure on the part of the Company or any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply in all material respects with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith, including Section 402 related to loans and Sections 302 and 906 related to certifications.

 

(rr)   Status under the Securities Act.  The Company is not an ineligible issuer and is a well-known seasoned issuer, in each case as defined under the Securities Act, in each case at the times specified in the Securities Act in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

4.   Further Agreements of the Company.  The Company covenants and agrees with each Underwriter that:

 

(a)   Required Filings.  The Company will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Securities Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex B hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act; and the Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City prior to 10:00 A.M., New York City time,

 

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on the business day next succeeding the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.  The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

 

(b)   Delivery of Copies.  The Company will deliver, without charge, to each Underwriter (A) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (B) during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below), as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request.  As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Securities Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

 

(c)   Amendments or Supplements; Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses.  Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus (other than documents incorporated by reference therein), whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably objects.

 

(d)   Notice to the Representatives.  The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when the Registration Statement has become effective; (ii) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (iii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iv) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (v) of the issuance by the Commission or any other governmental or regulatory authority of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Securities Act; (vi) of the occurrence of any event or development within the Prospectus Delivery Period as a result of which the Prospectus, any of the Time of Sale Information or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances

 

15

 

existing when the Prospectus, the Time of Sale Information or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vii) of the receipt by the Company 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 Securities Act; and (viii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus, any of the Time of Sale Information, Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Prospectus, or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will use its reasonable best efforts to obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

(e)   Time of Sale Information.  If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the Time of Sale Information as then amended or supplemented would 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 or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Time of Sale Information to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Time of Sale Information (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Time of Sale Information as so amended or supplemented (including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that any of the Time of Sale Information will comply with law.

 

(f)   Ongoing Compliance.  If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would 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 existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

 

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(g)   Blue Sky Compliance.  The Company will qualify the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives shall reasonably request and will continue such qualifications in effect so long as required for distribution of the Securities; provided that the Company shall not be required to (i) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (ii) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (iii) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject.

 

(h)   Earning Statement.  The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

 

(i)   Clear Market.  During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company and having a tenor of more than one year.

 

(j)   Use of Proceeds.  The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities as described in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

 

(k)   DTC.  The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(l)   No Stabilization.  The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

(m)   Record Retention.  The Company will, pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, retain copies of each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is not filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 433 under the Securities Act.

 

5. Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

 

(a)   It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex A or prepared pursuant to Section

 

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3(c) or Section 4(c) above (including any electronic road show), or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing (each such free writing prospectus referred to in clauses (i) or (iii), an “Underwriter Free Writing Prospectus”).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use the Pricing Term Sheet referred to in Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company.

 

(b)   It is not subject to any pending proceeding under Section 8A of the Securities Act with respect to the offering (and will promptly notify the Company if any such proceeding against it is initiated during the Prospectus Delivery Period).

 

6.   Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations.  The obligation of each Underwriter to purchase Securities on the Closing Date as provided herein is subject to the performance by the Company of its covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

(a)   Registration Compliance; No Stop Order.  No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Securities Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Securities Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Securities Act) and in accordance with Section 4(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

(b)   Representations and Warranties.  The representations and warranties of the Company contained herein shall be true and correct on the date hereof and on and as of the Closing Date; and the statements of the Company and its officers made in any certificates delivered pursuant to this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Closing Date.

 

(c)   No Downgrade.  Subsequent to the earlier of (A) the Time of Sale and (B) the execution and delivery of this Agreement, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Securities or any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as such term is defined under Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Securities or of any other debt securities or preferred stock issued or guaranteed by the Company or any of its subsidiaries (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

(d)   No Material Adverse Change.  No event or condition of a type described in Section 3(g) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in each of the Time of Sale Information (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable

 

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or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

(e)   Officer’s Certificate.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus and, to the knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(d) hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date and (iii) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a), (c) and (d) above. The executive officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

 

(f)   Comfort Letters.  On the date of this Agreement and on the Closing Date, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than two business days prior to the Closing Date.

 

(g)   Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Company.  Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinion and 10b-5 statement, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives.

 

(h)   Opinion and 10b-5 Statement of Counsel for the Underwriters.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion and 10b-5 statement, addressed to the Underwriters, of Paul Hastings LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

(i)   No Legal Impediment to Issuance.  No action shall have been taken and no statute, rule, regulation or order shall have been enacted, adopted or issued by any federal, state or foreign governmental or regulatory authority that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities; and no injunction or order of any federal, state or foreign court shall have been issued that would, as of the Closing Date, prevent the issuance or sale of the Securities.

 

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(j)   Good Standing.  The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date reasonably satisfactory evidence of the good standing of the Company and its subsidiaries in their respective jurisdictions of organization and their good standing in such other jurisdictions as the Representatives may reasonably request, in each case in writing or any standard form of telecommunication, from the appropriate governmental authorities of such jurisdictions.

 

(k)   DTC.  The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through DTC.

 

(l)   Indenture and Securities.  The Indenture shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and the Trustee, and the Securities shall have been duly executed and delivered by a duly authorized officer of the Company and duly authenticated by the Trustee.

 

(m)   Additional Documents.  On or prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

All opinions, letters, certificates and evidence mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall be deemed to be in compliance with the provisions hereof only if they are in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters.

 

7.   Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)   Indemnification of the Underwriters.  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the Time of Sale Information, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use therein.

 

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(b)   Indemnification of the Company.  Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Time of Sale Information, it being understood and agreed that the only such information consists of the following paragraphs in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus:  the second sentence of the seventh paragraph, the eighth paragraph, and the ninth paragraph under the caption “Underwriting (Conflicts of Interest)”.

 

(c)   Notice and Procedures.  If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person (who shall not, without the consent of the Indemnified Person, be counsel to the Indemnifying Person) to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 7 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the reasonable

 

21

 

fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be paid or reimbursed as they are incurred.  Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and BofA Securities, Inc. and any such separate firm for the Company, its directors and officers who signed the Registration Statement and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

(d)   Contribution.  If the indemnification provided for in paragraph (a) or (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net proceeds (before deducting expenses) received by the Company from the sale of the Securities and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters in connection therewith, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the Prospectus, bear to the aggregate offering price of the Securities.  The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue

 

22

 

statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(e)   Limitation on Liability.  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 7, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Securities exceeds the amount of any damages that 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 Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 7 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

(f)   Non-Exclusive Remedies.  The remedies provided for in this Section 7 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

8.   Effectiveness of Agreement.  This Agreement shall become effective as of the date first written above.

 

9.   Termination.  This Agreement may be terminated in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice to the Company, if after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and on or prior to the Closing Date (i) trading generally shall have been suspended or materially limited on the New York Stock Exchange or the over-the-counter market; (ii) trading of any securities issued or guaranteed by the Company shall have been suspended on any exchange or in any over-the-counter market; (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities shall have been declared by federal or New York State authorities; or (iv) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities or any change in financial markets or any calamity or crisis, either within or outside the United States, that, in the judgment of the Representatives, is material and adverse and makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus.

 

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10.   Defaulting Underwriter.

 

(a)   If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Securities that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Securities by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement.  If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Securities, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Securities on such terms.  If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, the Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus that effects any such changes.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 10, purchases Securities that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

(b)   If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased does not exceed one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, then the Company shall have the right to require each non-defaulting Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder plus such Underwriter’s pro rata share (based on the principal amount of Securities that such Underwriter agreed to purchase hereunder) of the Securities of such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements have not been made.

 

(c)   If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Securities of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Securities that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Securities, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters.  Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 10 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 11 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 7 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

(d)   Nothing contained herein shall relieve a defaulting Underwriter of any liability it may have to the Company or any non-defaulting Underwriter for damages caused by its default.

 

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11.   Payment of Expenses.

 

(a)   Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Securities and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing under the Securities Act of the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Time of Sale Information and the Prospectus (including all exhibits, amendments and supplements thereto) and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the Transaction Documents; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Securities under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Memorandum (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Securities; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, and the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by DTC; and (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors. It is understood, however, that except as provided in this Section 11, Section 7 hereof entitled “Indemnification and Contribution” and Section 11(b) below, the Underwriters will pay all of their costs and expenses, including fees and disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters, any transfer taxes payable in connection with a sale of Securities by the Underwriters and any advertising expenses connected with any offers the Underwriters may make.

 

(b)   If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 9 (other than clause (i), (iii) or (iv) thereof), (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Securities for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Securities for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.

 

12.   Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement.  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers and directors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates of each Underwriter referred to in Section 7 hereof.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.  No purchaser of Securities from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

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13.   Survival.  The respective indemnities, rights of contribution, representations, warranties and agreements of the Company and the Underwriters contained in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement or any certificate delivered pursuant hereto shall survive the delivery of and payment for the Securities and shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination of this Agreement or any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company or the Underwriters.

 

14.   Certain Defined Terms.  For purposes of this Agreement, (a) except where otherwise expressly provided, the term “affiliate” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; (b) the term “business day” means any day other than a day on which banks are permitted or required to be closed in New York City; and (c) the term “subsidiary” has the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

15.   Compliance with USA Patriot Act.  In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Company, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.

 

16.   Miscellaneous.

 

(a)   Authority of the Representatives.  Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and BofA Securities, Inc. on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and BofA Securities, Inc. shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

 

(b)   Notices.  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, New York 10179 (fax: 212-834-6081); Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk and BofA Securities, Inc., 114 West 47th Street, NY8-114-07-01, New York, NY 10036 (fax: 212-901-7881), Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal.  Notices to the Company shall be given to it at MSCI Inc., 7 World Trade Center, 250 Greenwich Street, 49th Floor, New York, New York 10007; Attention: General Counsel, with a copy (which shall not constitute notice) sent via email to [***].

 

(c)   Governing Law.  This Agreement and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

(d)   Submission to Jurisdiction.  The Company hereby submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the U.S. federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement

 

26

 

or the transactions contemplated hereby.  The Company waives any objection which it may now or hereafter have to the laying of venue of any such suit or proceeding in such courts.  The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any court to the jurisdiction of which Company is subject by a suit upon such judgment.

 

(e)   Waiver of Jury Trial.  Each of the parties hereto hereby waives any right to trial by jury in any suit or proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement.

 

(f)   Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

 

(i)   In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(ii)   In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

As used in this Section 16(f):

 

“BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k).

 

“Covered Entity” means any of the following:

 

(i)   a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b);

 

(ii)   a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b); or

 

(iii)   a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b).

 

“Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable.

 

27

 

“U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(g)   Counterparts.  This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, all of which counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument.  Delivery of an executed agreement by one party to the others may be made by facsimile, electronic mail (including any electronic signature complying with the New York Electronic Signatures and Records Act (N.Y. State Tech. §§ 301-309), as amended from time to time, or other applicable law) or other transmission method, and the parties hereto agree that any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes.

 

(h)   Amendments or Waivers.  No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.

 

(i)   Headings.  The headings herein are included for convenience of reference only and are not intended to be part of, or to affect the meaning or interpretation of, this Agreement.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

28

 

If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding, please indicate your acceptance of this Agreement by signing in the space provided below.

 

  Very truly yours,
  MSCI Inc.
   
   
  By: /s/ Andrew C. Wiechmann
    Name:  Andrew C. Wiechmann
    Title:    Chief Financial Officer

 

 

[Company Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

Accepted: As of the date first written above

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
 
For itself and on behalf of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.
 
 
By: /s/ Som Bhattacharyya
  Authorized Signatory
   
  Name:  Som Bhattacharyya
  Title:    Executive Director

 

 

[Representatives Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement

 

 

 

BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
 
For itself and on behalf of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto.
 
 
By: /s/ Zara Kwan
  Authorized Signatory
   
  Name:  Zara Kwan
  Title:    Managing Director

 

 

[Representatives Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

Schedule 1

 

 

Underwriter   Principal Amount of Notes
     
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC   $275,000,000
BofA Securities, Inc.   $275,000,000
Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC   $150,000,000
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC   $150,000,000
Citizens JMP Securities, LLC   $81,250,000
RBC Capital Markets, LLC   $81,250,000
TD Securities (USA) LLC   $81,250,000
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.   $37,500,000
Huntington Securities, Inc.   $37,500,000
M&T Securities, Inc.   $37,500,000
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.   $37,500,000
R. Seelaus & Co., LLC   $6,250,000
     
  Total $1,250,000,000

 

 

Schedule 1 

 

 

Annex A

 

Time of Sale Information

 

·Pricing Term Sheet, dated August 5, 2025, substantially in the form of Annex B.

 

 

Annex A

 

 

Annex B

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Statement No. 333-277791

Pricing Term Sheet

MSCI Inc.

 

$1,250,000,000 5.250% Senior Notes due 2035

 

Pricing Term Sheet

 

Issuer: MSCI Inc.
Principal Amount: $1,250,000,000
Maturity: September 1, 2035
Coupon: 5.250%
Price: 99.417% of principal amount
Yield to maturity: 5.325%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: T+ 112.5 bps
Benchmark Treasury: 4.250% UST due May 15, 2035
Benchmark Treasury Yield and Price: 100-12+ / 4.200%
Interest Payment Dates: March 1 and September 1, commencing March 1, 2026
Redemption Provisions:  
Make-whole call: Prior to June 1, 2035, at a discount rate of Treasury plus 20 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any
Par call:

On or after June 1, 2035 (three months prior to the maturity date), at 100% of the principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date

 

Settlement*: T+3; August 8, 2025
CUSIP: 55354GAR1
ISIN: US55354GAR11
Ratings**: Baa3/BBB-/BBB- (Moody’s/S&P/Fitch)
Minimum denomination: $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof
Joint Bookrunners:

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

BofA Securities, Inc.

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Citizens JMP Securities, LLC

RBC Capital Markets, LLC

TD Securities (USA) LLC

 

Co-Managers:

Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.

Huntington Securities, Inc.

M&T Securities, Inc.

Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.

R. Seelaus & Co., LLC

 

*We expect that delivery of the notes will be made against payment therefor on or about the third business day following the date of pricing of the notes (this settlement cycle being referred to as “T+3”). Under Rule 15c6-1 of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, trades in the secondary market generally are required to settle in one business day, unless the parties to any

 

 
 

such trade expressly agree otherwise. Accordingly, purchasers who wish to trade the notes on any date prior to one business day before delivery will be required, by virtue of the fact that the notes initially will settle in T+3, to specify alternate settlement arrangements at the time of any such trade to prevent a failed settlement and should consult their own advisers.

 

**Note: A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be revised or withdrawn at any time.

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC that became effective on March 8, 2024 and a preliminary prospectus supplement for the offering to which this communication relates.  Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement, the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.  You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling J.P. Morgan toll-free at (866) 846-2874 or BofA Securities, Inc. at 1-800-294-1322.

 

This communication is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated August 5, 2025 (the “Preliminary Prospectus Supplement”). The information in this Pricing Term Sheet supplements the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and supersedes the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement to the extent it is inconsistent with the information in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

 

Any disclaimers or other notices that may appear below are not applicable to this communication and should be disregarded. Such disclaimers or other notices were automatically generated as a result of this communication being sent via Bloomberg email or another communication system.

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

 

MSCI INC.

 

as the Company

 

and

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

as Trustee

 

Senior Indenture

 

Dated as of August 8, 2025

 

 

 

Table of Contents

Page

 

 

ARTICLE 1
Definitions and Incorporation by Reference

 

Section 1.01. Definitions 1
Section 1.02. Other Definitions 5
Section 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act 5
Section 1.04. Rules of Construction 5

 

ARTICLE 2
The Securities

 

Section 2.01. Form and Dating 6
Section 2.02. Execution And Authentication 6
Section 2.03. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series 8
Section 2.04. Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest 10
Section 2.05. Registrar and Paying Agent; Agents Generally 11
Section 2.06. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust 11
Section 2.07. Transfer and Exchange 12
Section 2.08. Replacement Securities 14
Section 2.09. Outstanding Securities 15
Section 2.10. Temporary Securities 16
Section 2.11. Cancellation 16
Section 2.12. CUSIP Numbers 16
Section 2.13. Defaulted Interest 16
Section 2.14. Series May Include Tranches 17

 

ARTICLE 3
Redemption

 

Section 3.01. Applicability of Article 17
Section 3.02. Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions 17
Section 3.03. Payment Of Securities Called For Redemption 19
Section 3.04. Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption 19
Section 3.05. Mandatory Redemption 19

 

ARTICLE 4
Covenants

  

Section 4.01. Payment of Securities 20
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency 20
Section 4.03. Securityholders’ Lists 21
Section 4.04. Certificate to Trustee 21
Section 4.05. Reports by the Company 21
Section 4.06. Additional Amounts 21

 

ARTICLE 5
Successor Corporation 

 

Section 5.01. When Company May Merge, Etc 22

 

i

 

Table of Contents

(continued)

Page

 

 

Section 5.02. Successor Substituted 23

 

ARTICLE 6
Default and Remedies

 

Section 6.01. Events of Default 23
Section 6.02. Acceleration 24
Section 6.03. Other Remedies 25
Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults 25
Section 6.05. Control by Majority 25
Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits 25
Section 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment 26
Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee 26
Section 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim 26
Section 6.10. Application of Proceeds 27
Section 6.11. Restoration of Rights and Remedies 27
Section 6.12. Undertaking for Costs 28
Section 6.13. Rights and Remedies Cumulative 28
Section 6.14. Delay or Omission not Waiver 28

 

ARTICLE 7
Trustee

 

Section 7.01. General 28
Section 7.02. Certain Rights of Trustee 29
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee 31
Section 7.04. Trustee’s Disclaimer 32
Section 7.05. Notice of Default 32
Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders 32
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity 32
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee 33
Section 7.09. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor 34
Section 7.10. Successor Trustee By Merger, Etc 35
Section 7.11. Eligibility 35
Section 7.12. Money Held in Trust 35

 

ARTICLE 8
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture; Unclaimed Moneys

 

Section 8.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture 35
Section 8.02. Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities 36
Section 8.03. Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent 36
Section 8.04. Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years 37
Section 8.05. Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture 37
Section 8.06. Defeasance of Certain Obligations 38

 

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Table of Contents

(continued)

Page

 

 

Section 8.07. Reinstatement 39
Section 8.08. Indemnity 40
Section 8.09. Excess Funds 40
Section 8.10. Qualifying Trustee 40

 

ARTICLE 9
Amendments, Supplements and Waivers

 

Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders 40
Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders 41
Section 9.03. Revocation and Effect of Consent 42
Section 9.04. Notation on or Exchange of Securities 42
Section 9.05. Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc 43
Section 9.06. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act 43

 

ARTICLE 10
Miscellaneous

 

Section 10.01. Trust Indenture Act of 1939 43
Section 10.02. Notices 43
Section 10.03. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent 44
Section 10.04. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion 44
Section 10.05. Evidence of Ownership 45
Section 10.06. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar 45
Section 10.07. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day 45
Section 10.08. Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial 45
Section 10.09. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements 45
Section 10.10. Successors 45
Section 10.11. Duplicate Originals; Electronic Signatures 45
Section 10.12. Separability 46
Section 10.13. Table of Contents, Headings, Etc 46
Section 10.14. Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability 46
Section 10.15. Judgment Currency 46

 

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SENIOR INDENTURE, dated as of August 8, 2025, between MSCI Inc., a Delaware corporation, as the Company, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the issue from time to time of its senior debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series (the “Securities”) up to such principal amount or amounts as may from time to time be authorized in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and to provide, among other things, for the authentication, delivery and administration thereof, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid indenture and agreement according to its terms have been done;

 

NOW, THEREFORE:

 

In consideration of the premises and the purchases of the Securities by the holders thereof, the Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time of the Securities or of any and all series thereof as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1
Definitions and Incorporation by Reference

 

Section 1.01.    Definitions.

 

Affiliate” of any Person means any other Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such Person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling”, “controlled by” and “under common control with”) when used with respect to any Person means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent, transfer agent or Authenticating Agent.

 

Board Resolution” means one or more resolutions of the board of directors of the Company or any authorized committee thereof, certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary to have been duly adopted and to be in full force and effect on the date of certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Business Day” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York or in the place of payment, with respect to any Security the interest on which is based on the offered quotations in the interbank Eurodollar market for dollar deposits in London, or with respect to Securities denominated in a specified

 

 

 

currency other than United States dollars, in the principal financial center of the country of the specified currency.

 

Capital Lease” means, with respect to any Person, any lease of any property which, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person.

 

Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act or, if at any time after the execution of this instrument such Commission is not existing and performing the duties now assigned to it under the Trust Indenture Act, then the body performing such duties at such time.

 

Company” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor replaces it pursuant to Article 5 of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor.

 

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which the corporate trust business of the Trustee shall, at any particular time, be administered, which office is, at the date of this Indenture, located at Wilmington Trust, National Association, 50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402 Attention: MSCI Inc. Administrator.

 

Default” means any event that is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

 

Depositary” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary by the Company pursuant to Section 2.03 until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Depositary” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depositary” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Registered Global Securities of that series.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the U.S. as in effect as of the date hereof applied on a basis consistent with the principles, methods, procedures and practices employed in the preparation of the Company’s audited financial statements, including, without limitation, those set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as is approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.

 

Holder” or “Securityholder” means the registered holder of any Security with respect to Registered Securities.

 

Indenture” means this Indenture as originally executed and delivered or as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental to this Indenture entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture and shall

 

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include the forms and terms of the Securities of each series established as contemplated pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.03.

 

Officer” means, with respect to the Company, the chairman of the board of directors, the president or chief executive officer, any executive vice president, any senior vice president, any vice president, the chief financial officer, the treasurer or any assistant treasurer, or the secretary or any assistant secretary.

 

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Principal Accounting Officer, the Chief Strategy Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, Principal Accounting Officer, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or any officer for whom an incumbency certificate has been delivered to the Trustee, evidencing such officer’s authority to sign on behalf of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable, and include (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Indenture) the statements provided in Section 10.04, if applicable.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion signed by legal counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company, satisfactory to the Trustee. Each such opinion shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable, and include the statements provided in Section 10.04, if and to the extent required thereby.

 

original issue date” of any Security (or portion thereof) means the earlier of (a) the date of authentication of such Security or (b) the date of any Security (or portion thereof) for which such Security was issued (directly or indirectly) on registration of transfer, exchange or substitution.

 

Original Issue Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.

 

Periodic Offering” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the stated maturity or maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Company or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

 

Person” means an individual, a corporation, a partnership, a limited liability company, an association, a trust or any other entity or organization, including a government or political subdivision or an agency or instrumentality thereof.

 

Principal” of a Security means the principal amount of, and, unless the context indicates otherwise, includes any premium payable on, the Security.

 

Registered Global Security” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Registered Securities, issued to the Depositary for such series in accordance with Section 2.02, and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 2.02.

 

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Registered Security” means any Security registered on the Security Register (as defined in Section 2.05).

 

Responsible Officer” when used with respect to the Trustee, shall mean an officer of the Trustee in the Corporate Trust Office, having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and also, with respect to a particular matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

Securities” means any of the securities, as defined in the first paragraph of the recitals hereof, that are authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 

Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which a majority of the capital stock or other ownership interests having ordinary voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or other persons performing similar functions are at the time directly or indirectly owned by such Person.

 

Trustee” means the party named as such in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 and thereafter 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.

 

Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb), as it may be amended from time to time.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” means securities that 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 an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government 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 U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

Yield to Maturity” means, as the context may require, the yield to maturity (i) on a series of Securities or (ii) if the Securities of a series are issuable from time to time, on a Security of such series, calculated at the time of issuance of such series in the case of clause (i) or at the time of issuance of such Security of such series in the case of clause (ii), or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such series or on such Security, and

 

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calculated in accordance with the constant interest method or such other accepted financial practice as is specified in the terms of such Security.

 

Section 1.02.    Other Definitions. Each of the following terms is defined in the section set forth opposite such term:

 

Term 

Section 

Authenticating Agent 2.02
Cash Transaction 7.03
Dollars 4.02
Event of Default 6.01
Judgment Currency 10.15(a)
mandatory sinking fund payment 3.05
optional sinking fund payment 3.05
Paying Agent 2.05
record date 2.04
Registrar 2.05
Required Currency 10.15(a)
Security Register 2.05
self-liquidating paper 7.03
sinking fund payment date 3.05
tranche 2.14

 

Section 1.03.    Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act have the following meanings:

 

default” means Event of Default;

 

indenture securities” means the Securities;

 

indenture security holder” means a Holder or a Securityholder;

 

indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture;

 

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee; and

 

obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company or any other obligor on the Securities.

 

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act, defined by reference in the Trust Indenture Act to another statute or defined by a rule of the Commission and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them therein.

 

Section 1.04.    Rules of Construction. Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

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(a)   an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;

 

(b)   words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular;

 

(c)   “herein,” “hereof” and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision;

 

(d)   all references to Sections or Articles refer to Sections or Articles of this Indenture unless otherwise indicated; and

 

(e)   use of masculine, feminine or neuter pronouns should not be deemed a limitation, and the use of any such pronouns should be construed to include, where appropriate, the other pronouns.

 

ARTICLE 2
The Securities

 

Section 2.01.    Form and Dating. The Securities of each series shall be substantially in such form or forms (not inconsistent with this Indenture) as shall be established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends or endorsements, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, as may be required to comply with any law, or with any rules of any securities exchange or usage, all as may be determined by the officers executing such Securities as evidenced by their execution of the Securities.

 

Section 2.02.    Execution And Authentication. Two Officers shall execute the Securities for the Company by facsimile, manual or electronic (including “.pdf” or DocuSign or other electronic signature platform)  signature in the name and on behalf of the Company. If an Officer whose signature is on a Security thereto no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid.

 

The Trustee, at the expense of the Company, may appoint an authenticating agent (the “Authenticating Agent”) to authenticate Securities. The Authenticating Agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such Authenticating Agent.

 

A Security shall not be valid until the Trustee or Authenticating Agent manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Security by an authorized officer. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture.

 

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 the applicable documents referred to below in this Section, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver such Securities to or upon the

 

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written order of the Company. In authenticating any Securities of a series, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive prior to the authentication of any Securities of such series, and (subject to Article 7) shall be fully protected in relying upon, unless and until such documents have been superseded or revoked:

 

(a)   any Board Resolution and/or executed supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.01 and 2.03 by or pursuant to which the forms and terms of the Securities of that series were established;

 

(b)   an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the form or forms and terms of the Securities, stating that the form or forms and terms of the Securities of such series have been, or, in the case of a Periodic Offering, will be when established in accordance with such procedures as shall be referred to therein, established in compliance with this Indenture; and

 

(c)   an Opinion of Counsel substantially to the effect that the form or forms and terms of the Securities of such series have been, or, in the case of a Periodic Offering, will be when established in accordance with such procedures as shall be referred to therein, established in compliance with this Indenture and that the supplemental indenture, to the extent applicable, and Securities have been duly authorized and, if executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and duly paid for by the purchasers thereof on the date of such opinion, would be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and would be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their respective terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium and other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, general principles of equity, and covering such other matters as shall be specified therein and as shall be reasonably requested by the Trustee.

 

The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Sections 2.01 and 2.02, if, in connection with a Periodic Offering, all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Board Resolution otherwise required pursuant to Section 2.01 or the written order, Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to Section 2.02 at or prior to the authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

 

With respect to Securities of a series offered in a Periodic Offering, the Trustee may rely, as to the authorization by the Company of any of such Securities, the forms and terms thereof and the legality, validity, binding effect and enforceability thereof, upon the Opinion of Counsel and the other documents delivered pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.02, as applicable, in connection with the first authentication of Securities of such series.

 

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If the Company shall establish pursuant to Section 2.03 that the Securities of a series or a portion thereof are to be issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, then the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver one or more Registered Global Securities that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all of the Securities of such series issued in such form and not yet cancelled, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Registered Global Security or Securities or the nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or its custodian or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect: “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive registered form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to the nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.”

 

Section 2.03.    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 Board Resolution or one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the initial issuance of Securities of any series, subject to the last sentence of this Section 2.03,

 

(a)   the designation of the Securities of the series, which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from the Securities of all other series;

 

(b)   any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture and any limitation on the ability of the Company to increase such aggregate principal amount after the initial issuance of the Securities of that series (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, or upon redemption of, other Securities of the series pursuant hereto);

 

(c)   the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable (which date or dates may be fixed or extendible);

 

(d)   the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, on which such interest shall be payable and on which a record shall be taken for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable and/or the method by which such rate or rates or date or dates shall be determined;

 

(e)   if other than as provided in Section 4.02, the place or places where the principal of and any interest on Securities of the series shall be payable, the Securities of the series may be surrendered for exchange, notices, demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of the series and this Indenture may be served;

 

(f)    the right, if any, of the Company to redeem Securities of the series, in whole or in part, at its option and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and

 

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any terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series may be so redeemed, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;

 

(g)   the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the price or prices at which and the period or periods within which and any of the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

(h)   if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

 

(i)     if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof;

 

(j)     if other than the coin or currency in which the Securities of the series are denominated, the coin or currency in which payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of the series shall be payable or if the amount of payments of principal of and/or interest on the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index based on a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities of the series are denominated, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

 

(k)   if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payment of the Principal of and interest on the Securities of the series shall be payable, and the manner in which any such currencies shall be valued against other currencies in which any other Securities shall be payable;

 

(l)     whether the Securities of the series or any portion thereof will be issuable as Registered Global Securities ;

 

(m) whether the Securities of the series may be exchangeable for and/or convertible into the common stock of the Company or any other security;

 

(n)   whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay additional amounts on the Securities of the series held by a person who is not a U.S. person in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts;

 

(o)   if the Securities of the series are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security of such series) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

 

(p)   any trustees, depositaries, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or the registrar or any other agents with respect to the Securities of the series;

 

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(q)   provisions, if any, for the defeasance of the Securities of the series (including provisions permitting defeasance of less than all Securities of the series), which provisions may be in addition to, in substitution for, or in modification of (or any combination of the foregoing) the provisions of Article 8;

 

(r)    if the Securities of the series are issuable in whole or in part as one or more Registered Global Securities , the identity of the Depositary or common Depositary for such Registered Global Security;

 

(s)    any other Events of Default or covenants with respect to the Securities of the series; and

 

(t)     any other terms of the Securities 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 in the case of Registered Securities as to date and denomination, except in the case of any Periodic Offering and except as may otherwise be provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above or as set forth in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to such Board Resolution or in any such indenture supplemental hereto and any forms and terms of Securities to be issued from time to time may be completed and established from time to time prior to the issuance thereof by procedures described in such Board Resolution or supplemental indenture.

 

Unless otherwise expressly provided with respect to a series of Securities, the aggregate principal amount of a series of Securities may be increased and additional Securities of such series may be issued up to the maximum aggregate principal amount authorized with respect to such series as increased.

 

Section 2.04.    Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest. The Securities of each series shall be issuable as Registered Securities in denominations established as contemplated by Section 2.03 or, if not so established with respect to Securities of any series, in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. The Securities of each series shall be numbered, lettered or otherwise distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plan as the Officers of the Company executing the same may determine, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

 

Unless otherwise specified with respect to a series of Securities, each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. The Securities of each series shall bear interest, if any, from the date, and such interest and shall be payable on the dates, established as contemplated by Section 2.03.

 

The person in whose name any Registered Security of any series is registered at the close of business on any record date applicable to a particular series with respect to any interest payment date for such series shall be entitled to receive the interest, if any, payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such Registered Security subsequent to the record date and prior to such interest payment date, except if and to the extent

 

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the Company shall default in the payment of the interest due on such interest payment date for such series, in which case the provisions of Section 2.13 shall apply. The term “record date” as used with respect to any interest payment date (except a date for payment of defaulted interest) for the Securities of any series shall mean the date specified as such in the terms of the Registered Securities of such series established as contemplated by Section 2.03, or, if no such date is so established, the fifteenth day next preceding such interest payment date, whether or not such record date is a Business Day.

 

Section 2.05.    Registrar and Paying Agent; Agents Generally. The Company shall maintain an office or agency where Securities may be presented for registration, registration of transfer or for exchange (the “Registrar”) and an office or agency where Securities may be presented for payment (the “Paying Agent”), which shall be in the continental United States. The Company shall cause the Registrar to keep a register of the Registered Securities and of their registration, transfer and exchange (the “Security Register”). The Company may have one or more additional Paying Agents or transfer agents with respect to any series.

 

The Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act that relate to such Agent. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address of any Agent and any change in the name or address of an Agent. If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Company may remove any Agent upon written notice to such Agent and the Trustee; provided that no such removal shall become effective until (i) the acceptance of an appointment by a successor Agent to such Agent as evidenced by an appropriate agency agreement entered into by the Company and such successor Agent and delivered to the Trustee or (ii) notification to the Trustee that the Trustee shall serve as such Agent until the appointment of a successor Agent in accordance with clause (i) of this proviso. The Company or any affiliate of the Company may act as Paying Agent or Registrar; provided that neither the Company nor an affiliate of the Company shall act as Paying Agent in connection with the defeasance of the Securities or the discharge of this Indenture under Article 8.

 

The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent. If, at any time, the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Registrar shall make available to the Trustee 10 days prior to each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may reasonably request the names and addresses of the Holders as they appear in the Security Register.

 

Section 2.06.    Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. Not later than 11:00 a.m. New York City time on each due date of any Principal or interest on any Securities, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay such Principal or interest. The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that such Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of Principal of and interest on such Securities and shall promptly notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and account for any funds disbursed, and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed. Upon

 

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doing so, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for the money so paid over to the Trustee. If the Company or any affiliate of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it will, on or before each due date of any Principal of or interest on any Securities, segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders thereof a sum of money sufficient to pay such Principal or interest so becoming due until such sum of money shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as provided in this Indenture, and will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of its action or failure to act as required by this Section.

 

Section 2.07.    Transfer and Exchange.

 

At the option of the Holder thereof, Registered Securities of any series (other than a Registered Global Security, except as set forth below) may be exchanged for a Registered Security or Registered Securities of such series and tenor having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Registered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Company that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 2.05 and upon payment, if the Company shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided 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.

 

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of a series at the agency of the Company that shall be maintained for that purpose in accordance with Section 2.05 and upon payment, if the Company shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount.

 

All Registered Securities presented for registration of transfer, exchange, redemption or payment shall be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

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 exchange or registration of transfer of Securities. No service charge shall be made for any such transaction.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.07, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive registered form, a Registered Global Security representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

 

If at any time the Depositary for any Registered Global Securities of any series notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Registered Global Securities or if at any time the Depositary for such Registered Global Securities shall no

 

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longer be eligible under applicable law, the Company shall appoint a successor Depositary eligible under applicable law with respect to such Registered Global Securities. If a successor Depositary eligible under applicable law for such Registered Global Securities is not appointed by the Company within 90 days after the Company receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of the Company’s order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, will authenticate and deliver Registered Securities of such series and tenor, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Registered Global Securities, in exchange for such Registered Global Securities.

 

The Company may at any time and in its sole discretion and subject to the procedures of the Depositary determine that any Registered Global Securities of any series shall no longer be maintained in global form. In such event the Company will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of the Company’s order for the authentication and delivery of definitive Registered Securities of such series and tenor, will authenticate and deliver, Registered Securities of such series and tenor in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Registered Global Securities, in exchange for such Registered Global Securities.

 

Any time the Registered Securities of any series are not in the form of Registered Global Securities pursuant to the preceding two paragraphs, the Company agrees to supply the Trustee with a reasonable supply of certificated Registered Securities without the legend required by Section 2.02 and the Trustee agrees to hold such Registered Securities in safekeeping until authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

 

If established by the Company pursuant to Section 2.03 with respect to any Registered Global Security, the Depositary for such Registered Global Security may surrender such Registered Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for Registered Securities of the same series and tenor in definitive registered form on such terms as are acceptable to the Company and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

 

(a)   to the Person specified by such Depositary new Registered Securities of the same series and tenor, of any authorized denominations as requested by such Person, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Registered Global Security; and

 

(b)   to such Depositary a new Registered Global Security in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Registered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Registered Securities authenticated and delivered pursuant to clause (a) above.

 

Registered Securities issued in exchange for a Registered Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.07 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Registered Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the

 

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Company or the Trustee. The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

All Securities issued upon any 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 transfer or exchange.

 

The Registrar shall not be required (i) to issue, authenticate, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any series for a period of 15 days before a selection of such Securities to be redeemed or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security selected for redemption in whole or in part.

 

Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, neither the Trustee nor the Registrar shall be responsible for ascertaining whether any transfer complies with the registration provisions of or exemptions from the Securities Act or applicable state securities laws.

 

With respect to Registered Global Securities, members of, or participants in, the Depositary shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Registered Global Security held on their behalf by the Depositary, or the Trustee as its custodian, or under the Registered Global Security, and the Depositary may be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of the Registered Global Security for all purposes whatsoever.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and participants, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of a Holder of any Security.

 

Section 2.08.    Replacement Securities. If any mutilated Security  is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, 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.

 

If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) 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 save each of them and any agent of any 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 the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen 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 (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated Security) if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Company and the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of any of them harmless, and in the case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence satisfactory to the Company and

 

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the Trustee and any agent of them of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security and the ownership thereof.

 

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith.

 

Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for any 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 any such new Security shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that series duly issued hereunder.

 

The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) any other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

 

Section 2.09.    Outstanding Securities. Securities outstanding at any time are all Securities that have been authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those described in this Section as not outstanding and those that have been defeased pursuant to Section 8.05.

 

If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding unless and until the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Security is held by a holder in due course.

 

If the Paying Agent (other than the Company or an affiliate of the Company) holds on the maturity date or any redemption date or date for repurchase of the Securities money sufficient to pay Securities payable or to be redeemed or repurchased on that date, then on and after that date such Securities cease to be outstanding and interest on them shall cease to accrue.

 

A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or one of its affiliates holds such Security, 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, consent or waiver hereunder, Securities owned by the Company or any affiliate of the Company 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 as to which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee  has received written notice to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Any Securities so owned which are pledged by the Company, or by any affiliate of the Company, as security for loans or other obligations, otherwise than to another such affiliate of the Company, shall be deemed to be outstanding, if the pledgee is entitled pursuant to the terms of its pledge agreement and is free to exercise in its or his discretion the right to vote such securities, uncontrolled by the Company or by any such affiliate.

 

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Section 2.10.    Temporary Securities. Until definitive Securities of any series are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities of such series. Temporary Securities of any series shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities of such series but may have insertions, substitutions, omissions and other variations determined to be appropriate by the Officers executing the temporary Securities, as evidenced by their execution of such temporary Securities. If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series and tenor upon surrender of such temporary Securities at the office or agency of the Company designated for such purpose pursuant to Section 4.02, 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 such series and tenor and authorized denominations. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

 

Section 2.11.    Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold. The Registrar, any transfer agent and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel and dispose of in accordance with its customary procedures all Securities surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation and shall deliver a certificate of disposition to the Company. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities it has paid in full or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

 

Section 2.12.    CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” and “CINS” numbers (if then generally in use), CUSIP numbers or CINS numbers, as the case may be, may be used in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders; provided that the Trustee shall not be responsible for the accuracy of any CUSIP or CINS number printed on any Security, notice of redemption or elsewhere and no representation shall be made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of redemption or exchange.

 

Section 2.13.    Defaulted Interest. If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Registered Securities, it shall pay, or shall deposit with the Paying Agent money in immediately available funds sufficient to pay, the defaulted interest plus (to the extent lawful) any interest payable on the defaulted interest (as may be specified in the terms thereof, established pursuant to Section 2.03) to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, which shall mean the 15th day next preceding the date fixed by the Company for the payment of defaulted interest, whether or not such day is a Business Day. At least 15 days before such special record date, the Company shall mail to each Holder of such Registered Securities and to the Trustee a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest to be paid.

 

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The Trustee shall not be under any duty or responsibility to any Holders to determine the defaulted interest, or with respect to the nature, extent or calculation of the defaulted interest owed, or with respect to the method employed in such calculation of the defaulted interest.

 

Section 2.14.    Series May Include Tranches. A series of Securities may include one or more tranches (each a “tranche”) of Securities, including Securities issued in a Periodic Offering. The Securities of different tranches may have one or more different terms, including authentication dates and public offering prices, but all the Securities within each such tranche shall have identical terms, including authentication date and public offering price. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, with respect to Sections 2.02 (other than the fourth, sixth and seventh paragraphs thereof) through 2.04, 2.07, 2.08, 2.10, 3.01 through 3.05, 4.02, 6.01 through 6.14, 8.01 through 8.07, 9.02 and Section 10.07, if any series of Securities includes more than one tranche, all provisions of such sections applicable to any series of Securities shall be deemed equally applicable to each tranche of any series of Securities in the same manner as though originally designated a series unless otherwise provided with respect to such series or tranche pursuant to Section 2.03. In particular, and without limiting the scope of the next preceding sentence, any of the provisions of such sections which provide for or permit action to be taken with respect to a series of Securities shall also be deemed to provide for and permit such action to be taken instead only with respect to Securities of one or more tranches within that series (and such provisions shall be deemed satisfied thereby), even if no comparable action is taken with respect to Securities in the remaining tranches of that series.

 

ARTICLE 3
Redemption

 

Section 3.01.    Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of any series which are redeemable before their maturity or to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.03 for Securities of such series.

 

Section 3.02.    Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions. Notice of redemption to the Holders of Registered Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part at the option of the Company shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 10 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to such Holders of Registered Securities of such series (with a copy to the Trustee) at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the registry books or, in the case of Registered Global Securities, by sending such notice in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary.  Any notice which is mailed or sent in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice. Failure to give such notice, or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security of a series designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security of such series.

 

The notice of redemption to each such Holder shall specify the principal amount of each Security of such series to be redeemed, the CUSIP numbers of the Securities to be redeemed, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price, or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof, the place or places of payment, that payment will be made upon

 

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presentation and surrender of such Securities, that such redemption is pursuant to the mandatory or optional sinking fund, or both, if such be the case, that interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in such notice and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portions thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue. In case any Security of a series is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that on and after the date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series and tenor in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

 

The notice of redemption of Securities of any series to be redeemed at the option of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company, provided that the Company shall have requested the Trustee to send such notice in an Officer’s Certificate, including a form of such notice, delivered to the Trustee at least three (3) Business Days (or such shorter period as shall be acceptable to the Trustee) prior to the requested date of delivery.

 

On or before 11:00 a.m. New York City time on the redemption date  the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more Paying Agents (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 2.06) an amount of money sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all the Securities of such series so called for redemption at the appropriate redemption price, together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption. If all of the outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Company will deliver to the Trustee at least three (3) Business Days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given to Holders pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 3.02 (or such shorter period as shall be acceptable to the Trustee) an Officer’s Certificate stating that all such Securities are to be redeemed. If less than all the outstanding Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Company will deliver to the Trustee at least three (3) Business Days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given to Holders pursuant to the first paragraph of this Section 3.02 (or such shorter period as shall be acceptable to the Trustee) an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of such Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (a) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (b) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee, prior to the giving of any notice of redemption to Holders pursuant to this Section, an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

 

If less than all the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select, pro rata, by lot or in such manner as it shall deem appropriate and fair, Securities of such series to be redeemed in whole or in part or, if the Securities are Restricted Global Securities, selection of the Securities for redemption shall be made by the Depositary in accordance with its applicable procedures. Securities may be redeemed in part in principal amounts equal to authorized denominations for Securities of such series. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities of such series selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities of such series 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 Security redeemed or to be

 

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redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

Section 3.03.    Payment Of Securities Called For Redemption. If notice of redemption has been given as above provided, the Securities or portions of Securities specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption, and on and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities at the redemption price, together with interest accrued to such date) interest on the Securities or portions of Securities so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, except as provided in Sections 7.12 and 8.02, such Securities shall cease from and after the date fixed for redemption to be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture, and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Securities except the right to receive the redemption price thereof and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption. On presentation and surrender of such Securities at a place of payment specified in said notice, said Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided that payment of interest becoming due on or prior to the date fixed for redemption shall be payable to the Holders of such Registered Securities registered as such on the relevant record date subject to the terms and provisions of Sections 2.04 and 2.13 hereof.

 

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid or duly provided for, bear interest from the date fixed for redemption at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security) borne by such Security.

 

Upon presentation of any Security of any series redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or on the order of the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of such series and tenor, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Security so presented.

 

Section 3.04.    Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption. Securities shall be excluded from eligibility for selection for redemption if they are identified by registration and certificate number in a written statement signed by an authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at least 40 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given as being owned of record and beneficially by, and not pledged or hypothecated by, either (a) the Company or (b) an entity specifically identified in such written statement as directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company.

 

Section 3.05.    Mandatory Redemption. The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption payments or sinking fund payments with respect to the Securities. The Company and its Affiliates may at any time and from time to time purchase the Securities in the open-market transactions, tender offers or otherwise.

 

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ARTICLE 4
Covenants

 

Section 4.01.    Payment of Securities. The Company shall pay the Principal of and interest on the Securities on the dates and in the manner provided in the Securities and this Indenture. The interest on Registered Securities (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be payable only to the Holders thereof (subject to Section 2.04) and at the option of the Company may be paid by wire transfer to an account within the United States or by mailing checks for such interest payable to or upon the written order of such Holders at their last addresses as they appear on the Security Register of the Company.

 

Notwithstanding any provisions of this Indenture and the Securities of any series to the contrary, if the Company and a Holder of any Registered Security so agree, payments of interest on, and any portion of the Principal of, such Holder’s Registered Security (other than interest payable at maturity or on any redemption or repayment date or the final payment of Principal on such Security) shall be made by the Paying Agent, upon receipt from the Company of immediately available funds by 11:00 a.m., New York City time (or such other time as may be agreed to between the Company and the Paying Agent), directly to the Holder of such Security (by Federal funds wire transfer or otherwise) if the Holder has delivered written instructions to the Trustee 15 days prior to such payment date requesting that such payment will be so made and designating the bank account to which such payments shall be so made and in the case of payments of Principal, surrenders the same to the Trustee in exchange for a Security or Securities aggregating the same principal amount as the unredeemed principal amount of the Securities surrendered. The Trustee shall be entitled to rely on the last instruction delivered by the Holder pursuant to this Section 4.01 unless a new instruction is delivered 15 days prior to a payment date. The Company will indemnify and hold each of the Trustee and any Paying Agent harmless against any loss, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) resulting from any act or omission to act on the part of the Company or any such Holder in connection with any such agreement or from making any payment in accordance with any such agreement.

 

The Company shall pay interest on overdue Principal, and interest on overdue installments of interest, to the extent lawful, at the rate per annum specified in the Securities.

 

Section 4.02.    Maintenance of Office or Agency. The Company will maintain in the United States of America, an office or agency where Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange or for presentation for payment and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities and this Indenture may be served. The Company hereby initially designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as such office or agency of the Company. 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 address of the Trustee set forth in Section 10.02; provided, however that the Trustee shall not be deemed an agent of the Company for service of legal process.

 

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of any series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such

 

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purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in the United States of America 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 4.03.    Securityholders’ Lists. The Company will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the holders of the Securities pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (a) semi-annually not more than 15 days after each record date for the payment of semi-annual interest on the Securities, as hereinabove specified, as of such record date, and (b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Company of any such request as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such information is furnished.

 

Section 4.04.    Certificate to Trustee. The Company will furnish to the Trustee annually, on or before a date not more than four months after the end of its fiscal year (which, on the date hereof, is a calendar year), a brief certificate (which need not contain the statements required by Section 10.04) from its principal executive, financial or accounting officer as to his or her knowledge of the compliance of the Company with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture (such compliance to be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture) which certificate shall comply with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 4.05.    Reports by the Company. The Company covenants to file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company files the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act. Reports, information and documents filed with the Commission via the EDGAR system will be deemed to be delivered to the Trustee as of the time of such filing via EDGAR for purposes of this Section 4.05.

 

The Trustee shall have no duty to review or analyze reports delivered to it pursuant to this Section 4.05. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee pursuant to this Section 4.05 is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt thereof shall not constitute actual or constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company compliance with any of its covenants under this Indenture (as to which the Trustee is entitled to certificates).  The Trustee shall not be obligated to monitor or confirm, on a continuing basis or otherwise, the Company’s compliance with the covenants or with respect to any reports or other documents filed with the Commission, EDGAR or any website under this Indenture.

 

Section 4.06.    Additional Amounts. If the Securities of a series provide for the payment of additional amounts, at least 10 days prior to the first interest payment date with respect to that series of Securities and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of Principal of or interest on the Securities of that series if there has been a change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officer’s Certificate, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee and the principal paying agent, if other than the Trustee, an Officer’s Certificate instructing the Trustee

 

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and such paying agent whether such payment of Principal of or interest on the Securities of that series shall be made to Holders of the Securities of that series without withholding or deduction for or on account of any tax, assessment or other governmental charge described in the Securities of that series. If any such withholding or deduction shall be required, then such Officer’s Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld or deducted on such payments to such Holders and shall certify the fact that additional amounts will be payable and the amounts so payable to each Holder, and the Company shall pay to the Trustee or such paying agent the additional amounts required to be paid by this Section. The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any paying agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officer’s Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section.

 

Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the Principal of or interest or any other amounts on, or in respect of, any Security of any series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of additional amounts provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, additional amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of additional amounts (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding the payment of additional amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

 

ARTICLE 5
Successor Corporation

 

Section 5.01.    When Company May Merge, Etc. The Company shall not consolidate with, merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property and assets (in one transaction or a series of related transactions) to, any Person unless either (x) the Company shall be the continuing Person or (y) the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which properties and assets of the Company shall be sold, conveyed, transferred or leased shall be a Person organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America or any jurisdiction thereof and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Company on all of the Securities and under this Indenture and the Company in the case of clauses (x) and (y) shall have delivered to the Trustee (A) an Opinion of Counsel stating that such consolidation, merger or sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture (if any) complies with this provision and that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such transaction have been complied with and that such supplemental indenture (if any) constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company and such successor enforceable against such entity in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions and (B) an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default shall have occurred and be continuing, that such consolidation, merger or sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and such supplemental indenture (if any) complies with this provision and that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such transaction have been satisfied.

 

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Section 5.02.    Successor Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01 of this Indenture, the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein and thereafter the predecessor Person, except in the case of a lease, shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

 

ARTICLE 6
Default and Remedies

 

Section 6.01.    Events of Default. An “Event of Default” shall occur with respect to the Securities of any series if:

 

(a)   the Company defaults in the payment of the Principal of any Security of such series when the same becomes due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration, redemption or mandatory repurchase, including as a sinking fund installment, or otherwise;

 

(b)   the Company defaults in the payment of interest on any Security of such series when the same becomes due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

(c)   the Company defaults in the performance of or breaches any other covenant or agreement of the Company in this Indenture with respect to any Security of such series or in the Securities of such series and such default or breach continues for a period of 30 consecutive days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series affected thereby specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(d)   a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of its property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days;

 

(e)   the Company (i) commences a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, (ii) consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Company or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Company or (iii) effects any general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

 

(f)    any other Event of Default established pursuant to Section 2.03 with respect to the Securities of such series occurs.

 

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Section 6.02.    Acceleration. (a) If an Event of Default other than as described in clauses (d) or (e) of Section 6.01 with respect to the Securities of any series then outstanding occurs and is continuing, then, and in each and every such case, except for any series of Securities the principal of which shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any such series then outstanding hereunder (all such series voting together as a single class) by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Securities of any such series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series established pursuant to Section 2.03) of all Securities of such series, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable.

 

(b)   If an Event of Default described in clause (d) or (e) of Section 6.01 occurs and is continuing, then the principal amount (or, if any Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof established pursuant to Section 2.03) of all the Securities then outstanding and interest accrued thereon, if any, shall be and become immediately due and payable, without any notice or other action by any Holder or the Trustee, to the full extent permitted by applicable law.

 

The foregoing provisions, however, are subject to the condition that if, at any time after the principal (or, if the Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof established pursuant to Section 2.03) of the Securities of any series (or of all the Securities, as the case may be) shall have been so declared or become due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Company shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest upon all the Securities of each such series (or of all the Securities, as the case may be) and the principal of any and all Securities of each such series (or of all the Securities, as the case may be) which shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest upon such principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, on overdue installments of interest, at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of each such series to the date of such payment or deposit) and such amount as shall be sufficient to cover all amounts owing the Trustee under Section 7.07, and if any and all Events of Default under the Indenture, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities which shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured, waived or otherwise remedied as provided herein, then and in every such case the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of all the then outstanding Securities of all such series that have been accelerated (voting as a single class), by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults with respect to all such series (or with respect to all the Securities, as the case may be) and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, but no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon.

 

For all purposes under this Indenture, if a portion of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Securities shall have been accelerated and declared or become due and payable pursuant to the provisions hereof, then, from and after such declaration, unless such declaration

 

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has been rescinded and annulled, the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities shall be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, and payment of such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, together with interest, if any, thereon and all other amounts owing thereunder, shall constitute payment in full of such Original Issue Discount Securities.

 

Section 6.03.    Other Remedies. If a payment default or an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue, in its own name or as trustee of an express trust, any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of Principal of and interest on the Securities of such series or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Securities of such series or this Indenture.

 

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Securities or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.

 

Section 6.04.    Waiver of Past Defaults. Subject to Sections 6.02, 6.07 and 9.02, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount (or, if the Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as is then accelerable under Section 6.02) of the outstanding Securities of all series affected (voting as a single class), by notice to the Trustee, may waive an existing Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of Principal of or interest on any Security as specified in clauses (a) or (b) of Section 6.01 or in respect of a covenant or provision of this Indenture which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security affected. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series 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 Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

 

Section 6.05.    Control by Majority. Subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02(e), the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount (or, if any Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as is then accelerable under Section 6.02) of the outstanding Securities of all series affected (voting as a single class) may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by this Indenture; provided, that the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, that may involve the Trustee in personal liability or that the Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders not joining in the giving of such direction (provided, however, that the Trustee shall not have an affirmative obligation to determine whether any such direction is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any Holders not joining in the giving of such direction); and provided further, that the Trustee may take any other action it deems proper that is not inconsistent with any directions received from Holders of Securities pursuant to this Section 6.05.

 

Section 6.06.    Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any series may institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

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(a)   such Holder has previously given to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

(b)   the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Securities of all such series affected 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;

 

(c)   such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs, liabilities or expenses to be incurred in compliance with such request;

 

(d)   the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

 

(e)   during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all such affected series have not given the Trustee a direction that is inconsistent with such written request.

 

A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over such other Holder.

 

Section 6.07.    Rights of Holders to Receive Payment. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Security to receive payment of Principal of or interest, if any, on such Holder’s Security on or after the respective due dates expressed on such Security, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 6.08.    Collection Suit by Trustee. If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series in payment of Principal or interest specified in clause (a) or (b) of Section 6.01 occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount (or such portion thereof as specified in the terms established pursuant to Section 2.03 of Original Issue Discount Securities) of Principal of, and accrued interest remaining unpaid on, together with interest on overdue Principal of, and, to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest on, the Securities of such series, in each case at the rate or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in such Securities, and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover all amounts owing the Trustee under Section 7.07.

 

Section 6.09.    Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company (or any other obligor on the Securities), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect and receive any moneys, securities or other property payable or deliverable upon conversion or exchange of the Securities or upon 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

 

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pay to the Trustee any amount due to it under Section 7.07. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to empower the Trustee to authorize or consent to, or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder, any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

 

Section 6.10.    Application of Proceeds. Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article in respect of the Securities of any series shall be applied in the following order at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such moneys on account of Principal or interest, upon presentation of the several Securities in respect of which moneys have been collected and noting thereon the payment, or issuing Securities of such series and tenor in reduced principal amounts in exchange for the presented Securities of such series and tenor if only partially paid, or upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under this Indenture applicable to the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected;

 

SECOND: In case the principal of the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected shall not have become and be then due and payable, to the payment of interest on the Securities of such series in default in the order of the maturity of the installments of such interest, with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon the overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in such Securities, such payments to be made ratably to the persons entitled thereto, without discrimination or preference;

 

THIRD: In case the principal of the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected shall have become and shall be then due and payable, to the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon all the Securities of such series for Principal and interest, with interest upon the overdue Principal, and (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of such series; and in case such moneys shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amount so due and unpaid upon the Securities of such series, then to the payment of such Principal and interest or Yield to Maturity, without preference or priority of Principal over interest or Yield to Maturity, or of interest or Yield to Maturity over Principal, or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Security of such series over any other Security of such series, ratably to the aggregate of such Principal and accrued and unpaid interest or Yield to Maturity; and

 

FOURTH: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other person lawfully entitled thereto.

 

Section 6.11.    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,

 

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the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Company, Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

Section 6.12.    Undertaking for Costs. In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, in either case in respect to the Securities of any series, a court may require any party litigant in such suit (other than the Trustee) to file an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant (other than the Trustee) in the suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.12 does not apply to a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.07, a suit instituted by the Trustee or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series.

 

Section 6.13.    Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Securities in Section 2.08, 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 6.14.    Delay or Omission not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article 6 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.

 

ARTICLE 7
Trustee

 

Section 7.01.    General.

 

(a)   The duties and responsibilities of the Trustee shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act and as set forth herein.

 

(b)   If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing of which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

 

(c) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

 

(i)      The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.

 

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(ii)      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 Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officer’s Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the form requirements of this Indenture.

 

(iii) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

(A) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

 

(B) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

 

(C) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in  principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series 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 in accordance with Section 6.05.

 

(d) Notwithstanding the foregoing, no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense. 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 Article 7.

 

Section 7.02.    Certain Rights of Trustee. Subject to Trust Indenture Act Sections 315(a) through (d):

 

(a)   the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel (or both), statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, judgment, 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 person or persons not only as to due execution, validity and effectiveness, but also as to the truth and accuracy of any information contained therein. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document, but the

 

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Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit;

 

(b)   before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officer’s Certificate and/or an Opinion of Counsel, which shall conform to Section 10.04 and shall cover such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such certificate or opinion. Subject to Sections 7.01 and 7.02, whenever in the administration of the trusts of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof;

 

(c)   the Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents not regularly in its employ and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent or attorney appointed with due care;

 

(d)   any request, direction, order or demand of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any Board Resolution may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company;

 

(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, order or direction of any of the Holders, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee  security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

(f)    the Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers or for any action it takes or omits to take in accordance with the direction of the Holders in accordance with Section 6.05 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;

 

(g)   the Trustee may consult with counsel 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; and

 

(h)   prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default, the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, Officer’s Certificate, Opinion of Counsel, Board Resolution, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, consent, order, judgment, approval, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security, or other paper or document unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of not less than a majority in

 

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aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series affected then outstanding; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding.

 

(i) The permissive rights of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as duties.

 

(j) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive, incidental or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.

 

(k) The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge or of any default or Event of Default under this Indenture or any other agreement unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge thereof or shall have received at the Corporate Trust Office written notice of such default or Event of Default, which notice shall reference this Indenture and the relevant series of Securities and state that it is a notice of default or Event of Default.

 

(l) The Trustee shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations under this Indenture arising out of or caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its control, including without limitation, any act or provision of any present or future law or regulation or governmental authority; acts of God; earthquakes; fires; floods; wars; terrorism; civil or military disturbances; sabotage; epidemics; riots; loss or malfunctions of utilities, computer (hardware or software) or communications service; labor disputes; acts of civil or military authority or governmental actions; or the unavailability of the Federal Reserve Bank wire or telex or other wire or communication facility.

 

(m) In the event that the Trustee is also acting as Registrar or Paying Agent, the rights, privileges, immunities and protections, including without limitation, its right to be indemnified, afforded to the Trustee pursuant to this Article 7 shall also be afforded to such Registrar or Paying Agent; provided, that in and during the continuance of an Event of Default, only the Trustee shall be subject to the prudent person standard of care.

 

Section 7.03.    Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee is subject to Trust Indenture Act Sections 310(b) and 311. For purposes of Trust Indenture Act Section 311(b)(4) and (6), the following terms shall mean:

 

(a)   cash transaction” means any transaction in which full payment for goods or securities sold is made within seven (7) days after delivery of the goods or securities in currency or in checks or other orders drawn upon banks or bankers and payable upon demand; and

 

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(b)   self-liquidating paper” means any draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation which is made, drawn, negotiated or incurred by the Company for the purpose of financing the purchase, processing, manufacturing, shipment, storage or sale of goods, wares or merchandise and which is secured by documents evidencing title to, possession of, or a lien upon, the goods, wares or merchandise or the receivables or proceeds arising from the sale of the goods, wares or merchandise previously constituting the security, provided the security is received by the Trustee simultaneously with the creation of the creditor relationship with the Company arising from the making, drawing, negotiating or incurring of the draft, bill of exchange, acceptance or obligation.

 

Section 7.04.    Trustee’s Disclaimer. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities (except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication) shall be taken as statements of the Company and not of the Trustee and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same. Neither the Trustee nor any of its agents (a) makes any representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities and (b) shall be accountable for the Company’s use or application of the proceeds from the Securities.

 

Section 7.05.    Notice of Default. If any Default with respect to the Securities of any series occurs and is continuing and if such Default is known to the actual knowledge of a Responsible Officer with the Corporate Trust Department of the Trustee, the Trustee shall give to each Holder of Securities of such series notice of such Default within 90 days after it occurs to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, unless such Default shall have been cured or waived before the mailing of such notice; provided, however, that, except in the case of a Default in the payment of the Principal of or interest on any Security, 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 interests of the Holders.

 

Section 7.06.    Reports by Trustee to Holders. The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within 60 days after each May 15 following the date of this Indenture, deliver to Holders a brief report, dated as of such May 15, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

 

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 when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange.

 

Section 7.07.    Compensation and Indemnity. The Company shall pay to the Trustee such compensation as shall be agreed upon in writing from time to time for its services. The compensation of the Trustee shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a Trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee or such predecessor Trustee. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s or such predecessor Trustee’s agents, counsel and other persons not regularly in their employ.

 

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The Company shall indemnify the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee for, and hold them harmless against, any action, suit or proceeding at law or in equity loss or liability or fee, expense or charge of any nature (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) incurred by them without negligence or willful misconduct on their part arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture and the Securities or the issuance of the Securities or of series thereof or the trusts hereunder and the performance of duties under this Indenture and the Securities, including, without limitation, those incurred with respect to enforcement of their right to indemnity hereunder and the costs and expenses of defending themselves against or investigating any claim or liability and of complying with any process served upon them or any of their officers in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties under this Indenture and the Securities.

 

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property held in trust to pay Principal of, and interest on particular Securities.

 

The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder and shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee, the repayment of any series of Securities and the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the rejection or termination of this Indenture under bankruptcy law. Such additional indebtedness shall be a senior claim to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities, and the Securities are hereby subordinated to such senior claim. Without prejudice to any other rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, if the Trustee renders services and incurs expenses following an Event of Default under Section 6.01(d) or Section 6.01(e) hereof, the parties hereto and the holders by their acceptance of the Securities hereby agree that such expenses are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy law.

 

Section 7.08.    Replacement of Trustee. A resignation or removal of the Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and appointment of a successor Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08.

 

The Trustee may resign as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series at any time by so notifying the Company in writing. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any series may remove the Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by so notifying the Trustee in writing at least 30 days prior to the requested date of removal and may appoint a successor Trustee with respect thereto with the consent of the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series if: (i) the Trustee is no longer eligible under Section 7.11 of this Indenture; (ii) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent; (iii) a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or (iv) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

 

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If the Trustee resigns or is removed as Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee with respect thereto. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series may appoint a successor Trustee in respect of such Securities to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series does not deliver its written acceptance required by Section 7.09 within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee (at the Company’s expense), the Company or the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect thereto.

 

The Company shall give notice of any resignation and any removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee in respect of the Securities of such series to all Holders of Securities of such series. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to this Section 7.08 and Section 7.09, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

Section 7.09.    Acceptance of Appointment by Successor. 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 and subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

 

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall

 

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constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

 

Upon request of any such successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in the first or second preceding paragraph, as the case may be.

 

No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be eligible under this Article and qualified under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 7.10.    Successor Trustee By Merger, Etc. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, sells or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation or national banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation or national banking association without any further act shall be the successor Trustee with the same effect as if the successor Trustee had been named as the Trustee herein.

 

Section 7.11.    Eligibility. This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of Trust Indenture Act Section 310(a). The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $25,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.

 

Section 7.12.    Money Held in Trust. The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and except for money held in trust under Article 8 of this Indenture.

 

ARTICLE 8
Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture; Unclaimed Moneys

 

Section 8.01.    Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. If at any time (a) the Company shall have paid or caused to be paid the Principal of and interest on all the Securities of any series outstanding hereunder (other than Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) as and when the same shall have become due and payable, or (b) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities of any series theretofore authenticated (other than any Securities of such series which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or

 

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paid as provided in Section 2.08) or (c) (i) all the securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption, and (ii) the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds the entire amount in cash (other than moneys repaid by the Trustee or any paying agent to the Company in accordance with Section 8.04) or U.S. Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as will insure (without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest) the availability of cash, or a combination thereof, sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Securities of such series (other than any Securities of such series which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due or to become due on or prior to such date of maturity or redemption as the case may be, and if, in any such case, the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to Securities of such series, then this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to Securities of such series (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of securities of such series, and the Company’s right of optional redemption, if any, (ii) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, (iii) rights of holders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration) and remaining rights of the holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, indemnities and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (v) the rights of the Securityholders of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and the Trustee, on demand of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture with respect to such series; provided, that the rights of Holders of the Securities to receive amounts in respect of Principal of and interest on the Securities held by them shall not be delayed longer than required by then-applicable mandatory rules or policies of any securities exchange upon which the Securities are listed. The Company agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred and to compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter reasonably and properly rendered by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

 

Section 8.02.    Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities. Subject to Section 8.04, all moneys (including U.S. Government Obligations and the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.01, Section 8.05 or Section 8.06 shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly or through any paying agent to the Holders of the particular Securities of such series for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for Principal and interest; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

Section 8.03.    Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent. In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, all moneys then held by any paying agent under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such series of Securities

 

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shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

 

Section 8.04.    Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years. Any moneys deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any paying agent for the payment of the Principal of or interest on any Security of any series and not applied but remaining unclaimed for two years after the date upon which such Principal or interest shall have become due and payable, shall, upon the written request of the Company and unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law, be repaid to the Company by the Trustee for such series or such paying agent, and the Holder of the Security of such series shall, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property laws, thereafter look only to the Company for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect, and all liability of the Trustee or any paying agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease.

 

Section 8.05.    Defeasance and Discharge of Indenture. The Company shall be deemed to have paid and shall be discharged from any and all obligations in respect of the Securities of any series, on the 123rd day after the deposit referred to in clause (i) hereof has been made, and the provisions of this Indenture shall no longer be in effect with respect to the Securities of such series (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to: (a) rights of registration of transfer and exchange, and the Company’s right of optional redemption, (b) substitution of apparently mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, (c) rights of holders to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), (d) the rights, obligations, indemnities and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (e) the rights of the Securityholders of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them; provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

(i)     with reference to this provision the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another qualifying trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.11) as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, (A) money in an amount, or (B) 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 subclause (x) or (y) of this clause (i) money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest and after payment of all federal, state and local taxes or other charges and assessments in respect thereof payable by the Trustee (x) the principal of, premium, if any, and each installment of interest on the outstanding Securities of such series on the due dates thereof and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to the Securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

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(ii)  the Company has delivered to the Trustee (A) either (x) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company’s exercise of its option under this Section 8.05 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, which Opinion of Counsel must be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service to the same effect or a change in applicable federal income tax law or related treasury regulations after the date of this Indenture or (y) a ruling directed to the Trustee received from the Internal Revenue Service to the same effect as the aforementioned Opinion of Counsel and (B) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the creation of the defeasance trust does not violate the Investment Company Act of 1940 and after the passage of 123 days following the deposit, the trust fund will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and Creditor Law;

 

(iii)        immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro forma basis, no Event of Default, or event that after the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 123rd day after the date of such deposit, and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;

 

(iv) if at such time the Securities of such series are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Securities of such series will not be delisted as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge;

 

(v)   the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge under this Section have been complied with; and

 

(vi) if the Securities of such series are to be redeemed prior to the final maturity thereof (other than from mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments), notice of such redemption shall have been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made.

 

Section 8.06.    Defeasance of Certain Obligations. The Company may omit to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in, and this Indenture will no longer be in effect with respect to, any covenant established pursuant to Section 2.03(r) and clause (c) (with respect to any covenants established pursuant to Section 2.03(r)) and clause (f) of Section 6.01 shall be deemed not to be an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series, if

 

(a)   with reference to this Section 8.06, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee (or another qualifying trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 7.11) as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, (i) money in an amount or (ii) U.S. Government Obligations which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance

 

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with their terms will provide not later than one day before the due dates thereof or earlier redemption (irrevocably provided for under agreements satisfactory to the Trustee), as the case may be, of any payment referred to in subclause (x) or (y) of this clause (a) money in an amount, or (iii) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge without consideration of the reinvestment of such interest and after payment of all federal, state and local taxes or other charges and assessments in respect thereof payable by the Trustee (x) the principal of, premium, if any, and each installment of interest on the outstanding Securities of such series on the due date thereof or earlier redemption (irrevocably provided for under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee), as the case may be, and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to the Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and of Securities of such series and the Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series;

 

(b)   the Company has delivered to the Trustee (i) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of the Company’s exercise of its option under this Section 8.06 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 (ii) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the creation of the defeasance trust does not violate the Investment Company Act of 1940 and after the passage of 123 days following the deposit, the trust fund will not be subject to the effect of Section 547 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code or Section 15 of the New York Debtor and Creditor Law;

 

(c)   immediately after giving effect to such deposit on a pro forma basis, no Event of Default, or event that after the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default, shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 123rd day after the date of such deposit, and such deposit shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which the Company is bound;

 

(d)   if at such time the Securities of such series are listed on a national securities exchange, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Securities of such series will not be delisted as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge; and

 

(e)   the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance under this Section have been complied with.

 

Section 8.07.    Reinstatement. If the Trustee or paying agent is unable to apply any monies or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Article 8 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article until such time as the Trustee or paying agent is permitted to apply all such monies or

 

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U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Article 8; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of Principal of or interest on any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the monies or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or paying agent.

 

Section 8.08.    Indemnity. The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.08 and Section 8.02, the “Trustee”) against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.01, 8.05 or 8.06 or the principal or interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the Securities.

 

Section 8.09.    Excess Funds. Anything in this Article 8 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon request of the Company, any money or U.S. Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in Section 8.01, 8.05 or 8.06 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of Independent Public Accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a discharge or defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Article 8.

 

Section 8.10.    Qualifying Trustee. Any trustee appointed pursuant to Section 8.05 or 8.06 for the purpose of holding money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to such Sections shall be appointed under an agreement in form acceptable to the Trustee and shall provide to the Trustee a certificate, upon which certificate the Trustee shall be entitled to conclusively rely, that all conditions precedent provided for herein to the related defeasance have been complied with. In no event shall the Trustee be liable for any acts or omissions of said trustee.

 

ARTICLE 9
Amendments, Supplements and Waivers

 

Section 9.01.    Without Consent of Holders. The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of any series without notice to or the consent of any Holder:

 

(a)   to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in this Indenture; provided that such amendments or supplements shall not materially and adversely affect the interests of the Holders;

 

(b)   to comply with Article 5;

 

(c)   to comply with any requirements of the Commission in connection with the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(d)   to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder with respect to the Securities of any or all series by a successor or separate Trustee and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the

 

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administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 7.09;

 

(e)   to establish the form or forms or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 2.03;

 

(f)    to provide for uncertificated and to make all appropriate changes for such purpose; and

 

(g)   to make any change that does not materially and adversely affect the rights of any Holder.

 

Section 9.02.    With Consent of Holders. Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07, without prior notice to any Holders, the Company and the Trustee may amend this Indenture and the Securities of any series with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all series affected by such amendment (all such series voting together as a single class), and the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of all series affected thereby (all such series voting together as a single class) by written notice to the Trustee may waive future compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9.02, without the consent of each Holder affected thereby, an amendment or waiver, including a waiver pursuant to Section 6.04, may not:

 

(a)   change the stated maturity of the Principal of, or any installment of interest on, such Holder’s Security,

 

(b)   reduce the Principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon (including any amount in respect of original issue discount);

 

(c)   reduce the above stated percentage of outstanding Securities the consent of whose holders is necessary to modify or amend the Indenture with respect to the Securities of the relevant series; and

 

(d)   reduce the percentage in principal amount of outstanding Securities of the relevant series the consent of whose Holders is required for any supplemental indenture or for any waiver of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain Defaults and their consequences provided for in this Indenture.

 

A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or 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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It shall not be necessary for the consent of any Holder under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

 

After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall give to the Holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. The Company will mail supplemental indentures to Holders upon request. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

 

Section 9.03.    Revocation and Effect of Consent. Until an amendment or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the Security of the consenting Holder, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to its Security or portion of its Security. Such revocation shall be effective only if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective. An amendment, supplement or waiver shall become effective with respect to any Securities affected thereby on receipt by the Trustee of written consents from the requisite Holders of outstanding Securities affected thereby.

 

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date (which may be not less than five nor more than 60 days prior to the solicitation of consents) for the purpose of determining the Holders of the Securities of any series affected entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver. If a record date is fixed, then, notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were such Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies) and only those Persons shall be entitled to consent to such amendment, supplement or waiver or to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be such Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 90 days after such record date.

 

After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective with respect to the Securities of any series affected thereby, it shall bind every Holder of such Securities unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (d) of Section 9.02. In case of an amendment or waiver of the type described in clauses (a) through (d) of Section 9.02, the amendment or waiver shall bind each such Holder who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security that evidences the same indebtedness as the Security of the consenting Holder.

 

Section 9.04.    Notation on or Exchange of Securities. If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of any Security, the Company may require the Holder thereof to deliver it to the Trustee. The Trustee, at the direction of the Company, may place an appropriate notation on the Security about the changed terms and return it to the Holder and the Company may direct the Trustee to place an appropriate notation on any Security of such series thereafter authenticated. Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee so determines, the Company in exchange for the Security shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Security of the same series and tenor that reflects the changed terms.

 

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Section 9.05.    Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc. The Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon (in addition to the documents required by Section 10.03), an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article 9 is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and, with respect to such Opinion of Counsel, stating that such supplemental indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to customary exceptions. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, execute any such amendment, supplement or waiver that affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, indemnities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Section 9.06.    Conformity with Trust Indenture Act. Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article 9 shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

 

ARTICLE 10
Miscellaneous

 

Section 10.01.  Trust Indenture Act of 1939. This Indenture shall incorporate and be governed by the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of and to govern indentures qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 10.02.  Notices. Any notice or communication shall be sufficiently given if written and (a) if delivered in person when received or (b) if mailed by first class mail five (5) days after mailing, or (c) as between the Company and the Trustee if sent by facsimile transmission, when transmission is confirmed, in each case addressed as follows:

 

if to the Company:

 

MSCI Inc.
7 World Trade Center
250 Greenwich Street, 49th floor
New York, NY 10007
Attention: General Counsel

 

if to the Trustee:

 

Wilmington Trust, National Association 

50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290 

Minneapolis, MN 55402 

Attention: MSCI Inc. Administrator

 

The Company or the Trustee by written notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

 

Any notice or communication shall be sufficiently given to Holders  by mailing to the Holders thereof who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee pursuant to Section 313(c)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee and to Holders of Registered Securities by mailing to such Holders at their addresses as

 

43

 

they shall appear on the Security Register. Notice mailed shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed. Copies of any such communication or notice to a Holder shall also be mailed to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or any Security, where this Indenture or any Security provides for notice of any event (including any notice of redemption) to a Holder of a Registered Global Security (whether by mail or otherwise), such notice shall be sufficiently given when delivered to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee) pursuant to the customary procedures of such Depositary.

 

Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders. Except as otherwise provided in this Indenture, if a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided in this Section 10.02, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

 

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.

 

Section 10.03.  Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

 

(a)   an Officer’s Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

 

(b)   an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

 

Section 10.04.  Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than the certificate required by Section 4.04) shall include:

 

(a)   a statement that each person signing such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition and the definitions herein relating thereto;

 

(b)   a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statement or opinion contained in such certificate or opinion is based;

 

(c)   a statement that, in the opinion of each such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

(d)   a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of each such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with; provided, however, that, with respect to matters

 

44

 

of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officer’s Certificate or certificates of public officials.

 

Section 10.05.  Evidence of Ownership. The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may deem and treat the person in whose name any Registered Security shall be registered upon the Security Register for such series as the absolute owner of such Registered Security (whether or not such Registered Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the Principal of and, subject to the provisions of this Indenture, interest on such Registered Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary.

 

Section 10.06.  Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent or Registrar. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Paying Agent or Registrar may make reasonable rules for its functions.

 

Section 10.07.  Payment Date Other Than a Business Day. Except as otherwise provided with respect to a series of Securities, if any date for payment of Principal or interest on any Security shall not be a Business Day at any place of payment, then payment of Principal of or interest on such Security, as the case may be, need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at any place of payment with the same force and effect as if made on such date and no interest shall accrue in respect of such payment for the period from and after such date.

 

Section 10.08.  Governing Law; Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. The laws of the State of New York shall govern this Indenture and the Securities.

 

The parties hereby (i) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, the city of New York, (ii) waive any objection to laying of venue in any such action or proceeding in such courts, and (iii) waive any objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or do not have jurisdiction over any party.

 

Each of the parties hereto hereby (AND THE HOLDERS, BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES THEREBY) waives the right to trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with this Indenture.

 

Section 10.09.  No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture or loan or debt agreement of the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture or agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

Section 10.10.  Successors. All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

Section 10.11.  Duplicate Originals; Electronic Signatures. The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes. In furtherance of the foregoing, the words

 

45

 

“execution”, “signed”, “signature”, “delivery” and words of like import in or relating to any document to be signed in connection with this Indenture and the transactions contemplated hereby or thereby shall be deemed to include Electronic Signatures, deliveries or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature, physical delivery thereof or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that, notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, neither the Trustee is under any obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Trustee, pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustee. As used herein, “Electronic Signature” means an electronic sound, symbol, or process attached to, or associated with, a contract or other record and adopted by a Person with the intent to sign, authenticate or accept such contract or other record.

 

Section 10.12.  Separability. 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 10.13.  Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The Table of Contents and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms and provisions hereof.

 

Section 10.14.  Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability. No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto, or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, as such or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer, director or employee, as such, of the Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities.

 

Section 10.15.  Judgment Currency. The Company 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 interest on the Securities of any series (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 Required Currency could be purchased with the Judgment Currency in The City of New York on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a Business Day, then, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Required Currency  could be purchased with the Judgment Currency in The City of New York with the Judgment Currency on the Business Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery

 

46

 

pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (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 this Indenture.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank.]

 

47

 

SIGNATURES

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, all as of the date first written above.

 

  MSCI INC.
as the Company
   
  By: /s/ Andrew C. Wiechmann
  Name: Andrew C. Wiechmann
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

 

 

  WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as the Trustee
   
  By: /s/ Karleen R. Bratland
  Name: Karleen R. Bratland
  Title: Assistant Vice President

   

48

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

 

 

 

MSCI INC.

 

AND

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee

 

 

 

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of August 8, 2025

 

 

 

 

$1,250,000,000 5.250% Senior Notes due 2035

 

 

 

 

 

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of August 8, 2025 between MSCI Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee (the “Trustee”):

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee executed and delivered an Indenture, dated as of August 8, 2025 (the “Base Indenture” and, as supplemented hereby, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance by the Company from time to time of senior debt securities evidencing its unsecured indebtedness, to be issued in one or more series as provided in the Base Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, the Company has authorized the issuance of a series of securities evidencing its senior indebtedness, consisting initially of $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.250% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”);

 

WHEREAS, the entry into this First Supplemental Indenture by the parties hereto is in all respects authorized by the provisions of the Base Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish the respective terms of the Notes in accordance with Section 2.03 of the Base Indenture and to establish the forms of the Notes in accordance with Section 2.01 of the Base Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, all acts and requirements necessary to make this First Supplemental Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes:

 

Article 1

 

Section 1.01    Additional Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this First Supplemental Indenture shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Base Indenture. In addition, as used herein, the following defined terms shall have the following meanings with respect to the Notes only:

 

Aggregate Debt” means the sum of the following, as of the date of determination: (1) the aggregate principal amount of the Company’s and its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries’ Indebtedness incurred after the Initial Issuance Date and secured by Liens not permitted by the first paragraph under Section 1.02(t)(i) and (2) the Company’s and its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries’ Attributable Debt in respect of sale and leaseback transactions entered into after the Initial Issuance Date pursuant to the second paragraph of Section 1.02(t)(ii).

 

Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any matter at any time, the policies and procedures of a Depository, if any, that are applicable to such matter at such time.

 

1

 

Attributable Debt” means, with respect to any sale and leaseback transaction, at the time of determination, the lesser of (1) the fair market value of such Principal Property as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors, and (2) the total obligation (discounted to the present value at the implicit interest factor, determined in accordance with GAAP, included in the rental payments) of the lessee for rental payments (other than amounts required to be paid on account of property taxes as well as maintenance, repairs, insurance, water rates and other items which do not constitute payments for property rights) during the remaining portion of the base term of the lease included in such transaction.

 

Base Indenture” has the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals.

 

Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by at least two of the three Rating Agencies).

 

Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any corporation, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase (other than convertible or exchangeable indebtedness that is not itself otherwise capital stock), warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests (however designated) in stock issued by that corporation.

 

Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than the Company or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares or voting power of the Company’s Voting Equity Interests; (3) the adoption of a plan by the Board of Directors relating to the liquidation or dissolution of the Company; or (4) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the Company’s outstanding Voting Equity Interests or the outstanding Voting Equity Interests of such other Person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of the Company’s Voting Equity Interests outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Equity Interests of the surviving Person or parent entity thereof immediately after giving effect to such transaction.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to result in a Change of Control if (a) the Company becomes a wholly owned subsidiary of another Person

 

2

 

and (b) immediately following that transaction, a majority of Voting Equity Interests of such Person is held by the direct or indirect holders of the Company’s Voting Equity Interests immediately prior to such transaction and in substantially the same proportions as immediately prior to such transaction.

 

Change of Control Payment Date” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.02(h).

 

Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

 

Company” has the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals.

 

Consolidated Total Assets” means, as of any date of determination, the total assets of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries, as set forth on the Company’s most recent consolidated balance sheet.

 

Equity Interests” means Capital Stock or partnership, participation or membership interests and all warrants, options or other rights to acquire Capital Stock or partnership, participation or membership interests (but excluding any debt security that is convertible into, or exchangeable for, Capital Stock or partnership, participation or membership interests).

 

Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. and its successors.

 

GAAP” means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, which are in effect as of the date of application thereof.

 

Indebtedness” of any specified Person means, without duplication, indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money (including, without limitation, indebtedness for borrowed money evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments). For the avoidance of doubt, (1) obligations in respect of hedging transactions and cash management obligations, (2) accrued payables and trade credit and (3) obligations in respect of taxes shall not be Indebtedness.

 

Indenture” has the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals.

 

Initial Issuance Date” means August 8, 2025.

 

Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P and Fitch and Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s.

 

Lien” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.02(t)(i).

 

Moody’s” means Moody’s Ratings, Inc., a subsidiary of Moody’s Corporation, and its successors.

 

Notes” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals.

 

3

 

Notice” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2.06.

 

Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, the Principal Accounting Officer, the Chief Strategy Officer, the Chief Operating Officer, the Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, or any officer for whom an incumbency certificate has been delivered to the Trustee, evidencing such officer’s authority to sign on behalf of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, if applicable, and include (except as otherwise expressly provided) the statements provided in Section 10.04 of the Base Indenture.

 

Outstanding” (except as otherwise provided in Section 2.09 of the Base Indenture), when used with reference to Securities, means, subject to the provisions of Section 2.09 of the Base Indenture, as of any particular time, all Securities authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under the Indenture, except:

 

(a)Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

 

(b)Securities, or portions thereof, for the payment or redemption of which moneys or U.S. Government Obligations (as provided for in Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture) in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside, segregated and held in trust by the Company for the Holders of such Securities (if the Company shall act as its own paying agent), provided, that if such Securities, or portions thereof, are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such redemption shall have been given as herein provided;

 

(c)Securities which shall have been paid or in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.08 of the Base Indenture (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Company); and

 

(d)Securities that have been defeased pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture.

 

Par Call Date” means June 1, 2035 (three (3) months prior to the maturity date of the Notes).

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint- stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Principal Property” means (1) the lease of the Company’s principal corporate offices located in New York, New York owned by the Company as of the Initial Issuance Date,

 

4

 

or any replacement thereof, and (2) any single parcel of real property or any permanent improvement thereon owned by the Company or any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries having a book value, as of the date of determination, in excess of 2% of Consolidated Total Assets. Principal Property does not include any property that the Board of Directors has determined not to be of material importance to the business conducted by the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

Property” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.02(t)(i).

 

Rating Agencies” means (1) each of S&P, Moody’s and Fitch; and (2) if any of S&P, Moody’s or Fitch ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company as a replacement agency for S&P, Moody’s or Fitch, or all of them, as the case may be.

 

“Second Change of Control Payment Date” shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 1.02(h)(iv).

 

S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global Inc., and its successors.

 

Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs.

 

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third business day preceding the redemption date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily)-H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities-Treasury constant maturities-Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the redemption date to the Par Call Date (the “Remaining Life”); (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields - one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than, and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than, the Remaining Life - and shall interpolate to the Par Call Date on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the redemption date.

 

5

 

If on the third business day preceding the redemption date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second business day preceding such redemption date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, the Par Call Date. If there is no United States Treasury security maturing on the Par Call Date but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from the Par Call Date, one with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date and one with a maturity date following the Par Call Date, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding the Par Call Date. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on the Par Call Date or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

 

Trustee” has the meaning ascribed to it in the recitals.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” direct obligations of the United States of America, backed by its full faith and credit

 

Voting Equity Interests” means Equity Interests which at the time are entitled to vote in the election of, as applicable, directors, members or partners generally; provided, that, for the purposes hereof, Equity Interests that carry only the right to vote conditionally on the happening of an event shall not be considered Voting Equity Interests whether or not such event shall have happened.

 

Section 1.02    Terms of Notes. The following terms relating to the Notes are hereby established:

 

(a)    Designation. The designation of the Notes is “5.250% Senior Notes due 2035” (CUSIP No. 55354GAR1).

 

(b)    Initial Aggregate Principal Amount. The Notes shall be limited in initial aggregate principal amount to $1,250,000,000.

 

(c)    Currency Denomination. The Notes shall be denominated in U.S. Dollars.

 

(d)    Maturity. The date on which the principal of the Notes is payable is September 1, 2035.

 

(e)    Rate of Interest; Interest Payment Date; Regular Record Dates. Each Note shall bear interest from August 8, 2025 at 5.250% per annum until the principal thereof is paid. Such interest shall be payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, commencing on March 1, 2026, to the Persons in whose names the Notes are registered at

 

6

 

the close of business on the immediately preceding February 15 and August 15, respectively (whether or not such record date is a Business Day). Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from August 8, 2025. Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which principal, premium, if any, or interest is payable on the Notes is not a Business Day, then payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and no additional interest shall accrue as a result of such delay in payment).

 

(f)    Place of Payment. Principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes shall be payable, and the transfer of the Notes shall be registrable, at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee; provided, however, that while the Notes are represented by a Registered Global Security, payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the  Notes may be made by wire transfer to the account of the Depositary or its nominee in accordance with the Applicable Procedures.

 

(g)    Optional Redemption. Prior to the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of principal amount and rounded to three decimal places) equal to the greater of:

 

(A)    100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and

 

(B)    (a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon discounted to the redemption date (assuming the Notes matured on the Par Call Date) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30- day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points, less (b) interest accrued and unpaid thereon to the redemption date,

 

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but not including, the date of redemption.

 

In addition, on or after the Par Call Date, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date.

 

The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the redemption price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall have no duty or obligation to calculate or verify the redemption price.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed (or, in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, be transmitted electronically in accordance with the Depositary’s procedures) at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of the Notes to be redeemed (with a copy to the Trustee), except that redemption notices may be delivered more than 60 days prior to a redemption if the notice is issued in connection with a legal or covenant

 

7

 

defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture in accordance with Section 8.01 of the Base Indenture.

 

In the case of a partial redemption, selection of the Notes for redemption will be made by lot. No Notes of a principal amount of $2,000 or less will be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to the Note will state the portion of the principal amount of the Note to be redeemed. A new Note in a principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Note will be issued in the name of the Holder of the Note upon surrender for cancellation of the original Note. For so long as the Notes are held by DTC (or another Depositary), the redemption of the Notes shall be done in accordance with the policies and procedures of the Depositary.

 

Any redemption or notice of redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including the completion of an offering of capital stock of the Company or other corporate transaction. If such redemption is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time (including more than 60 days after the date the notice of redemption was sent, including by electronic transmission) as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed, or such notice may be rescinded at any time in the Company’s discretion if in the good faith judgment of the Company any or all of such conditions will not be satisfied. In addition, the Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Company’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person. Subject to DTC’s applicable procedures, the Company shall provide written notice to the Trustee not later than 9:00 a.m. New York City time on the redemption date if such notice has been delayed or rescinded, and upon receipt the Trustee shall provide such notice to each Holder of the Notes in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given, in the name and at the expense of the Company.

 

(h)    Change of Control Repurchase Event. (i) If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company has previously exercised its right to redeem the Notes in whole pursuant to Section 1.02(g), the Company will be required to make an offer to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 above that amount) of that Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to, but not including, the date of such repurchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at its option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of an impending Change of Control, the Company will send a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 10 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is sent (the “Change of Control Payment Date”). The notice shall, if sent prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the

 

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Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice.

 

The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the Notes, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the Notes by virtue of such conflict.

 

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will be required, to the extent lawful, to:

 

(A)    accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 above that amount) properly tendered pursuant to the offer;

 

(B)    deposit with the paying agent, no later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

 

(C)    deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes being repurchased by the Company.

 

(ii)    The paying agent will promptly mail (or, in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, transmit electronically) to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the repurchase price for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unrepurchased portion of any Notes surrendered; provided that each new Note will be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 above that amount.

 

(iii)    The Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company pursuant to this Section 1.02(h) and the third party repurchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company pursuant to this Section 1.02(h). In addition, the Company will not be required to, and the Company will not, make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if there has occurred and is continuing on the Change of Control Payment Date an Event of Default with respect to the Notes.

 

(iv)    If the Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event and the Company, or any third

 

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party making such an offer in lieu of the Company as described above, purchase all of such Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Company or such third party will have the right, upon not less than 10 days’ nor more than 60 days’ prior notice (provided that such notice is given not more than 60 days following such repurchase pursuant to the offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event described above) to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase on a date specified in such notice (the “Second Change of Control Payment Date”) and at a price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to, but excluding, the Second Change of Control Payment Date.

 

(i)    Mandatory Redemption. Other than with respect to a Change of Control Repurchase Event as described in Section 1.02(h), the Notes are not mandatorily redeemable. The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund or any analogous provisions.

 

(j)    Denominations. The Notes shall be issued initially in minimum denominations of $2,000 and shall be issued in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(k)    Amount Payable Upon Acceleration. The principal of the Notes shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration pursuant to Section 6.02 of the Base Indenture. The Notes shall not be Original Issue Discount Securities within the meaning of the Indenture.

 

(l)    Payment Currency. Principal and interest on the Notes, including payments made upon any redemption of the Notes, shall be payable in U.S. Dollars.

 

(m)    Payment Currency – Election. The principal of and interest on the Notes shall not be payable in a currency other than U.S. Dollars.

 

(n)    Payment Currency – Index. The principal of and interest on the Notes shall not be determined with reference to an index based on a coin or currency.

 

(o)    Registered Securities. The Notes shall initially be issuable as Registered Global Securities, subject to Section 2.07 of the Base Indenture.

 

(p)    Additional Amounts. The Company shall not pay additional amounts on the Notes held by a Person that is not a U.S. Person in respect of taxes or similar charges withheld or deducted.

 

(q)    Definitive Certificates. Section 2.08 of the Base Indenture will govern the transferability of the Notes in definitive form.

 

(r)    Registrar; Paying Agent; Depositary. The Trustee shall initially serve as the registrar and the paying agent for the Notes. The Depository Trust Company shall initially serve as the Depositary for the Registered Global Security representing the Notes.

 

(s)    [Reserved].

 

(t)    Covenants. There shall be the following additions to the covenants of the Company set forth in Article 4 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes:

 

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(i)    Limitation on Liens. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries to, create or assume any mortgage, pledge, security interest, lien, charge or encumbrance of any kind (each, a “Lien”) on (a) any Principal Property or (b) any capital stock or Indebtedness of any of the Company’s domestic wholly owned subsidiaries (together, “Property”), whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in order to secure any Indebtedness, without effectively providing that the Notes shall be secured by a Lien ranking equal to and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, senior to) such secured Indebtedness until such time as such Indebtedness is no longer secured by such Lien, except:

 

(A)    Liens existing on the Initial Issuance Date or that the Company or any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries have agreed to pursuant to the terms of agreements existing on the Initial Issuance Date;

 

(B)    Liens created or incurred after the Initial Issuance Date created in favor of the Holders of the Notes;

 

(C)    Liens in favor of the Company or one of its subsidiaries;

 

(D)    (a) Liens given to secure (or to secure Indebtedness incurred or guaranteed by the Company or any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries for the purpose of financing) the payment of all or any portion of the purchase price for the acquisition (including acquisition through merger or consolidation or the acquisition of a Person directly or indirectly owning such property) of any Property, including capital lease or purchase money transactions in connection with any such acquisition, or all or any portion of the cost of refurbishment, improvement, expansion, renovation, development or construction of any Property; provided that with respect to this clause (a), the Liens shall be given prior to, at the time of or within 24 months after such acquisition, or completion of such refurbishment, improvement, expansion, renovation, development or construction, or the full operation of such Property, whichever is latest, and shall attach solely to such Property (including any refurbishments, improvements, expansions, renovations, development or construction thereof or then or thereafter placed thereon) and any proceeds thereof; and (b) Liens existing on all or any portion of any Property at the time of acquisition thereof (including acquisition through merger or consolidation or the acquisition of a Person then directly or indirectly owning such property) whether or not such existing Liens were given to secure (or to secure Indebtedness incurred or guaranteed by the Company or any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries for the purpose of financing) the payment of the purchase price of such Property;

 

(E)    Liens on any Property in favor of the United States of America or any state thereof, or in favor of any other country, or any political subdivision, department, agency or instrumentality thereof to secure progress or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure Indebtedness incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any portion of the cost of acquiring, refurbishing, improving, expanding, renovating, developing or constructing such Property, including Liens incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial revenue or similar financing;

 

(F)    certain statutory or legislative Liens or other similar Liens (including pledges, deposits, carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanics’, materialmen’s, repairmen’s

 

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and other like Liens imposed by law) arising in the ordinary course of the Company’s or its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries’ business, or certain Liens arising out of government contracts;

 

(G)    Liens in connection with legal proceedings, including certain Liens arising out of judgments or awards, in each case so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings that may have been initiated for the review of such judgment, decree or order shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired;

 

(H)    Liens for certain taxes or assessments, landlord’s Liens and Liens and charges, in each case (a) not yet due or payable or subject to penalties for non-payment or which the Company is contesting in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been made in accordance with GAAP and (b) incidental to the conduct of the business or the ownership of the Company’s assets or those of the Company’s domestic wholly owned subsidiary;

 

(I)    Liens incurred in connection with an acquisition of assets or a project financed on a non-recourse basis;

 

(J)    deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, leases, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, performance bonds and other obligations of a like nature, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

(K)    easements, zoning restrictions, rights-of-way and similar encumbrances on real property imposed by law or arising in the ordinary course of business that do not secure any monetary obligations and do not materially detract from the value of the affected property or interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company;

 

(L)    Liens securing securitized indebtedness and receivables factoring, discounting, facilities or securitizations; and

 

(M)    any extensions, renewals or replacements of any Lien referred to in clauses (A) through (L) without increase of the principal of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien (except to the extent of any fees or other costs associated with any such extension, renewal or replacement); provided, however, that any such Liens are limited to all or part of substantially the same Property which secured the Liens extended, renewed or replaced.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company or any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries may, without equally and ratably securing the Notes, create or incur Liens which would otherwise be subject to the restrictions set forth in the preceding paragraph, if after giving effect thereto and to the retirement of any Indebtedness that is being retired substantially concurrently, Aggregate Debt does not exceed the greater of (1) 10.0% of the Company’s Consolidated Total Assets calculated as of the date of the creation or incurrence of the Lien and (2) $540.0 million.

 

(ii)    Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions. The Company will not, and will not permit any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries to, enter into any sale

 

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and leaseback transaction for the sale and leasing back of any Principal Property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, unless:

 

(A)    such transaction was entered into prior to the Initial Issuance Date or any extension, renewal, refinancing, replacement, amendment or modification of such transaction so long as the affected Principal Property is substantially the same as or similar in nature to the Principal Property subject to the sale and leaseback transaction extended, renewed, refinanced, replaced, amended or modified;

 

(B)    such transaction was for the sale and leasing back to the Company or any of its wholly owned subsidiaries of any Principal Property by one of the Company’s wholly owned subsidiaries;

 

(C)    such transaction involves a lease for not more than three years (or which may be terminated by the Company or its subsidiary within a period of not more than three years);

 

(D)    the Company would be entitled to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien with respect to such sale and leaseback transaction without equally and ratably securing the Notes pursuant to the first paragraph of Section 1.02(t)(i); or

 

(E)    the Company or any of its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries applies an amount equal to the net proceeds from the sale of such Principal Property to the purchase of other property or assets used or useful in the Company’s business (including the purchase or development of other Principal Property) or to the retirement of Indebtedness that is pari passu with the Notes (including the Notes) or Indebtedness of one or more of the Company’s subsidiaries within 365 days before or after the effective date of any such sale and leaseback transaction, provided that, in lieu of applying such amount to the retirement of pari passu Indebtedness or Indebtedness of the Company’s subsidiary, the Company may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation, such Notes to be credited at the cost thereof.

 

Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in the preceding paragraph, the Company and its domestic wholly owned subsidiaries may enter into any sale and leaseback transaction which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions, if after giving effect thereto Aggregate Debt does not exceed the greater of (1) 10.0% of the Company’s Consolidated Total Assets calculated as of the relevant date of determination and (2) $540.0 million.

 

Section 1.03    Form of Note.

 

The forms of the Notes are attached hereto as Exhibit A .

 

Section 1.04    Additional Notes.

 

Subject to the terms and conditions contained herein, the Company may, without the consent of any Holders of the Notes, create and issue additional Notes with the same terms (except for the issue date, the offering price and, under certain circumstances, the first interest payment date) as the Notes. The additional Notes will form a single series with the outstanding Notes; provided that if such additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes offered hereby for

 

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U.S. federal income tax purposes, such additional Notes will have one or more separate CUSIP numbers or no CUSIP number. No additional Notes may be issued if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes.

 

Article 2 

 

OTHER MODIFICATIONS OF THE BASE INDENTURE

 

Section 2.01    Execution and Authentication.

 

For purposes of the Notes, the first sentence of the first paragraph of Section 2.02 of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety by the following:

 

One Officer shall execute the Securities for the Company by facsimile, manual signature, or electronic (including “.pdf” or DocuSign or other electronic signature platform) in the name and on behalf of the Company.

 

Section 2.02    Successor Corporation.

 

For the purposes of the Notes, the text of Article 5 of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety by the following:

 

Section 5.01 Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge into any other Person or transfer or lease all or substantially all of its consolidated properties and assets to any Person, and the Company shall not permit any other Person to consolidate with or merge into the Company, unless:

 

(a)   either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor corporation or Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which all or substantially all of the consolidated properties and assets of the Company are transferred or leased is a Person organized or formed under the laws of the United States, any state of the United States or the District of Columbia, and if such entity is not a corporation, a co-obligor of the Securities is a corporation organized or existing under any such laws, and such successor corporation or Person, including such co-obligor, if any, shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture; and

 

(b)   immediately after giving effect to such transaction and treating any indebtedness which becomes an obligation of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company as a result of such transaction as having been incurred by the Company or such subsidiary at the time of such transaction, no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing.

 

Section 5.02 Successor Person Substituted. The successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such transfer or lease is made shall succeed to and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter (except in the case of a lease to another Person) the predecessor

 

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shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the Indenture and the Securities and, in the event of such lease, any such predecessor may be dissolved and liquidated.

 

Section 5.03 Opinion of Counsel to be Given to Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 7.01 and 7.02, shall be provided with an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that any such consolidation, merger, lease or transfer, and any such assumption, complies with the provisions of this Article 5 and the Indenture.

 

Section 2.03    Events of Default. For the purposes of the Notes, the text of Section 6.01 of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety by the following:

 

Section 6.01 Events of Default. An “Event of Default” with respect to the Notes, wherever used herein, means any one of the following events which shall have occurred and be continuing (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(a)   default in the payment of any installment of interest upon the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

(b)   default in the payment of all or any part of the principal or premium (if any) on the Notes as and when the same shall become due and payable either at maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration or otherwise; or

 

(c)   failure on the part of the Company duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of the Company in the Notes or contained in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Notes) for a period of 90 days after the date on which written notice specifying such failure, stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder and demanding that the Company remedy the same, shall have been given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and the Trustee by the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Notes; or

 

(d)   a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company for any substantial part of its property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

(e)   the Company shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or for any substantial part of its or their property, or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors.

 

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Section 2.04    Modifications of the Indenture. For the purposes of the Notes, Sections 9.01 and 9.02 of the Base Indenture are replaced in their entirety by the following:

 

Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders. The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement the Indenture or the Securities of any series without notice to or the consent of any Holder:

 

(a)   to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge to the Trustee as security for the Securities of one or more series any property or assets;

 

(b)   to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor corporation of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article 5;

 

(c)   to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as the Company shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of Securities, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth; provided, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction, condition or provision such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such an Event of Default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such an Event of Default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series to waive such an Event of Default;

 

(d)   to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders (as determined by the Company) of all or any series of Securities (and if such additional Events of Default are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such additional Events of Default are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series);

 

(e)   to add one or more guarantees for the benefit of Holders of the Securities;

 

(f)    subject to any limitations established pursuant to Section 2.03, to provide for the issuance of additional Securities of any series;

 

(g)   to comply with the rules of any applicable Depositary;

 

(h)   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 uncertificated form;

 

(i)    to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities; provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no Security described in clause (A)(i) Outstanding;

 

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(j)    to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Section 8.01; provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or any other series of Securities in any material respect;

 

(k)   to comply with the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the Securities may be listed or traded;

 

(l)    to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary in accordance with any amendments to the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(m) to cure any ambiguity, defect, omission or inconsistency or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be ambiguous, defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, or to make any other provisions as the Company may deem necessary or desirable, provided, that no such action shall adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect, as determined by the Company and evidenced to the Trustee in an Officer’s Certificate;

 

(n)   to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 2.03;

 

(o)   to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor or separate 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 7.09; and

 

(p)   to add to, change or eliminate any other provision under this Indenture; provided that such addition, change or elimination pursuant to this clause (p) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect, as determined by the Company and evidenced by delivery of an Officer’s Certificate to the Trustee.

 

Upon the request of the Company and other documents, if any, required by Section 9.05, the Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer, assignment, mortgage or pledge of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into any such supplemental indenture which adversely affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section may be executed without the consent of the Holders of any of the Securities at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 9.02.

 

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Section 9.02 With Consent of Securityholders.

 

(A)    Except as set forth in paragraph (B) below, with the consent (evidenced as provided in Article 10) of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount at the time Outstanding of all series of Securities affected by such supplemental indenture (voting as one class), the Company and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act as in force and effect at the date of execution thereof) for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each such series.

 

(B)    No such supplemental indenture shall (i) extend the final maturity of any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or premium thereon, if any, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable on redemption or required repurchase thereof, or make the principal thereof (including any amount in respect of original issue discount), or premium thereon, if any, or interest thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the Securities or in accordance with the terms thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.01 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 6.02, or alter the provisions of Section 10.15 or impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for the payment thereof when due or, if the Securities provide therefor, any right of repayment at the option of the Securityholder, or modify any provision of this Section 9.02(B), except to provide that certain provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived, in each case without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected, or (ii) reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities of any series, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holders of each Security so affected.

 

(C)    A supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of this Indenture which has expressly been included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities, or which modifies the rights of Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

 

Upon the request of the Company and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of the Holders of the Securities as aforesaid and other documents, if any, required by Section 9.05, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties, indemnities or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture.

 

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Securityholders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

 

Promptly after the execution by the Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the Company or, at the Company’s written request and expense, the Trustee shall send the Company’s notice thereof to

 

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the Holders of then Outstanding Registered Securities in accordance with Applicable Procedures. Any failure of the Company to give such notice or cause such notice to be given, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

 

Section 2.05    Satisfaction and Discharge of the Indenture. For the purposes of the Notes, Sections 8.01, 8.05 and 8.06 of the Base Indenture is replaced in its entirety by the following:

 

Section 8.01. Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. (A) If at any time (i) the Company shall have paid or caused to be paid the principal of and interest on all the Securities of any series Outstanding hereunder (other than Securities of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) as and when the same shall have become due and payable, or (ii) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities of any series theretofore authenticated (other than any Securities of such series which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.08) or (iii) in the case of any series of Securities where the exact amount (including the currency of payment) of principal of and interest due on which can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in clause (b) below, (a) all the Securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption, and (b) the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust the entire amount in (i) cash (other than moneys repaid by the Trustee or any paying agent to the Company in accordance with Section 8.04), (ii) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in Dollars, direct obligations of the United States of America, backed by its full faith and credit (“U.S. Government Obligations”), maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash sufficient (without reinvestment of any interest earned thereon) in the opinion or based on the report of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, investment bank or appraisal firm to pay at such maturity or upon such redemption, as the case may be, or (iii) a combination thereof, sufficient (without reinvestment of any interest earned thereon), in the opinion or based on the report of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, investment bank or appraisal firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay (x) the principal and interest on all Securities of such series on each date that such principal or interest is due and payable and (y) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the dates on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series; provided, that in the case of any redemption at a price or premium to be calculated based off the Treasury rate or similar rate, the amount deposited with the Trustee shall be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that such amount is equal to the price or premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit on the date of redemption only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the date of redemption (provided, however that the Trustee shall not be liable for any deficit not so deposited); and if, in any such case, the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Securities of such series, then this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such Series pursuant to Section 2.07, (ii) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or

 

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stolen Securities, (iii) rights of holders of Securities to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) any optional redemption rights of such series of Securities to the extent to be exercised to make such call for redemption within one year, (v) the rights, obligations, duties, indemnities and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, including those under Section 7.07, (vi) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them, and (vii) the obligations of the Company under Section 4.02) and the Trustee, on demand of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture; provided, that the rights of Holders of the Securities to receive amounts in respect of principal of and interest on the Securities held by them shall not be delayed longer than required by then-applicable mandatory rules or policies of any securities exchange upon which the Securities are listed. The Company agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred and to compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter reasonably and properly rendered by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

 

(B) The following provisions shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 2.3. In addition to discharge of the Indenture pursuant to the next preceding paragraph, in the case of any series of Securities the exact amounts (including the currency of payment) of principal of and interest due on which can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in clause (i) below, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series on the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (i) below, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series shall no longer be in effect (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series pursuant to Section 2.8 (ii) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities, (iii) rights of Holders of Securities of such series to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) any optional redemption rights of such series of Securities, (v) the rights, obligations, duties, indemnities, and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (vi) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them and (vii) the obligations of the Company under Section 4.02) and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall at the Company’s request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, if

 

(a) with reference to this provision the Company has irrevocably 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 such series (x) cash in an amount, or (y) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations (without reinvestment of interest earned thereon), maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash or (z) a combination thereof, sufficient (without reinvestment of interest

 

20

 

earned thereon), in the opinion or based on the report of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, investment bank or appraisal firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay (I) the principal and interest on all Securities of such series on each date that such principal or interest is due and payable and (II) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the dates on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series; provided, that before such a deposit the Company may make arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Securities at a future date or dates in accordance with this Indenture, which shall be given effect in applying the foregoing; and provided, further, that in the case of any redemption at a price or premium to be calculated based off the Treasury rate or similar rate, the amount deposited with the Trustee shall be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that such amount is equal to the price or premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit on the date of redemption only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the date of redemption, provided, however that the Trustee shall not be liable for any deficit not so deposited;

 

(b) no Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

 

(c) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

(d) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the IRS a ruling or (y) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable United States federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the beneficial owners of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to United States 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; and

 

(e) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the discharge contemplated by this provision have been complied with.

 

(C) The Company shall be released from its obligations under Sections 3.6 and 5.01 and unless otherwise provided for in the Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or Indenture supplemental hereto establishing such series of Securities, from all covenants and other obligations referred to in Section 2.03(m) or Section 2.03(t) with respect to such series of Securities outstanding on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”). For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to the Outstanding Securities of any series, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in such Section, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to such Section or by

 

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reason of any reference in such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute an Event of Default under Section 6.01, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby. The following shall be the conditions to application of this subsection C of this Section 8.01:

 

(i) The Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the holders of the Securities of such series, (x) cash in an amount, or (y) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash or (z) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion or based on the report of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, investment bank or appraisal firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay (I) the principal and interest on all Securities of such series and (II) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series; provided, that before such a deposit the Company may make arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Securities at a future date or dates in accordance with this Indenture, which shall be given effect in applying the foregoing; and provided, further, that in the case of any redemption at a price or premium to be calculated based off the Treasury rate or similar rate, the amount deposited with the Trustee shall be sufficient for purposes of this Indenture to the extent that such amount is equal to the price or premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit on the date of redemption only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the date of redemption, provided, however that the Trustee shall not be liable for any deficit not so deposited;

 

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit;

 

(iii) Such covenant defeasance shall not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to any securities of the Company;

 

(iv) Such covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under any agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

(v) Such covenant defeasance shall not cause any Securities then listed on any registered national securities exchange under the Exchange Act to be delisted;

 

(vi) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the beneficial owners of the Securities of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for United States federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to United States federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred; and

 

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(vii) The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this provision have been complied with.

 

Section 8.05. [Reserved].

 

Section 8.06. [Reserved].

 

Article 3
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 3.01    Confirmation of Indenture.

 

The Base Indenture, as supplemented and amended by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture, this First Supplemental Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument.

 

Section 3.02    Concerning the Trustee.

 

The Trustee assumes no duties, responsibilities or liabilities by reason of this First Supplemental Indenture other than as set forth in the Base Indenture and, in carrying out its responsibilities hereunder, shall have all of the rights, protections, indemnities and immunities which it possesses under the Base Indenture. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this First Supplemental Indenture. The recitals herein are deemed to be those of the Company and not of the Trustee.

 

Section 3.03    Governing Law; Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial.

 

Each of this First Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture and the Notes shall be deemed to be a contract made under the internal laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of said State.

 

The parties hereby (i) irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of any federal or state court sitting in the Borough of Manhattan, the city of New York, (ii) waive any objection to laying of venue in any such action or proceeding in such courts, and (iii) waive any objection that such courts are an inconvenient forum or do not have jurisdiction over any party.

 

Each of the parties hereto hereby (AND THE HOLDERS, BY THEIR ACCEPTANCE OF THE SECURITIES THEREBY) waives the right to trial by jury with respect to any litigation directly or indirectly arising out of, under or in connection with the Indenture, this First Supplemental Indenture and the Notes.

 

23

 

Section 3.04    Separability.

 

In case any provision in this First Supplemental Indenture shall for any reason be held to 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 3.05    Counterparts.

 

This First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 3.06    Electronic Transmission, Electronic Signatures.

 

The Trustee shall not have any duty to confirm that the person sending any notice, instruction or other communication (a “Notice”) by electronic transmission (including by e-mail, facsimile transmission, web portal or other electronic methods) is, in fact, a person authorized to do so. Electronic signatures believed by the Trustee to comply with the ESIGN Act of 2000 or other applicable law (including electronic images of handwritten signatures and digital signatures provided by DocuSign, Orbit, Adobe Sign or any other digital signature provider acceptable to the Trustee) shall be deemed original signatures for all purposes. Each other party assumes all risks arising out of the use of electronic signatures and electronic methods to send Notices to the Trustee, including without limitation the risk of the Trustee acting on an unauthorized Notice, and the risk of interception or misuse by third parties. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Trustee may in any instance and in its sole discretion require that an original document bearing a manual signature be delivered to the Trustee in lieu of, or in addition to, any such electronic Notice.

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this First Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above written.

 

  MSCI INC.
as the Company
   
  By: /s/ Andrew C. Wiechmann
  Name: Andrew C. Wiechmann
  Title: Chief Financial Officer

  

 

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]

 

 

 

 

  WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as the Trustee
   
  By: /s/ Karleen R. Bratland
  Name: Karleen R. Bratland
  Title: Assistant Vice President

  

 

[Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture]

  

 

 

Exhibit A

 

 

FORM OF NOTE

 

REGISTERED

 

THIS NOTE IS A REGISTERED GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITARY. UNLESS AND UNTIL THIS NOTE IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE REGISTERED FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO THE NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.

 

Certificate No. [●]   CUSIP NO. 55354GAR1
    ISIN NO. US55354GAR11

 

MSCI INC.

 

5.250% Senior Notes due 2035

 

MSCI Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company,” which terms include any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of ($  ) on September 1, 2035 and to pay interest on said principal sum from  August 8, 2025, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 (each such date, an “Interest Payment Date”) of each year commencing on March 1, 2026, at the rate of 5.250% per annum until the principal hereof shall have become due and payable.

 

The amount of interest payable on any Interest Payment Date shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year composed of twelve 30-day months. In the event that any date on which the principal or interest payable on this Note is not a Business Day, then payment of principal or interest payable on such date will be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day (and without any interest or other payment in respect of such delay). The interest installment so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture (referred to on the reverse hereof) be paid to the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on the record date for such interest installment, which shall be the close of business on the immediately preceding February 15 and August 15 prior to such Interest Payment Date, as applicable (whether or not such record date is a Business Day). Any such interest installment not punctually paid or duly provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holders on such record date and may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note is registered at the close of business on a subsequent record date (which shall be not less than five Business Days prior to the date of payment of such defaulted interest), notice whereof shall be sent by or on behalf of the Company to the registered Holders of Notes not less than 15 days preceding such subsequent record date, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. The principal of and the interest on this Note shall be payable at the office or agency

 

A-1

 

of the Company maintained for that purpose in any coin or currency of the United States of America that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts; provided, however, that payment of interest, to the extent this Note is not represented by a Registered Global Security, may be made at the option of the Company by check sent to the Person entitled thereto at such address as shall appear in the registry books of the Company; provided, further, that for so long as this Note is represented by a Registered Global Security, payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on this Note may be made by wire transfer to the account of the Depositary or its nominee in accordance with the Applicable Procedures.

 

Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on behalf of the Trustee (as defined below) under the Indenture (as defined below), by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

Capitalized terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

The provisions of this Note are continued on the reverse side hereof and such continued provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

 

A-2

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed, manually, in facsimile or electronically.

 

MSCI INC.
 
By:
Name:
Title:

  

 

[Signature Page to Global Note]

 

 

 

 

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

This is one of the Securities
referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture

 
WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee
 
By:
Authorized Signatory

 

Dated:

 

[Signature Page to Global Note]

 

 

 

[REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

 

This Note is one of a duly authorized series of Securities of the Company designated as its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Notes”). The Notes are all issued or to be issued under and pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of August 8, 2025 (the “Base Indenture”), duly executed and delivered between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee with respect to the Notes (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”) dated as of August 8, 2025 between the Company and the Trustee.

 

The Notes are issuable only as Registered Securities in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

Except as set forth below, this Note is not redeemable. This Note is not entitled to the benefit of a sinking fund or any analogous provision.

 

Prior to June 1, 2035, the Notes may be redeemed, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the option of the Company, for cash, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (ii) (a) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon, discounted to the redemption date (assuming the Notes matured on June 1, 2035) on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate plus 20 basis points less (b) interest accrued and unpaid thereon to the redemption date, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but not including, the date of redemption; provided that the principal amount of any Note remaining outstanding after a redemption in part shall be $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. In addition, on or after June 1, 2035, the Company may redeem the Notes at its option, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the redemption date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on Notes that are due and payable on interest payment dates falling on or prior to a redemption date will be payable on the interest payment date to the registered Holders as of the close of business on the relevant record date. The Company’s actions and determinations in determining the redemption price shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error. The Trustee shall have no duty or obligation to calculate or verify the redemption price. Notices will be sent (or in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, be transmitted electronically) to Holders of the Notes to be redeemed (with a copy to the Trustee) at least 10 and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, except that redemption notices may be sent more than 60 days prior to a redemption if the notice is issued in connection with a legal or covenant defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the Notes and the Indenture pursuant to Section 8.01 of the Indenture. Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption. If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Notes to be redeemed will be selected by the Trustee by lot or in accordance with the Applicable Procedures. Any redemption or notice of redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including the completion of an

 

A-5

 

offering of capital stock of the Company or other corporate transaction. If such redemption is subject to satisfaction of one or more conditions precedent, such notice shall describe each such condition, and if applicable, shall state that, in the Company’s discretion, the redemption date may be delayed until such time (including more than 60 days after the date the notice of redemption was sent, including by electronic transmission) as any or all such conditions shall be satisfied, or such redemption may not occur and such notice may be rescinded in the event that any or all such conditions shall not have been satisfied by the redemption date, or by the redemption date as so delayed, or such notice may be rescinded at any time in the Company’s discretion if in the good faith judgment of the Company any or all of such conditions will not be satisfied. In addition, the Company may provide in such notice that payment of the redemption price and performance of the Company’s obligations with respect to such redemption may be performed by another Person. Subject to Depository Trust Company’s (“DTC”) applicable procedures, the Company shall provide written notice to the Trustee not later than 9:00 a.m. New York City time on the redemption date if such notice has been delayed or rescinded, and upon receipt the Trustee shall provide such notice to each Holder of the Notes in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given, in the name and at the expense of the Company.

 

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the yield determined by the Company in accordance with the following two paragraphs:

 

The Treasury Rate shall be determined by the Company after 4:15 p.m., New York City time (or after such time as yields on U.S. government securities are posted daily by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System), on the third business day preceding the redemption date based upon the yield or yields for the most recent day that appear after such time on such day in the most recent statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System designated as “Selected Interest Rates (Daily)—H.15” (or any successor designation or publication) (“H.15”) under the caption “U.S. government securities–Treasury constant maturities–Nominal” (or any successor caption or heading) (“H.15 TCM”). In determining the Treasury Rate, the Company shall select, as applicable: (1) the yield for the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the period from the redemption date to June 1, 2035 (the “Remaining Life”); (2) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 exactly equal to the Remaining Life, the two yields – one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately shorter than, and one yield corresponding to the Treasury constant maturity on H.15 immediately longer than, the Remaining Life – and shall interpolate to June 1, 2035 on a straight-line basis (using the actual number of days) using such yields and rounding the result to three decimal places; or (3) if there is no such Treasury constant maturity on H.15 shorter than or longer than the Remaining Life, the yield for the single Treasury constant maturity on H.15 closest to the Remaining Life. For purposes of this paragraph, the applicable Treasury constant maturity or maturities on H.15 shall be deemed to have a maturity date equal to the relevant number of months or years, as applicable, of such Treasury constant maturity from the redemption date.

 

If on the third business day preceding the redemption date H.15 TCM is no longer published, the Company shall calculate the Treasury Rate based on the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on the second business day preceding such redemption date of the United States Treasury security maturing on, or with a maturity that is closest to, June 1, 2035. If there is no United States Treasury security

 

A-6

 

maturing on June 1, 2035 but there are two or more United States Treasury securities with a maturity date equally distant from June 1, 2035, one with a maturity date preceding June 1, 2035 and one with a maturity date following June 1, 2035, the Company shall select the United States Treasury security with a maturity date preceding June 1, 2035. If there are two or more United States Treasury securities maturing on June 1, 2035 or two or more United States Treasury securities meeting the criteria of the preceding sentence, the Company shall select from among these two or more United States Treasury securities the United States Treasury security that is trading closest to par based upon the average of the bid and asked prices for such United States Treasury securities at 11:00 a.m., New York City time. In determining the Treasury Rate in accordance with the terms of this paragraph, the semi-annual yield to maturity of the applicable United States Treasury security shall be based upon the average of the bid and asked prices (expressed as a percentage of principal amount) at 11:00 a.m., New York City time, of such United States Treasury security, and rounded to three decimal places.

 

If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company has previously exercised its right to redeem the Notes in whole as described above, the Company will be required to make an offer to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 above that amount) of such Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to, but not including, the date of such repurchase. Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of an impending Change of Control, the Company will send a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Notes on the payment date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 10 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is sent (the “Change of Control Payment Date”). The notice shall, if sent prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice.

 

The Company will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder, to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the Notes, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control Repurchase Event provisions of the Notes by virtue of such conflict.

 

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Company will be required, to the extent lawful, to:

 

(a)accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes (in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 above that amount) properly tendered pursuant to the Company’s offer;

 

A-7

 

(b)deposit with the paying agent, no later than 11:00 a.m., New York City time, an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

 

(c)deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes being repurchased by the Company.

 

The paying agent will promptly mail (or, in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, transmit electronically) to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the repurchase price for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unrepurchased portion of any Notes surrendered; provided, that each new Note will be in minimum denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 above that amount.

 

The Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company as set forth herein and the third party repurchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company as set forth herein. In addition, the Company will not be required to, and will not, make an offer to repurchase any Notes if there has occurred and is continuing on the Change of Control Payment Date an Event of Default with respect to the Notes.

 

If Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding validly tender and do not withdraw such Notes in an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event and the Company, or any third party making such an offer in lieu of the Company as described above, purchases all of such Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Company or such third party will have the right, upon not less than 10 days’ nor more than 60 days’ prior notice (provided, that such notice is given not more than 60 days following such repurchase pursuant to the offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event described above) to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase on a date specified in such notice (the “Second Change of Control Payment Date”) and at a price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes repurchased to, but excluding, the Second Change of Control Payment Date.

 

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the Notes are rated below an Investment Grade Rating by at least two of the three Rating Agencies on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by at least two of the three Rating Agencies).

 

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the

 

A-8

 

properties or assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) other than the Company or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares or voting power of the Company’s Voting Equity Interests; (3) the adoption of a plan by the Company’s Board of Directors relating to the Company’s liquidation or dissolution; or (4) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the Company’s outstanding Voting Equity Interests or the outstanding Voting Equity Interests of such other Person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of the Company’s Voting Equity Interests outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Equity Interests of the surviving Person or parent entity thereof immediately after giving effect to such transaction. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be deemed to result in a Change of Control if (a) the Company becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of another Person and (b) immediately following that transaction, a majority of Voting Equity Interests of such Person is held by the direct or indirect Holders of the Company’s Voting Equity Interests immediately prior to such transaction and in substantially the same proportions as immediately prior to such transaction.

 

“Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

 

“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Inc. and its successors.

 

“Investment Grade Rating” means a rating equal to or higher than BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P and Fitch and Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s.

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Ratings, Inc., a subsidiary of Moody’s Corporation, and its successors.

 

“Rating Agencies” means (1) each of S&P,Moody’s and Fitch; and (2) if any of S&P, Moody’s or Fitch ceases to rate the Notes or fails to make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company as a replacement agency for S&P, Moody’s or Fitch, or all of them, as the case may be.

 

“S&P” means S&P Global Ratings, a division of S&P Global, Inc., and its successors.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of all the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay

 

A-9

 

the principal of and interest on this Note at the time, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the books of the Registrar, upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained by the Company for such purpose in the contiguous United States of America, which shall initially be the Corporate Trust Office, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder hereof or by its attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection therewith.

 

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, SECTION 5-1401 OF THE NEW YORK GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW.

 

A-10

 

[FORM OF SCHEDULE FOR ENDORSEMENTS ON REGISTERED
GLOBAL SECURITIES TO REFLECT CHANGES IN PRINCIPAL AMOUNT]
Schedule A
Changes to Principal Amount of Registered Global Securities

 

Date   Principal Amount
of Notes
by which this Registered Global
Security is to be
Reduced or Increased,
and Reason for
Reduction or Increase
  Remaining Principal
Amount of this
Registered
Global Security
  Notation Made By
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             
             

  

A-11

 

Exhibits 5.1 and 23.1

 

 

Davis Polk & Wardwell llp
450 Lexington Avenue
New York, NY 10017
davispolk.com

 

August 8, 2025

 

MSCI Inc.
7 World Trade Center
250 Greenwich Street, 49th Floor
New York, New York, 10007

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

MSCI Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-277791) (the “Registration Statement”) for the purpose of registering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), certain securities, including $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 5.250% Senior Notes due 2035 (the “Securities”).  The Securities are to be issued pursuant to the provisions of the Base Indenture dated as of August 8, 2025 (the “Base Indenture”) between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”) , as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture establishing the terms of the Securities, dated as of August 8, 2025, between the Company and the Trustee (the “First Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).  The Securities are to be sold pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement dated August 5, 2025 (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among the Company and the several underwriters named therein (the “Underwriters”).

 

We, as your counsel, have examined originals or copies of such documents, corporate records, certificates of public officials and other instruments as we have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering this opinion.

 

In rendering the opinion expressed herein, we have, without independent inquiry or investigation, assumed that (i) all documents submitted to us as originals are authentic and complete, (ii) all documents submitted to us as copies conform to authentic, complete originals, (iii) all signatures on all documents that we reviewed are genuine, (iv) all natural persons executing documents had and have the legal capacity to do so, (v) all statements in certificates of public officials and officers of the Company that we reviewed were and are accurate and (vi) all representations made by the Company as to matters of fact in the documents that we reviewed were and are accurate.

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the additional assumptions and qualifications set forth below, we advise you that, in our opinion, when the Securities have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally, concepts of reasonableness and equitable principles of general applicability, provided that we express no opinion as to, (x) the effect of fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or similar provision of applicable law on the conclusions expressed above or (y) the validity, legally binding effect or enforceability of any provision that permits holders to collect any portion of stated principal amount upon acceleration of the Securities to the extent determined to constitute unearned interest.

 

 

 

In addition, we have assumed that the Indenture and the Securities (collectively, the “Documents”) are valid, binding and enforceable agreements of each party thereto (other than as expressly covered above in respect of the Company).  We have also assumed that the execution, delivery and performance by each party to each Document to which it is a party (a) are within its corporate powers, (b) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws or other constitutive documents of such party, (c) require no action by or in respect of, or filing with, any governmental body, agency or official and (d) do not contravene, or constitute a default under, any provision of applicable law or regulation or any judgment, injunction, order or decree or any agreement or other instrument binding upon such party.

 

We are members of the Bar of the State of New York and the foregoing opinion is limited to the laws of the State of New York and the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, except that we express no opinion as to any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to the Company, the Documents or such transactions solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any party to any of the Documents or any of its affiliates due to the specific assets or business of such party or such affiliate.  

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a report on Form 8-K to be filed by the Company on the date hereof and its incorporation by reference into the Registration Statement and further consent to the reference to our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the prospectus supplement which is a part of the Registration Statement.  In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act.

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

/s/ Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP