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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 8, 2011

Registration No. 333-          

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549



FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933



Best Buy Co., Inc.
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

Minnesota
(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization)
  41-0907483
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

7601 Penn Avenue South
Richfield, Minnesota 55423
(612) 291-1000

(Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)



Joseph M. Joyce, Esq.
Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Assistant Secretary
Best Buy Co., Inc.
7601 Penn Avenue South
Richfield, Minnesota 55423
(612) 291-1000

(Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)



Copy to:

Glenn M. Reiter, Esq.
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
425 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(212) 455-2000



Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.



          If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.     o

          If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.     ý

          If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.     o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.     o

          If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.     ý

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.     o

          Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of "large accelerated filer," "accelerated filer" and "smaller reporting company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer  ý   Accelerated filer  o   Non-accelerated filer  o
(Do not check if a
smaller reporting company)
  Smaller reporting company o



CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

               
 
Title of Each Class of Securities
To Be Registered

  Amount To Be
Registered

  Proposed Maximum
Offering Price Per
Security

  Proposed Maximum
Aggregate Offering
Price

  Amount of
Registration Fee

 

Debt Securities

  (1)   (1)   (1)   (2)

 

(1)
Omitted pursuant to General Instruction II.E. of Form S-3. An indeterminate aggregate initial offering price or number of debt securities is being registered as may from time to time be offered at indeterminate prices.

(2)
In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee.


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PROSPECTUS

LOGO

Best Buy Co., Inc.

Debt Securities



        We may, from time to time, offer to sell debt securities in one or more offerings. This prospectus describes some of the general terms that may apply to these securities. We will provide the specific terms of these securities in prospectus supplements to this prospectus.

        We may offer and sell these debt securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis.

         Investing in our debt securities involves risks. You should consider the risk factors described in any accompanying prospectus supplement or any documents we incorporate by reference.

         Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy or accuracy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



This prospectus is dated March 8, 2011


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         You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, in any accompanying prospectus supplement or in any free writing prospectus filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). We have not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. You should not assume that the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and any prospectus supplement or in any such free writing prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates thereof. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

         We are not making an offer to sell these debt securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.




TABLE OF CONTENTS

 
  Page  

About This Prospectus

    i  

Where You Can Find More Information

    ii  

Incorporation by Reference

    ii  

Forward-Looking Statements

    iii  

Our Company

    1  

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

    1  

Use of Proceeds

    2  

Description of the Debt Securities

    3  

Plan of Distribution

    23  

Validity of the Securities

    25  

Experts

    25  




ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

        This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), utilizing a "shelf" registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may, from time to time, sell in one or more offerings any of our debt securities described in this prospectus.

        This prospectus provides you with a general description of the debt securities that we may offer. Each time we sell debt securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering, including the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities offered. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus.

        You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with additional information described under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information."

        References in this prospectus to "we," "us" and "our" and all similar references are to Best Buy Co., Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless otherwise stated or the context otherwise requires. However, in the "Description of the Debt Securities" section of this prospectus, references to "we," "us" and "our" are to Best Buy Co., Inc. (parent company only) and not to any of its subsidiaries.

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WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We file annual, quarterly and current reports, proxy statements and other information with the SEC. The public may read and copy any materials filed with the SEC at the SEC's Public Reference Room at 100 F Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. The public may obtain information on the operation of the Public Reference Room by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. Also, the SEC maintains an Internet web site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers, including us, that file electronically with the SEC. The public can obtain any documents that we file electronically with the SEC at http://www.sec.gov .

        We also make available, free of charge, on or through our Internet web site ( http://www.bby.com ) our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K, Proxy Statements on Schedule 14A and, if applicable amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. Please note, however, that we have not incorporated any other information by reference from our Internet web site, other than the documents listed under the heading "Incorporation by Reference." In addition, you may request copies of these filings at no cost through our Investor Relations Department at: Best Buy Co., Inc., 7601 Penn Avenue South, Richfield, Minnesota 55423, telephone: (612) 291-1000.

        We have filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-3 relating to the debt securities covered by this prospectus. This prospectus is a part of the registration statement and does not contain all the information in the registration statement. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to a contract or other document of ours, the reference is only a summary and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement for a copy of the contract or other document. You may review a copy of the registration statement and the documents incorporated by reference herein at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC's Internet web site referenced above.


INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

        The SEC allows us to incorporate by reference information into this prospectus. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to another document. Any information referred to in this way is considered part of this prospectus from the date we file that document. Any reports filed by us with the SEC after the date of this prospectus and before the date that the offering of the debt securities by means of this prospectus is terminated will automatically update and, where applicable, supersede any information contained in this prospectus or incorporated by reference in this prospectus.

        We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents set forth below that have been previously filed with the SEC; provided, however, that we are not incorporating any documents or information deemed to have been furnished rather than filed in accordance with SEC rules:

        To obtain copies of these filings, see "Where You Can Find More Information."

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        Certain statements in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents incorporated by reference herein, other than purely historical information, including estimates, projections, statements relating to our business plans, objectives and expected operating results, and the assumptions upon which those statements are based, are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act. These forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "foresee," "plan," "project," "outlook," and other words and terms of similar meaning. Forward-looking statements reflect our current view with respect to future events and trends and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause actual results and trends to differ materially from the forward-looking statements. Actual results and trends could differ materially from historical or expected results depending on, among others, the following factors:

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        A detailed discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and trends to differ materially from such forward-looking statements is included in Part I, Item 1A of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 27, 2010 under the heading "Risk Factors" and as may be included from time to time in our other reports filed with the SEC.

        We undertake no obligation to update to revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.

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OUR COMPANY

        We are a multinational retailer of consumer electronics, home office products, entertainment software, appliances and related services. We operate retail stores and call centers and conduct online retail operations under a variety of brand names such as Best Buy (BestBuy.com, BestBuy.ca, BestBuy.co.uk), The Carphone Warehouse (CarphoneWarehouse.com), Five Star, Future Shop (FutureShop.ca), Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster (Napster.com), Pacific Sales and The Phone House (PhoneHouse.com).

        We operate two reportable segments: Domestic and International. The Domestic segment is comprised of the operations in all states, districts and territories of the United States, operating under various brand names including, among others, Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Geek Squad, Magnolia Audio Video, Napster and Pacific Sales. The International segment is comprised of: all Canada operations, operating under the brand names Best Buy, Best Buy Mobile, Future Shop and Geek Squad; all Europe operations, operating under the brand names The Carphone Warehouse, The Phone House, Best Buy and Geek Squad; all China operations, operating under the brand names Best Buy, Geek Squad and Five Star; all Mexico operations, operating under the brand names Best Buy and Geek Squad and all Turkey operations, operating under the brand names Best Buy and Geek Squad.

        We are committed to growth and innovation. Our business strategy is to treat customers as unique individuals, engaging and energizing our employees to serve customer needs with end-to-end solutions, while maximizing overall profitability. We believe we offer consumers meaningful advantages in store environment, multi-channel shopping, product value, product selection, and a variety of in-store and in-home services related to the merchandise we offer, all of which advance our objectives of enhancing our business model, gaining market share and improving profitability.

        Best Buy Co., Inc. is a Minnesota corporation whose principal executive offices are located at 7601 Penn Avenue South, Richfield, Minnesota 55423. Our main telephone number is (612) 291-1000.

        References to our Web site addresses do not constitute incorporation by reference of the information contained on the Web sites.


RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

        The following table sets forth the historical ratio of our earnings to our fixed charges for the periods indicated.

 
  Nine Months Ended   Fiscal Years Ended  
 
  November 27,
2010
  November 29,
2009
  February 27,
2010
  February 28,
2009
  March 1,
2008
  March 3,
2007
  February 25,
2006
 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges(1)

    4.35x     3.89x     6.08x     5.52x     8.85x     10.30x     9.83x  

(1)
For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges, earnings represents earnings before income tax expense, noncontrolling interests and equity in income (loss) of affiliates plus fixed charges; and fixed charges include: (a) interest expense; (b) amortization of capitalized expenses related to debt; and (c) the portion of rental expense which management believes is representative of the interest component of rent expense.

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USE OF PROCEEDS

        Except as otherwise set forth in a prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds from sales of the debt securities for general corporate purposes, which may include the following: refunding, repurchasing, retiring upon maturity or redeeming existing debt; funding for working capital; capital expenditures; repurchases of our capital stock; and strategic investments and acquisitions.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE DEBT SECURITIES

        We have summarized below general terms and conditions of the debt securities that we will offer and sell pursuant to this prospectus. When we offer to sell a particular series of debt securities, we will describe the specific terms and conditions of the series in a prospectus supplement to this prospectus. We will also indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement whether the general terms and conditions described in this prospectus apply to the series of debt securities. In addition, the terms and conditions of the debt securities of a series may be different in one or more respects from the terms and conditions described below. If so, those differences will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may, but need not, describe any additional or different terms and conditions of such debt securities in an Annual Report on Form 10-K, a Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or a Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC, the information in which would be incorporated by reference in this prospectus and such report will be identified in the applicable prospectus supplement.

        We will issue the debt securities in one or more series under an indenture between us and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as trustee. The following summary of provisions of the indenture does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indenture, including definitions therein of certain terms. This summary may not contain all of the information that you may find useful. The terms and conditions of the debt securities of each series will be set forth in those debt securities and in the indenture. For a comprehensive description of any series of debt securities being offered to you pursuant to this prospectus, you should read both this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement.

        We have filed the indenture as an exhibit to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. A form of each debt security, reflecting the specific terms and provisions of that series of debt securities, will be filed with the SEC in connection with each offering and is or will be incorporated by reference in the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part. You may obtain a copy of the indenture and any form of debt security that has been filed in the manner described under "Where You Can Find More Information."

        Capitalized terms used and not defined in this summary have the meanings specified in the indenture. For purposes of this section of this prospectus, references to "we," "us" and "our" are to Best Buy Co., Inc. (parent company only) and not to any of its subsidiaries. References to the "applicable prospectus supplement" are to the prospectus supplement to this prospectus that describes the specific terms and conditions of a series of debt securities.

General

        We may offer the debt securities from time to time in as many distinct series as we may determine. All debt securities will be our senior unsecured obligations. The indenture does not limit the amount of debt securities that we may issue under that indenture. We may, without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of any series, issue additional debt securities ranking equally with, and otherwise similar in all respects to, the debt securities of that series (except for the public offering price, issue date and first interest payment date) so that those additional debt securities will be consolidated and form a single series with the debt securities of the series previously offered and sold.

        The debt securities of each series will be issued in fully registered form without interest coupons. We currently anticipate that the debt securities of each series offered and sold pursuant to this prospectus will be issued as global debt securities as described under "—Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities" and will trade in book-entry form only.

        Debt securities denominated in U.S. dollars will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement. If the debt securities of a series are denominated in a foreign or composite currency, the

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applicable prospectus supplement will specify the denomination or denominations in which those debt securities will be issued.

        Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will repay the debt securities of each series at 100% of their principal amount, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon at maturity, unless those debt securities are previously redeemed or purchased and cancelled.

        Unless specified otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of each series will not be listed on any securities exchange.

Provisions of Indenture

        The indenture provides that debt securities may be issued under it from time to time in one or more series. For each series of debt securities, this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement will describe the following terms and conditions of that series of debt securities:

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Interest and Interest Rates

General

        In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will designate the debt securities of the series being offered as being either debt securities bearing interest at a fixed rate of interest or debt securities bearing interest at a floating rate of interest. Each debt security will begin to accrue interest from the date on which it is originally issued. Interest on each such debt security will be payable in arrears on the interest payment dates set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and as otherwise described below and at maturity or, if earlier, the redemption date described below. Interest will be payable to the holder of record of the debt securities at the close of business on the record date for each interest payment date, which record dates will be specified in such prospectus supplement.

        As used in the indenture, the term "business day" means, with respect to debt securities of a series, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close in the place where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of that series are payable.

Fixed Rate Debt Securities

        If the debt securities of a series being offered will bear interest at a fixed rate of interest, the debt securities of that series will bear interest at the annual interest rate specified on the cover page of the applicable prospectus supplement. Interest on those debt securities will be payable semi-annually in arrears on the interest payment dates for those debt securities unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. If the maturity date, the redemption date or an interest payment date is not a business day, we will pay principal, premium, if any, the redemption price, if any, and interest on the next succeeding business day, and no interest will accrue from and after the relevant maturity date, redemption date or interest payment date to the date of that payment. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, interest on the fixed rate debt securities will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

Floating Rate Debt Securities

        If the debt securities of a series being offered will bear interest at a floating rate of interest, the debt securities of that series will bear interest during each relevant interest period at the rate determined as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement and as otherwise set forth below. Each floating rate debt security will have an interest rate basis or formula.

        Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will base that formula on the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") for the LIBOR Currency. The "LIBOR Currency" means the currency specified in the applicable prospectus supplement as to which LIBOR will be calculated or, if no such currency is specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, U.S. dollars. In the applicable prospectus supplement, we will indicate any spread or spread multiplier to be applied in the interest rate formula to determine the interest rate applicable in any interest period. Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, interest will be computed on the basis of the actual number of days during the relevant interest period and a 360-day year.

        Floating rate debt securities may have a maximum or minimum rate limitation. In no event, however, will the rate of interest on the debt securities be higher than the maximum rate of interest permitted by New York law as that law may be modified by U.S. laws of general application.

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        The applicable prospectus supplement will identify the calculation agent for each series of floating rate debt securities, which will compute the interest accruing on the debt securities.

        If any interest payment date for the debt securities of a series bearing interest at a floating rate based on LIBOR (other than the maturity date or the redemption date, if any) would otherwise be a day that is not a business day, then the interest payment date will be postponed to the following date which is a business day, unless that business day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case the interest payment date will be the immediately preceding business day. If the maturity date or the redemption date, if any, is not a business day, we will pay principal, premium, if any, the redemption price, if any, and interest on the next succeeding business day, and no interest will accrue from and after the maturity date or the redemption date, if any, to the date of that payment.

        The calculation agent will reset the rate of interest on the debt securities of a series bearing interest at a floating rate based on LIBOR on each interest payment date. If any of the interest reset dates for the debt securities is not a business day, then that interest reset date will be postponed to the next succeeding business day, unless that day is in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case, the interest reset date will be the immediately preceding business day. The interest rate set for the debt securities on a particular interest reset date will remain in effect during the interest period commencing on that interest reset date. Each interest period will be the period from and including the interest reset date to, but excluding the next interest reset date or until the maturity date or redemption date, if any, of the debt securities, as the case may be.

        The calculation agent will determine the interest rate applicable to the debt securities bearing interest at a floating rate based on LIBOR on the interest determination date, which will be the second London banking day immediately preceding the interest reset date. The interest rate determined on an interest determination date will become effective on and as of the next interest reset date. The interest determination date for the interest period commencing on date of issuance of the debt securities is specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement. As used in this prospectus, "London banking day" means any day on which dealings in deposits in the LIBOR Currency are transacted in the London interbank market.

        If the debt securities bear interest at a floating rate based on LIBOR, the calculation agent will determine LIBOR according to the following provisions:

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        "Reuters Page LIBOR01" means the display that appears on Reuters (or any successor service) on page LIBOR01 (or any page as may replace such page on such service) for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates of major banks for U.S. dollars.

        "Index Maturity" means the period to maturity of the debt securities with respect to which the related interest rate basis or formula will be calculated. For example, the Index Maturity may be one month, three months, six months or one year.

        All percentages resulting from any calculation will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred-thousandth of a percentage point with five one millionths of a percentage point rounded upwards ( e.g. , 4.876545% (or .04876545) would be rounded to 4.87655% (or .0487655)), and all U.S. dollar amounts used in or resulting from such calculation will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upward).

        The calculation agent will promptly notify the trustee of each determination of the interest rate. The calculation agent will also notify the trustee of the interest rate, the interest amount, the interest period and the interest payment date related to each interest reset date as soon as such information becomes available. The trustee will make such information available to the holders of the relevant debt securities upon request.

        The calculation agent's determination of any interest rate, and its calculation of the amount of interest for any interest period, will be final and binding in the absence of manifest error.

        So long as any floating rate debt securities are outstanding, we will at all times maintain a calculation agent. We will appoint a bank, trust company, investment banking firm or other financial institution to act as the successor calculation agent in the event that:

Optional Redemption

Redemption at Our Option

        If specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect to redeem all or part of the outstanding debt securities of a series from time to time before the maturity date of the debt securities of that series. Upon such election, we will notify the trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of debt securities of the series to be redeemed. If less than all the debt securities of the series are to be redeemed, the particular debt securities of that series to be redeemed will be selected by the trustee by such method as the trustee deems fair and appropriate. The applicable prospectus supplement will specify the price at which any debt securities of a series are to be redeemed (or the manner of determining such price), in each case in accordance with the terms and conditions of those debt securities.

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        Notice of redemption will be given to each holder of the debt securities to be redeemed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the date set for such redemption. This notice will include the following information: the redemption date; the redemption price (or the method of determining such price); if less than all of the outstanding debt securities of such series are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption, the respective principal amounts) of the particular debt securities to be redeemed; the place or places where such debt securities are to be surrendered for payment of the redemption price; and, if applicable, the CUSIP number of the debt securities to be redeemed.

        By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the redemption date, we will deposit or cause to be deposited with the trustee or with a paying agent (or, if we are acting as our own paying agent with respect to the debt securities to be redeemed, we will segregate and hold in trust as provided in the indenture) an amount of money sufficient to pay the aggregate redemption price of, and (except if the redemption date shall be an interest payment date or the debt securities of such series provide otherwise) accrued interest on, all of the debt securities or the part thereof to be redeemed on that date. On the redemption date, the redemption price will become due and payable upon all of the debt securities to be redeemed, and interest, if any, on the debt securities to be redeemed will cease to accrue from and after that date. Upon surrender of any such debt securities for redemption, we will pay those debt securities surrendered at the redemption price together, if applicable, with accrued interest to the redemption date.

        Any debt securities to be redeemed only in part must be surrendered at the office or agency established by us for such purpose, and we will execute, and the trustee will authenticate and deliver to a holder without service charge, new debt securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denominations as requested by that holder, in a principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the debt securities that holder surrenders.

Repayment at Holder's Option

        If specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the holders of the debt securities of a series will have the option to elect repayment of those debt securities by us prior to the stated maturity of the debt securities of that series at time or times and subject to the conditions specified in the prospectus supplement. If the holders of those debt securities have that option, the applicable prospectus supplement will specify the optional repayment date or dates on which the debt security may be repaid and the optional repayment price (or the method of determining such price). The optional repayment price is the price at which, together with accrued interest to the optional repayment date, the debt security may be repaid at the holder's option on each such optional repayment date.

        Any tender of a debt security by the holder for repayment will be irrevocable. Any repayment option of a holder may be exercised by the holder of debt securities for less than the entire principal amount of the debt security; provided that the principal amount of the debt security remaining outstanding after repayment will be an authorized denomination. Upon such partial repayment, the debt securities will be canceled and new debt securities for the remaining principal amount will be issued in the name of the holder of the repaid debt securities.

        If debt securities are represented by a global security as described under "—Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities," the securities depository for the global security or its nominee will be the holder of the debt security and, therefore, will be the only person that can exercise a right to repayment. In order to ensure that the depository or its nominee will timely exercise a right to repayment relating to a particular debt security, the beneficial owner of the debt security must instruct the broker or other direct or indirect participant in the depository through which it holds an interest in the debt security to notify the depository of its desire to exercise a right to repayment by the appropriate cut-off time for notifying the participant. Different firms have different cut-off times for

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accepting instructions from their customers. Accordingly, a holder should consult the broker or other direct or indirect participant through which it holds an interest in a debt security in order to ascertain the cut-off time by which such an instruction must be given for timely notice to be delivered to the appropriate depository.

Payment and Transfer or Exchange

        Principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities of each series will be payable, and the debt securities may be exchanged or transferred, at the office or agency maintained by us for such purpose (which initially will be the corporate trust office of the trustee located at 625 Marquette Avenue, MAC 9311-110, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402). Payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on a global security registered in the name of or held by The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or its nominee will be made in immediately available funds to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered holder of such global security. If any of the debt securities is no longer represented by a global security, payment of interest on certificated debt securities in definitive form may, at our option, be made by check mailed directly to holders at their registered addresses. See "—Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities."

        A holder may transfer or exchange any certificated debt securities in definitive form at the same location given in the preceding paragraph. No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of debt securities, but we may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or other similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

        We are not required to transfer or exchange any debt security selected for redemption for a period of 15 days before mailing of a notice of redemption of the debt security to be redeemed.

        The registered holder of a debt security will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

        Subject to applicable unclaimed property laws, all amounts of principal of and premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities paid by us that remain unclaimed two years after such payment was due and payable will be repaid to us, and the holders of such debt securities will thereafter look solely to us for payment.

Covenants

        The following covenants are set forth in the indenture and will apply to us and certain Subsidiaries for so long as any debt securities remain outstanding under the indenture. These covenants restrict our ability and the ability of these Subsidiaries to enter into certain transactions. However, these covenants do not limit us or any Subsidiary from incurring Indebtedness nor do they require us or any Subsidiary to comply with financial ratios or to maintain specific levels of net worth or liquidity.

Limitation on Liens

        We will not, and we will not permit any North American Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, issue, assume or guarantee any Indebtedness if that Indebtedness is secured by any Lien upon any of our Principal Property or the Principal Property of a North American Subsidiary, without effectively securing each series of debt equally and ratably with that Indebtedness for so long as such Indebtedness is so secured. The foregoing restriction does not apply to:

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        The foregoing limitation on Liens will not apply to the issuance, assumption or guarantee by us or any North American Subsidiary of Indebtedness secured by a Lien which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions up to an aggregate amount which, together with all other Indebtedness of us and the North American Subsidiaries secured by Liens (not including Liens permitted under the foregoing exceptions) that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restriction and the Value of Sale and Leaseback Transactions existing at that time (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions that, if such Sale and Leaseback Transaction had been a Lien, would have been permitted under clauses (1) or (4) above and other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions as to which application of amounts have been made in accordance with clause (3) under "—Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions"), does not at the time exceed the greater of 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets and 10% of Consolidated Capitalization.

        The indenture does not limit the ability of any Subsidiary that is not a North American Subsidiary to issue, assume or guarantee any secured Indebtedness.

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

        We will not, and we will not permit any North American Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction unless the net proceeds of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction are at least equal to the sum of all costs incurred by us or any North American Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of, and construction of any improvements on, the Principal Property to be leased and:

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        The indenture does not limit the ability of any Subsidiary that is not a North American Subsidiary to enter into Sale and Leaseback Transactions.

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

        We may consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person, and we may sell, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of our properties and assets to another Person; provided that the following conditions are satisfied:

        If we consolidate or merge with or into any other Person or sell, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of our properties and assets in accordance with the indenture, the Successor will be substituted for us in the indenture and the debt securities, with the same effect as if it had been an original party to the indenture and named in the debt securities. As a result, the Successor may exercise our rights and powers under the indenture and the debt securities, and we will be released from all of our liabilities and obligations under the indenture and under the debt securities.

        Any substitution of the Successor for us might be deemed for federal income tax purposes to be an exchange of the debt securities for "new" debt securities, resulting in recognition of gain or loss for such purposes and possibly certain other adverse tax consequences to beneficial owners of the debt securities. Holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the tax consequences of any such substitution.

Events of Default

        Each of the following events are defined in the indenture as an "event of default" (whatever the reason for such event of default and whether or not it will be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by

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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) with respect to the debt securities of any series:

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        If an event of default with respect to debt securities of any series (other than an event of default described under clauses (6) or (7) above) occurs and is continuing, the trustee by notice to us, or the holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series by notice to us and the trustee, may, and the trustee at the request of such holders will, declare the principal of and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal, premium and accrued and unpaid interest will be due and payable immediately. If an event of default described under clauses (6) or (7) above occurs and is continuing, the principal of and premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on the debt securities of that series will become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the trustee or any holders.

        The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may rescind a declaration of acceleration and its consequences, if we have deposited certain sums with the trustee and all events of default with respect to the debt securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal or interest which have become due solely by such acceleration, have been cured or waived, as provided in the indenture.

        An event of default for a particular series of debt securities will not necessarily constitute an event of default for any other series of debt securities issued under the indenture.

        We are required to furnish the trustee annually a statement by certain of our officers to the effect that, to the best of their knowledge, we are not in default in the fulfillment of any of our obligations under the indenture or, if there has been a default in the fulfillment of any such obligation, specifying each such default.

        No holder of any debt securities of any series will have any right to institute any judicial or other proceeding with respect to the indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy unless:

        The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of outstanding debt securities of a series will have the right, subject to certain limitations, to direct the time, method and place of conducting

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any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee with respect to the debt securities of that series or exercising any trust or power conferred to the trustee, and to waive certain defaults. However, the trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights or powers under the indenture at the request of any of the holders of the debt securities of a series unless they have offered to the trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to the trustee against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request. The indenture provides that if an event of default occurs and is continuing, the trustee will exercise such of its rights and powers under the 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.

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, the holder of any debt security will have an absolute and unconditional right to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on that debt security on or after the due dates expressed in that debt security and to institute suit for the enforcement of payment.

Definitions

        The following is a summary of certain defined terms used in the indenture.

        "Bankruptcy Law" means Title 11, United States Code or any similar federal or state or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

        "Consolidated Capitalization" means the total of all assets appearing on our consolidated balance sheet, less (A) current liabilities and (B) deferred income tax liabilities.

        "Consolidated Net Tangible Assets" means the total of all assets appearing on our consolidated balance sheet, less (A) current liabilities; (B) intangible assets, including without limitation, such items as goodwill, trademarks, trade names, patents and unamortized debt discount and expense carried as an asset on such balance sheet; and (C) appropriate adjustments on account of minority interests of other Persons holding capital stock in any Subsidiary.

        "Custodian" means any custodian, receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

        "GAAP" means accounting principles generally accepted in the United States or any accounting principles permitted by the SEC for reporting companies (including, if applicable, International Financial Reporting Standards) as in effect from time to time.

        "Indebtedness" means, with respect to any Person at any time of determination, without duplication, the amount which in conformity with GAAP should then be shown on the balance sheet of such Person as a liability in respect of (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid or accrued by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of property not constituting a current liability, (e) all capital lease obligations of such Person, (f) net obligations of such Person in respect of interest rate protection agreements, (g) all obligations of such Person, actual or contingent, as an account party in respect of letters of credit or bankers' acceptances, (h) all guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, other than endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, and (i) all Indebtedness of others secured by any Lien on property owned by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed; provided that Indebtedness of any Person will not include any obligations or guarantees of obligations of such Person relating to leases which would not have been accounted for as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP as in effect on February 26, 2011, even if those obligations or guarantees of obligations would be included as liabilities on the balance sheet of such Person at the time of determination.

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        "Lien" means any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, charge or security interest of any kind, but excluding pledges or deposits under worker's compensation, unemployment insurance or similar statutes, mechanics', workmen's or other similar liens arising in the ordinary course of business or deposits or pledges to obtain the release of any such liens, certain liens for taxes, assessments or governmental charges or levies, landlord's liens on property held under lease, easements and other liens or encumbrances similar to the foregoing.

        "North American Subsidiary" means a Subsidiary formed under the laws of, or conducting its principal operations within (1) the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (2) Canada or any province or territory thereof.

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

        "Principal Property" means any real property or any permanent improvement thereon owned by us or any North American Subsidiary, including, without limitation, any store, warehouse or distribution center, that has a net book value (after deduction of accumulated depreciation) in excess of 0.50% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

        "Sale and Leaseback Transaction" means any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing to us or any Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except for temporary leases for a term, including any renewal thereof, of not more than three years and except for leases between us and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries), which Principal Property has been or is to be sold or transferred by us or such Subsidiary to such Person.

        "Subsidiary" means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock (or equivalent equity interest) is owned, directly or indirectly, by us or by one or more other Subsidiaries (or a combination thereof).

        "Value" means, with respect to a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, as of any particular time, the amount equal to the greater of (1) the net proceeds from the sale or transfer of the property leased pursuant to such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and (2) the sum of all costs to us or any Subsidiary incurred in connection with the acquisition of such property and the construction of any improvements thereon, as determined in good faith by us or such Subsidiary at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, in either case multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be equal to the number of full years of the term of the lease that is part of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction remaining at the time of determination and the denominator of which shall be equal to the number of full years of such term, without regard to any renewal or extension options contained in the lease.

Modification and Waivers

        Modification and amendments of the indenture and the debt securities of any series may be made by us and the trustee with the consent of the holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of the series affected thereby; provided, however, that no such modification or amendment may, without the consent of the holder of each outstanding debt security of the series affected thereby:

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        We and the trustee may, without the consent of any holders, modify or amend the terms of the indenture and the debt securities of any series with respect to the following:

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        The holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive compliance by us with certain restrictive provisions of the indenture. The holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may, on behalf of the holders of all debt securities of that series, waive any past default and its consequences under the indenture with respect to the debt securities of that series, except a default (1) in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities of that series or (2) in respect of a covenant or provision of the indenture that cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the holder of each debt security of that series. Upon any such waiver, such default will cease to exist, and any event of default arising therefrom will be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of the indenture; however, no such waiver will extend to any subsequent or other default or event of default or impair any rights consequent thereon.

Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

        We may discharge certain obligations to holders of the debt securities of a series that have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation and that either have become due and payable or will become due and payable within one year (or scheduled for redemption within one year) by depositing with the trustee, in trust, funds in U.S. dollars in an amount sufficient to pay the entire indebtedness including the principal, premium, if any, and interest to the date of such deposit (if the debt securities have become due and payable) or to the maturity thereof or the redemption date of the debt securities of that series, as the case may be. We may direct the trustee to invest such funds in U.S. Treasury securities with a maturity of one year or less or in a money market fund that invests solely in short-term U.S. Treasury securities.

        The indenture provides that we may elect either (1) to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities of a series (except for, among other things, obligations to register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities, to replace temporary or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities, to maintain an office or agency with respect to the debt securities and to hold moneys for payment in trust) ("legal defeasance") or (2) to be released from our obligations to comply with the restrictive covenants under the indenture, and any omission to comply with such obligations will not constitute a default or an event of default with respect to the debt securities of a series and clauses (4), (5) and (8) under "—Events of Default" will no longer be applied ("covenant defeasance"). Legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, will be conditioned upon, among other things, the irrevocable deposit by us with the trustee, in trust, of an amount in U.S. dollars, or U.S. government obligations, or both, applicable to the debt securities of that series which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal or premium, if any, and interest on the debt securities on the scheduled due dates therefor.

        If we effect covenant defeasance with respect to the debt securities of any series, the amount in U.S. dollars, or U.S. government obligations, or both, on deposit with the trustee will be sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants, to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the stated maturity but may not be sufficient to pay amounts due on the debt securities of that series at the time of the acceleration resulting from such

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event of default. However, we would remain liable to make payment of such amounts due at the time of acceleration.

        We will be required to deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel that the deposit and related defeasance will not cause the holders and beneficial owners of the debt securities of that series to recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes. If we elect legal defeasance, that opinion of counsel must be based upon a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service or a change in law to that effect.

        We may exercise our legal defeasance option notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option.

Same-Day Settlement and Payment

        Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will trade in the same-day funds settlement system of DTC until maturity or until we issue the debt securities in certificated form. DTC will therefore require secondary market trading activity in the debt securities to settle in immediately available funds. We can give no assurance as to the effect, if any, of settlement in immediately available funds on trading activity in the debt securities.

Book-Entry; Delivery and Form; Global Securities

        Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities of each series will be issued in the form of one or more global debt securities, in definitive, fully registered form without interest coupons, each of which we refer to as a "global security." Each such global security will be deposited with the trustee as custodian for DTC and registered in the name of a nominee of DTC in New York, New York for the accounts of participants in DTC.

        Investors may hold their interests in a global security directly through DTC if they are DTC participants, or indirectly through organizations that are DTC participants. Except in the limited circumstances described below, holders of debt securities represented by interests in a global security will not be entitled to receive their debt securities in fully registered certificated form.

        DTC has advised us as follows: DTC is a limited-purpose trust company organized under New York Banking Law, a "banking organization" within the meaning of the New York Banking Law, a member of the Federal Reserve System, a "clearing corporation" within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code and a "clearing agency" registered pursuant to the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. DTC was created to hold securities of institutions that have accounts with DTC ("participants") and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among its participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC's participants include both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations. Access to DTC's book-entry system is also available to others such as both U.S. and non-U.S. securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies and clearing corporations that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a participant, whether directly or indirectly.

Ownership of Beneficial Interests

        Upon the issuance of each global security, DTC will credit, on its book-entry registration and transfer system, the respective principal amount of the individual beneficial interests represented by the global security to the accounts of participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in each global security will be limited to participants or persons that may hold interests through participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in each global security will be shown on, and the transfer of those ownership

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interests will be effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to participants' interests) and such participants (with respect to the owners of beneficial interests in the global security other than participants).

        So long as DTC or its nominee is the registered holder and owner of a global security, DTC or such nominee, as the case may be, will be considered the sole legal owner of the debt security represented by the global security for all purposes under the indenture, the debt securities and applicable law. Except as set forth below, owners of beneficial interests in a global security will not be entitled to receive certificated debt securities and will not be considered to be the owners or holders of any debt securities represented by the global security. We understand that under existing industry practice, in the event an owner of a beneficial interest in a global security desires to take any actions that DTC, as the holder of the global security, is entitled to take, DTC would authorize the participants to take such action, and that participants would authorize beneficial owners owning through such participants to take such action or would otherwise act upon the instructions of beneficial owners owning through them. No beneficial owner of an interest in a global security will be able to transfer such interest except in accordance with DTC's applicable procedures, in addition to those provided for under the indenture. Because DTC can only act on behalf of participants, who in turn act on behalf of others, the ability of a person having a beneficial interest in a global security to pledge that interest to persons that do not participate in the DTC system, or otherwise to take actions in respect of that interest, may be impaired by the lack of a physical certificate representing that interest.

        All payments on the debt securities represented by a global security registered in the name of and held by DTC or its nominee will be made to DTC or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered owner and holder of the global security.

        We expect that DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest in respect of a global security, will credit participants' accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in the principal amount of the global security as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. We also expect that payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global security held through such participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices as is now the case with securities held for accounts for customers registered in the names of nominees for such customers. These payments, however, will be the responsibility of such participants and indirect participants, and neither we, the trustee nor any paying agent will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to, or payments made on account of, beneficial ownership interests in any global security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and its participants or the relationship between such participants and the owners of beneficial interests in the global security.

        Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for certificated debt securities, each global security may not be transferred except as a whole by DTC to a nominee of DTC or by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC. Transfers between participants in DTC will be effected in the ordinary way in accordance with DTC rules and will be settled in same-day funds.

        We expect that DTC will take any action permitted to be taken by a holder of debt securities only at the direction of one or more participants to whose account the DTC interests in a global security are credited and only in respect of such portion of the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities as to which such participant or participants has or have given such direction. However, if there is an event of default under the debt securities, DTC may exchange each global security for certificated debt securities, which it will distribute to its participants.

        Although we expect that DTC will agree to the foregoing procedures in order to facilitate transfers of interests in each global security among participants of DTC, DTC is under no obligation to perform or continue to perform such procedures, and such procedures may be discontinued at any time. None

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of we, the underwriters and the trustee will have any responsibility for the performance or nonperformance by DTC or its participants or indirect participants of their respective obligations under the rules and procedures governing their operations.

        The indenture provides that the global securities will be exchanged for debt securities in certificated form of like tenor and of an equal principal amount, in authorized denominations in the following limited circumstances:

        These certificated debt securities will be registered in such name or names as DTC will instruct the trustee. It is expected that such instructions may be based upon directions received by DTC from participants with respect to ownership of beneficial interests in global securities.

        The information in this section of this prospectus concerning DTC and DTC's book-entry system has been obtained from sources that we believe to be reliable, but we do not take responsibility for this information.

Euroclear and Clearstream

        If the depositary for a global security is DTC, a beneficial owner may hold interests in the global security through Clearstream Banking, société anonyme , which we refer to as "Clearstream," or Euroclear Bank SA/NV, as operator of the Euroclear System, which we refer to as "Euroclear," in each case, as a participant in DTC. Euroclear and Clearstream will hold interests, in each case, on behalf of their participants through customers' securities accounts in the names of Euroclear and Clearstream on the books of their respective depositaries, which in turn will hold such interests in customers' securities in the depositaries' names on DTC's books.

        Payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other matters relating to the debt securities made through Euroclear or Clearstream must comply with the rules and procedures of those systems. Those systems could change their rules and procedures at any time. We have no control over those systems or their participants, and we take no responsibility for their activities. Transactions between participants in Euroclear or Clearstream, on one hand, and other participants in DTC, on the other hand, would also be subject to DTC's rules and procedures.

        Investors will be able to make and receive through Euroclear and Clearstream payments, deliveries, transfers, exchanges, notices and other transactions involving any securities held through those systems only on days when those systems are open for business. Those systems may not be open for business on days when banks, brokers and other institutions are open for business in the United States.

        In addition, because of time-zone differences, U.S. investors who hold their interests in the debt securities through these systems and wish on a particular day, to transfer their interests, or to receive or make a payment or delivery or exercise any other right with respect to their interests, may find that the transaction will not be effected until the next business day in Luxembourg or Brussels, as applicable. Thus, investors who wish to exercise rights that expire on a particular day may need to act before the expiration date. In addition, investors who hold their interests through both DTC and Euroclear or Clearstream may need to make special arrangements to finance any purchase or sales of

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their interests between the U.S. and European clearing systems, and those transactions may settle later than transactions within one clearing system.

Governing Law

        The indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

Regarding The Trustee

        Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the trustee under the indenture.

        The trustee is permitted to engage in transactions with us and our subsidiaries from time to time, provided that if the trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict upon the occurrence of an event of default, or else resign.

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PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

        We may sell the debt securities described in this prospectus from time to time in one or more transactions:

        We may sell the debt securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act, with respect to any resale of the debt securities. A prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any sale of debt securities we are offering hereunder. Direct sales may be arranged by a securities broker-dealer or other financial intermediary.

        The applicable prospectus supplement will name any underwriter involved in a sale of debt securities. Underwriters may offer and sell debt securities at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or from time to time at market prices or at negotiated prices. Underwriters may be deemed to have received compensation from us from sales of debt securities in the form of underwriting discounts or commissions and may also receive commissions from purchasers of debt securities for whom they may act as agent. Underwriters may be involved in any "at the market" offering of debt securities by or on our behalf.

        Underwriters may sell debt securities to or through dealers, and such dealers may receive compensation in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions from the underwriters and/or commissions (which may be changed from time to time) from the purchasers for whom they may act as agent.

        Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, the obligations of any underwriters to purchase debt securities will be subject to certain conditions precedent, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the debt securities if any are purchased.

        The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth whether or not underwriters may over-allot or effect transactions that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the market price of the debt securities at levels above those that might otherwise prevail in the open market, including, for example, by entering stabilizing bids, effecting syndicate covering transactions or imposing penalty bids.

        We will name any agent involved in a sale of debt securities, as well as any commissions payable by us to such agent, in a prospectus supplement. Unless we state otherwise in the applicable prospectus supplement, any such agent will be acting on a reasonable efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

        If we utilize a dealer in the sale of the debt securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus, we will sell the debt securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the debt securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale.

        Underwriters, dealers and agents participating in a sale of the debt securities may be deemed to be underwriters as defined in the Securities Act, and any discounts and commissions received by them and any profit realized by them on resale of the debt securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions, under the Securities Act. We may have agreements with underwriters, dealers and agents to indemnify them against certain civil liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, and to reimburse them for certain expenses.

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        Underwriters or agents and their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

        Unless we indicate differently in a prospectus supplement, we will not list the debt securities on any securities exchange. The debt securities will be a new issue of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters that purchase the debt securities for public offering and sale may make a market in such debt securities, but such underwriters will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We can provide no assurance as to the liquidity of or the trading markets for any debt securities.

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VALIDITY OF THE SECURITIES

        The validity of the securities will be passed upon for us by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, New York, New York, and, with respect to certain matters of Minnesota law, by Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P., Minneapolis, Minnesota, and for any underwriters or agents by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.


EXPERTS

        The consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement schedule of Best Buy Co., Inc., incorporated in this prospectus by reference to Best Buy Co., Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 27, 2010 and the effectiveness of Best Buy Co., Inc.'s internal control over financial reporting, have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements and the related financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the report of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

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PART II

Information Not Required in Prospectus

Item 14.     Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

        The following is a statement of the expenses (all of which are estimated) to be incurred by the Registrant in connection with a distribution of securities registered under this registration statement:

 
  Amount to be paid  

SEC registration fee

  $ *  

Legal fees and expenses

    **  

Accounting fees and expenses

    **  

Printing fees

    **  

Rating agency fees

    **  

Trustee's fees and expenses

    **  

Miscellaneous

    **  
       
 

Total

  $ *  
       

*
The Registrant is registering an indeterminate amount of securities under this Registration Statement and in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the Registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee.

**
The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the estimated aggregate amount of expenses payable in respect of any offering of securities.

Item 15.     Indemnification of Directors and Officers

        The registrant is subject to the Minnesota Business Corporation Act, Minnesota Statutes, Chapter 302A. Minnesota Statutes, Section 302A.521, subd. 2, provides that a corporation shall indemnify a person made or threatened to be made a party to a proceeding by reason of the former or present official capacity of the person with respect to the corporation against judgments, penalties, fines, including, without limitation, excise taxes assessed against the person with respect to an employee benefit plan, settlements, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees and disbursements, incurred by the person in connection with the proceeding, if, with respect to the acts or omissions of the person complained of in the proceeding, the person: (1) has not been indemnified therefor by another organization or employee benefit plan; (2) acted in good faith; (3) received no improper personal benefit and Section 302A.255 (with respect to director conflicts of interest), if applicable, has been satisfied; (4) in the case of a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe the conduct was unlawful; and (5) in the case of acts or omissions occurring in the person's official capacity for the corporation, reasonably believed that the conduct was in the best interests of the corporation, or, in the case of acts or omissions occurring in the person's official capacity for another affiliated organization, reasonably believed that the conduct was not opposed to the best interests of the corporation. If the person's acts or omissions complained of in the proceeding relate to conduct as a director, officer, trustee, employee or agent of an employee benefit plan, the conduct is not considered to be opposed to the best interests of the corporation if the person reasonably believed that the conduct was in the best interests of the participants or beneficiaries of the employee benefit plan.

        In addition, the registrant's articles of incorporation provide that a director of the registrant shall not be personally liable to the registrant or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director except for liability (1) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the registrant or its shareholders; (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law; (3) under Minnesota Statutes, Section 302A.559, for making

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an improper distribution; (4) under Minnesota Statutes, Section 80A.76, for violating the securities registration or anti-fraud provisions; (5) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit; or (6) for acts or omissions occurring prior to the date when the relevant provision of the articles of incorporation became effective. The registrant's articles of incorporation do not limit directors' liability for violations of the federal securities laws. The registrant's articles of incorporation are consistent with the Minnesota Business Corporation Act and if such act is amended to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the registrant would be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by Minnesota law.

        The registrant has directors' and officers' liability insurance which is subject to various deductibles and exclusions from coverage.

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Item 16.     Exhibits

Exhibit No.   Description
  1.1 ** Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

4.1

*

Form of Indenture

 

4.2

**

Form of Supplemental Indenture

 

4.3

**

Form of Debt Security (to be included in the Form of Supplemental Indenture to be filed as Exhibit 4.2)

 

5.1

*

Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, as to the legality of the securities being registered

 

12.1

*

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

 

23.1

*

Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

 

23.2

*

Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

 

24.1

*

Powers of Attorney (included on signature page)

 

25.1

*

Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 on Form T-1 of the Trustee under the Indenture

*
Filed herewith.

**
To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a document to be incorporated by reference herein in connection with an offering of debt securities.

Item 17.     Undertakings

        The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        (a)(1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

              (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

             (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20 percent change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the Calculation of Registration Fee table in the effective registration statement; and

            (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) do not apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the

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registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

        (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

        (4)   That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

              (i)  Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

             (ii)  Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which the prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however , that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

        (5)   That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

              (i)  Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

             (ii)  Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

            (iii)  The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

            (iv)  Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

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        (b)   That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (c)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the Commission under Section 305(b)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act.

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

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SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Richfield, State of Minnesota, on the 4th day of March 2011.

    BEST BUY CO., INC.

 

 

By:

 

/s/ BRIAN J. DUNN

        Name:   Brian J. Dunn
        Title:   Chief Executive Officer


POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Joseph M. Joyce, Susan S. Grafton and Todd G. Hartman, and each of them, his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, both with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments, including post-effective amendments, to this Registration Statement, and any registration statement relating to the offering covered by this Registration Statement and filed pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact and agents or their substitute or substitutes may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 4th day of March 2011.

Signature
 
Title

 

 

 
/s/ BRIAN J. DUNN

Brian J. Dunn
  Chief Executive Officer and Director
(Principal executive officer)

/s/ JAMES L. MUEHLBAUER

James L. Muehlbauer

 

Executive Vice President—Finance and Chief Financial Officer (Principal financial officer)

/s/ SUSAN S. GRAFTON

Susan S. Grafton

 

Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer (Principal accounting officer)

/s/ LISA M. CAPUTO

Lisa M. Caputo

 

Director

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Signature
 
Title

 

 

 
/s/ KATHY J. HIGGINS VICTOR

Kathy J. Higgins Victor
  Director

/s/ RONALD JAMES

Ronald James

 

Director

/s/ ELLIOT S. KAPLAN

Elliot S. Kaplan

 

Director

/s/ SANJAY KHOSLA

Sanjay Khosla

 

Director

/s/ GEORGE L. MIKAN III

George L. Mikan III

 

Director

/s/ MATTHEW H. PAULL

Matthew H. Paull

 

Director

/s/ ROGELIO M. REBOLLEDO

Rogelio M. Rebolledo

 

Director

/s/ RICHARD M. SCHULZE

Richard M. Schulze

 

Director

/s/ HATIM A. TYABJI

Hatim A. Tyabji

 

Director

/s/ GÉRARD R. VITTECOQ

Gérard R. Vittecoq

 

Director

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.   Description
  1.1 ** Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

4.1

*

Form of Indenture

 

4.2

**

Form of Supplemental Indenture

 

4.3

**

Form of Debt Security (to be included in the Form of Supplemental Indenture to be filed as Exhibit 4.2)

 

5.1

*

Opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, as to the legality of the securities being registered

 

12.1

*

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

 

23.1

*

Consent of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP (included in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1)

 

23.2

*

Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

 

24.1

*

Powers of Attorney (included on signature page)

 

25.1

*

Statement of Eligibility under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 on Form T-1 of the Trustee under the Indenture

*
Filed herewith.

**
To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a document to be incorporated by reference herein in connection with an offering of debt securities.



Exhibit 4.1

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March     , 2011

 

 

Between

 

BEST BUY CO., INC.,

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

 

as Trustee

 



 

CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THIS INDENTURE

RELATING TO SECTIONS 310 THROUGH 318 INCLUSIVE,

OF THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

 

Indenture Section

Section 310(a)(1)

 

609

(a)(2)

 

609

(a)(3)

 

Not Applicable

(a)(4)

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

608

 

 

610

Section 311(a)

 

613

(b)

 

613

Section 312(a)

 

701

 

 

702

(b)

 

702

(c)

 

702

Section 313(a)

 

703

(b)

 

703

(c)

 

703

(d)

 

703

Section 314(a)

 

704

(a)(4)

 

1006

(b)

 

Not Applicable

(c)(1)

 

102

(c)(2)

 

102

(c)(3)

 

Not Applicable

(d)

 

Not Applicable

(e)

 

102

Section 315(a)

 

601

(b)

 

602

(c)

 

601

(d)

 

601

(e)

 

513

Section 316(a)

 

101

(a)(1)(A)

 

502

 

 

511

(a)(1)(B)

 

512

(a)(2)

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

508

(c)

 

104

Section 317(a)(1)

 

504

(a)(2)

 

504

(b)

 

1003

Section 318(a)

 

107

 


NOTE: This reconciliation and tie shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of this Indenture.

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

1

 

 

 

Section 101.

Definitions

1

 

Section 102.

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

9

 

Section 103.

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

9

 

Section 104.

Acts of Holders; Record Dates

10

 

Section 105.

Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company

11

 

Section 106.

Notice to Holders; Waiver

12

 

Section 107.

Conflict with Trust Indenture Act

12

 

Section 108.

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

13

 

Section 109.

Successors and Assigns

13

 

Section 110.

Separability Clause

13

 

Section 111.

Benefits of Indenture

13

 

Section 112.

Governing Law

13

 

Section 113.

Legal Holidays

13

 

Section 114.

No Recourse Against Others

14

 

Section 115.

WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL

14

 

 

ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS

14

 

 

 

Section 201.

Forms Generally

14

 

Section 202.

Form of Legend for Global Securities

14

 

Section 203.

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

15

 

 

ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES

16

 

 

 

Section 301.

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

16

 

Section 302.

Denominations

19

 

Section 303.

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

19

 

Section 304.

Temporary Securities

20

 

Section 305.

Registration of Transfer and Exchange

21

 

Section 306.

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities

23

 

Section 307.

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

23

 

Section 308.

Persons Deemed Owners

25

 

Section 309.

Cancellation

25

 

Section 310.

Computation of Interest

25

 

Section 311.

CUSIP Numbers

25

 

Section 312.

Original Issue Discount

26

 

ii



 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

26

 

 

 

Section 401.

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

26

 

Section 402.

Application of Trust Money

27

 

 

ARTICLE V REMEDIES

27

 

 

 

Section 501.

Events of Default

27

 

Section 502.

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

29

 

Section 503.

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

31

 

Section 504.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

31

 

Section 505.

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

31

 

Section 506.

Application of Money Collected

32

 

Section 507.

Limitation on Suits

32

 

Section 508.

Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and to Convert Securities

33

 

Section 509.

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

33

 

Section 510.

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

33

 

Section 511.

Control by Holders

33

 

Section 512.

Waiver of Past Defaults

34

 

Section 513.

Undertaking for Costs

34

 

Section 514.

Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

34

 

Section 515.

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

35

 

 

ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE

35

 

 

 

Section 601.

Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee

35

 

Section 602.

Notice of Defaults

36

 

Section 603.

Certain Rights of Trustee

36

 

Section 604.

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

38

 

Section 605.

May Hold Securities

38

 

Section 606.

Money Held in Trust

38

 

Section 607.

Compensation and Reimbursement

38

 

Section 608.

Conflicting Interests

39

 

Section 609.

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

39

 

Section 610.

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

40

 

Section 611.

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

41

 

Section 612.

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

42

 

Section 613.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

43

 

iii



 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

43

 

 

 

Section 701.

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

43

 

Section 702.

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

43

 

Section 703.

Reports by Trustee

43

 

Section 704.

Reports by Company

44

 

 

ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS

44

 

 

 

Section 801.

Company May Merge or Transfer Assets Only on Certain Terms

44

 

Section 802.

Successor Corporation Substituted

44

 

 

ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

45

 

 

 

Section 901.

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

45

 

Section 902.

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

46

 

Section 903.

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

47

 

Section 904.

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

48

 

Section 905.

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

48

 

Section 906.

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

48

 

 

ARTICLE X COVENANTS

48

 

 

 

Section 1001.

Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest

48

 

Section 1002.

Maintenance of Office or Agency

49

 

Section 1003.

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

49

 

Section 1004.

Limitation on Liens

50

 

Section 1005.

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

51

 

Section 1006.

Statement by Officers as to Default

52

 

Section 1007.

Waiver of Certain Covenants

52

 

 

ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

53

 

 

 

Section 1101.

Applicability of Article

53

 

Section 1102.

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

53

 

Section 1103.

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

53

 

Section 1104.

Notice of Redemption

54

 

Section 1105.

Deposit of Redemption Price

55

 

Section 1106.

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

55

 

Section 1107.

Securities Redeemed in Part

56

 

 

ARTICLE XII SINKING FUNDS

56

 

 

 

Section 1201.

Applicability of Article

56

 

Section 1202.

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

56

 

iv



 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1203.

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

57

 

 

ARTICLE XIII DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

57

 

 

 

Section 1301.

Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

57

 

Section 1302.

Defeasance and Discharge

57

 

Section 1303.

Covenant Defeasance

58

 

Section 1304.

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

58

 

Section 1305.

Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions

60

 

Section 1306.

Reinstatement

60

 

 

ARTICLE XIV REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

61

 

 

 

Section 1401.

Applicability of Article

61

 

Section 1402.

Repayment of Securities

61

 

Section 1403.

Exercise of Option

61

 

Section 1404.

When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable

62

 

Section 1405.

Securities Repaid in Part

62

 

v


 

 

INDENTURE, dated as of March     , 2011, between BEST BUY CO., INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Minnesota (herein called the “ Company ”), and WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of its senior unsecured debt securities (herein called the “ Securities ”), to be issued in one or more series as in this Indenture provided.

 

All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof, as follows:

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS
OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

Section 101.           Definitions .

 

For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(1)            the terms defined in this Article I have the meanings assigned to them in this Article I and include the plural as well as the singular;

 

(2)            all other terms used herein which are defined in the Trust Indenture Act, either directly or by reference therein, have the meanings assigned to them therein;

 

(3)            all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with GAAP;

 

(4)            any reference to an “Article” or a “Section” refers to an Article or a Section, as the case may be, of this Indenture;

 

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

 

(6)            “including” means including without limitation;

 



 

(7)            when used with respect to any Security, the words “convert,” “converted” and “conversion” are intended to refer to the right of the Holder or the Company to convert or exchange such Security into or for securities or other property in accordance with such terms, if any, as may hereafter be specified for such Security as contemplated by Section 301, and these words are not intended to refer to any right of the Holder or the Company to exchange such Security for other Securities of the same series and like tenor pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 or other similar provisions of this Indenture; and references herein to the terms of any Security that may be converted mean such terms as may be specified for such Security as contemplated in Section 301; and

 

(8)            references to agreements and other instruments shall be deemed to include all amendments and other modifications to such agreements and instruments, but only to the extent such amendments and other modifications are not prohibited by the terms of this Indenture.

 

Act ,” when used with respect to any Holder, has the meaning specified in Section 104.

 

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

 

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

 

Board of Directors ” means either the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee of that Board of Directors.

 

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Business Day ” means, when used with respect to any Place of Payment, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, which is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close in that Place of Payment.

 

Commission ” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, from time to time constituted, created under the Exchange Act, or, if at any time after the execution of this Indenture 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.

 

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Company ” means the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

 

Company Request ” or “ Company Order ” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by an Officer of the Company (or any Person designated in writing as authorized to execute and deliver Company Requests and Company Orders), and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Consolidated Capitalization ” means the total of all assets appearing on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company, less (A) current liabilities and (B) deferred income tax liabilities.

 

Consolidated Net Tangible Assets ” means the total of all assets appearing on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company, less (A) current liabilities; (B) intangible assets, including without limitation, such items as goodwill, trademarks, trade names, patents and unamortized debt discount and expense carried as an asset on such balance sheet; and (C) appropriate adjustments on account of minority interests of other Persons holding capital stock in any Subsidiary.

 

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, its corporate trust business shall be conducted (which office is located as of the date of this Indenture at 625 Marquette Avenue, MAC N9311-110, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attention:  Jayne Sillman, or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

 

Covenant Defeasance ” has the meaning specified in Section 1303.

 

Default ” means any event which is, or after the giving of notice or the passage of time or both would, unless cured or waived, be, an Event of Default.

 

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

 

Defeasance ” has the meaning specified in Section 1302.

 

Depositary ” means, with respect to Securities of any series issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities, a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act that is designated to act as Depositary for such Securities as contemplated by Section 301.

 

Event of Default ” has the meaning specified in Section 501.

 

Exchange Act ” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States or any accounting principles permitted by the Commission for reporting companies (including, if applicable, International Financial Reporting Standards) as in effect from time to time.

 

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Global Security ” means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and bears the legend set forth in Section 202 (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities).

 

Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Security is registered in the Security Register.

 

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person at any time of determination, without duplication, the amount which in conformity with GAAP should then be shown on the balance sheet of such Person as a liability in respect of (a) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money, (b) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes or other similar instruments, (c) all obligations of such Person upon which interest charges are customarily paid or accrued by such Person, (d) all obligations of such Person for the deferred purchase price of property not constituting a current liability, (e) all capital lease obligations of such Person, (f) net obligations of such Person in respect of interest rate protection agreements, (g) all obligations of such Person, actual or contingent, as an account party in respect of letters of credit or bankers’ acceptances, (h) all guarantees by such Person of Indebtedness of others, other than endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business, and (i) all Indebtedness of others secured by any Lien on property owned by such Person, whether or not the Indebtedness secured thereby has been assumed; provided that Indebtedness of any Person shall not include any obligations or guarantees of obligations of such Person relating to leases which would not have been accounted for as a liability on a balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP as in effect on February 26, 2011, even if such obligations or guarantees of obligations would be included as liabilities on the balance sheet of such Person at the time of determination.

 

Indenture ” means this instrument as originally executed and as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, respectively. The term “Indenture” shall also include the terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated by Section 301.

 

interest ” means, when used with respect to an Original Issue Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity, interest payable after Maturity.

 

Interest Payment Date ” means, when used with respect to any Security, the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Security.

 

Internal Revenue Code ” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

Lien ” means any mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, charge or security interest of any kind, but excluding pledges or deposits under worker’s compensation, unemployment insurance or similar statutes, mechanics’, workmen’s or other similar liens arising in the ordinary course of business or deposits or pledges to obtain the release of any such liens, certain liens for taxes,

 

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assessments or governmental charges or levies, landlord’s liens on property held under lease, easements and other liens or encumbrances similar to the foregoing.

 

Maturity ” means, when used with respect to any Security, the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, redemption or otherwise.

 

North American Subsidiary ” means a Subsidiary formed under the laws of, or conducting its principal operations within (1) the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (2) Canada or any province or territory thereof.

 

Notice of Default ” means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 501.

 

Officer ” means the Chairman of the Board, any Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Controller, the Chief Accounting Officer, the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.

 

Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate signed by an Officer of the Company.

 

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion of counsel (who may be counsel for the Company) and who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of the Company. Any Opinion of Counsel required to be delivered under this Indenture may have qualifications customary for opinions of the type required and counsel delivering such Opinion of Counsel may rely as to factual matters on certificates of the Company or governmental or other officials customary for opinions of the type required.

 

Original Issue Discount Security ” means any Security which provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502.

 

Outstanding ” means, when used with respect to Securities, as of the date of determination, all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, except:

 

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

 

(2)            Securities for whose payment or redemption money in the necessary amount has been theretofore deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities; provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

 

(3)            Securities as to which Defeasance has been effected pursuant to Section 1302;

 

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(4)            Securities which have been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, other than any such Securities in respect of which there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Securities are held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Securities are valid obligations of the Company; and

 

(5)            Securities as to which any property deliverable upon conversion thereof has been delivered (or such delivery has been made available), or as to which any other particular conditions have been satisfied, in each case as may be provided for such Securities as contemplated in Section 301;

 

provided , however , that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of the Outstanding Securities have given, made or taken any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action hereunder as of any date, (A) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount of the principal thereof which would be due and payable as of such date upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof to such date pursuant to Section 502, (B) if, as of such date, the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of a Security is not determinable, the principal amount of such Security which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the amount as specified or determined as contemplated by Section 301, (C) the principal amount of a Security denominated in one or more foreign currencies, composite currencies or currency units which shall be deemed to be Outstanding shall be the U.S. dollar equivalent, determined as of such date in the manner specified as contemplated by Section 301, of the principal amount of such Security (or, in the case of a Security described in clause (A) or (B) above, of the amount determined as provided in such clause), and (D) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Affiliate of the Company or of such other obligor.

 

Paying Agent ” means any Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Securities on behalf of the Company.

 

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

 

Place of Payment ” means, when used with respect to the Securities of any series, the place or places where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of such series are payable as specified as contemplated by Section 301.

 

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Predecessor Security ” means, with respect to any particular Security, every previous Security evidencing all or a portion of the same debt as that evidenced by such particular Security; and, for the purposes of this definition, any Security authenticated and delivered under Section 306 in exchange for or in lieu of a mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be deemed to evidence the same debt as the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security.

 

Principal Property ” means any real property or any permanent improvement thereon owned by the Company or any North American Subsidiary, including, without limitation, any store, warehouse or distribution center, that has a net book value (after deduction of accumulated depreciation) in excess of 0.50% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Redemption Date ” means, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, the date fixed for such redemption by or pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Redemption Price ” means, when used with respect to any Security to be redeemed, the price at which it is to be redeemed pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Regular Record Date ” means, for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date on the Securities of any series, the date specified for that purpose as contemplated by Section 301.

 

Repayment Date ” means, when used with respect to a Security to be repaid at the option of a Holder, the date fixed for such repayment by or pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Responsible Officer ” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any vice president, any assistant vice president, any assistant secretary, any assistant treasurer, any trust officer, or any other officer associated with the corporate trust department of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers, in each case having direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture, and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

Sale and Leaseback Transaction ” means any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing to the Company or any Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except for temporary leases for a term, including any renewal thereof, of not more than three years and except for leases between the Company and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries), which Principal Property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Subsidiary to such Person.

 

Securities ” has the meaning specified in the first recital of this Indenture and more particularly means any Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 

Securities Act ” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and any statute successor thereto, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

Security Register ” and “ Security Registrar ” have the respective meanings specified in Section 305.

 

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Special Record Date ” means, for the payment of any Defaulted Interest, a date fixed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 307.

 

Stated Maturity ” means, when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

 

Subsidiary ” means any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the outstanding voting stock (or equivalent equity interest) is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries (or a combination thereof).  For purposes of this definition, “voting stock” means stock which ordinarily has voting power for the election of directors (or equivalent positions), whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power by reason of any contingency.

 

Successor ” has the meaning specified in Section 801.

 

Trust Indenture Act ” means the U.S. Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was executed; provided , however , that in the event such Act is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as so amended.

 

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this Indenture until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

 

U.S. Government Obligation ” has the meaning specified in Section 1304(1).

 

Value ” means, with respect to a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, as of any particular time, the amount equal to the greater of (1) the net proceeds from the sale or transfer of the property leased pursuant to such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and (2) the sum of all costs to the Company or any Subsidiary incurred in connection with the acquisition of such property and the construction of any improvements thereon, as determined in good faith by the Company or such Subsidiary at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, in either case multiplied by a fraction, the numerator of which shall be equal to the number of full years of the term of the lease that is part of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction remaining at the time of determination and the denominator of which shall be equal to the number of full years of such term, without regard to any renewal or extension options contained in the lease.

 

Vice President ” means, when used with respect to the Company or the Trustee, any vice president, whether or not designated by a number or a word or words added before or after the title “vice president.”

 

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Section 102.           Compliance Certificates and Opinions .

 

Upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee, if requested by the Trustee, an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that in the opinion of such counsel all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished by the Company, and except that no such Officer’s Certificate or Opinion of Counsel shall be required in connection with the execution of a supplemental indenture contemporaneously with the execution of this Indenture.

 

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (except for certificates provided for in Section 1006) shall include:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(4)            a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such individual, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

Section 103.           Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee .

 

In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

Any certificate or opinion of an Officer of the Company may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such Officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which such Officer’s certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate or Opinion of Counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an Officer or Officers of the Company stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in

 

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the possession of the Company, unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

 

Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.

 

Section 104.           Acts of Holders; Record Dates .

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “ Act ” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and, subject to Section 601, conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section 104.

 

The ownership of Securities shall be proved by the Security Register.

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action of the Holder of any Security shall bind every future Holder of the same Security and the Holder of every Security issued upon the registration of transfer thereof or in exchange therefor or in lieu thereof in respect of anything done, omitted or suffered to be done by the Trustee or the Company in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Security.

 

The Company may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to give, make or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of Securities of such series; provided that the Company may not set a record date for, and the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply with respect to, the giving or making of any notice, declaration, request or direction referred to in the following paragraph. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Company from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the

 

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date such action is taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Company, at its own expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Trustee in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106.

 

The Trustee may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to give or make or join in the giving or making of (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 502, (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 507(2) or (iv) any direction referred to in Section 511, in each case with respect to Securities of such series. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to join in such notice, declaration, request or direction, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Trustee from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee, at the Company’s expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Company in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106.

 

With respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section 104, the party which sets such record dates may designate any day as the “ Expiration Date ” and from time to time may change the Expiration Date to any earlier or later day; provided that no such change shall be effective unless notice of the proposed new Expiration Date is given to each other party hereto in writing, and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Section 106, on or prior to the existing Expiration Date. If an Expiration Date is not designated with respect to any record date set pursuant to this Section 104, the party which set such record date shall be deemed to have initially designated the 180th day after such record date as the Expiration Date with respect thereto, subject to such party’s right to change the Expiration Date as provided in this paragraph.

 

Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount.

 

Section 105.                                 Notices, Etc., to Trustee and Company .

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, action or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

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(1)                                   the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing (which may be by facsimile) to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office at the location specified in Section 101; or

 

(2)                                   the Company by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of the Secretary of the Company at the address of the Company’s principal office specified in writing to the Trustee by the Company and, until further notice, at 7601 Penn Avenue South, Richfield, Minnesota 55423, Attention: Treasurer.

 

Section 106.                                 Notice to Holders; Waiver .

 

Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder affected by such event, at such Holder’s address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice. In any case where notice to Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

 

In case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

 

Where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to a Holder of a Global Security, such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary for such Security (or its designee), pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary, not later than the latest date, if any, and not earlier than the earliest date, if any, prescribed for the giving of such notice.

 

Section 107.                                 Conflict with Trust Indenture Act .

 

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act which is required under such Act to be a part of and govern this Indenture, the Trust Indenture Act shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the Trust Indenture Act provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

 

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Section 108.                                 Effect of Headings and Table of Contents .

 

The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

Section 109.                                 Successors and Assigns .

 

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

Section 110.                                 Separability Clause .

 

In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 111.                                 Benefits of Indenture .

 

Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

Section 112.                                 Governing Law .

 

This Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

Section 113.                                 Legal Holidays .

 

In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Stated Maturity of any Security, or any date on which a Holder has the right to convert such Holder’s Security, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities (other than a provision of any Security which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section 113)) payment of principal of and premium, if any, or interest on, or the Redemption Price or conversion of, such Security, need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Repayment Date, or at the Stated Maturity, or on such conversion date.  In the case, however, of Securities of a series bearing interest at a floating rate based on the London interbank offered rate (LIBOR), if any Interest Payment Date (other than the Redemption Date, Repayment Date or Stated Maturity) would otherwise be a date that is not a Business Day, then the Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the following date which is a Business Day, unless that Business Day falls in the next succeeding calendar month, in which case the Interest Payment Date will be the immediately preceding Business Day.  No interest shall accrue for the period from and after any such Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date, Repayment Date, Stated Maturity or conversion date, as the case may be, to the date of such payment as set forth in this Section 113.

 

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Section 114.                                 No Recourse Against Others .

 

A director, officer, employee or stockholder as such of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Security, each Holder shall waive and release all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 

Section 115.                                 WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL .

 

EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING AS BETWEEN THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE ONLY ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE OR THE SECURITIES.

 

ARTICLE II
SECURITY FORMS

 

Section 201.                                 Forms Generally .

 

The Securities of each series shall be in substantially such form or forms as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or, subject to Section 303, set forth in, or determined in the manner provided in, an Officer’s Certificate pursuant to a Board Resolution, 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 such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with applicable tax laws or the rules of any securities exchange or Depositary therefor or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the Officer executing such Securities, as evidenced by his or her execution thereof. If the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities. If all of the Securities of any series established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver a record of such action at the time of issuance of each Security of such series, but an appropriate record of such action shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series.

 

The definitive Securities shall be printed or produced in any manner, as determined by the Officer executing such Securities, as evidenced by his or her execution of such Securities.

 

Section 202.                                 Form of Legend for Global Securities .

 

Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities evidenced thereby or as required by Applicable Procedures, every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

 

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[ Insert, if applicable — UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“ DTC ”), NEW YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.]

 

[ Insert, if applicable — THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR A SECURITY REGISTERED, AND NO TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY IN WHOLE OR IN PART MAY BE REGISTERED, IN THE NAME OF ANY PERSON OTHER THAN SUCH DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE THEREOF, EXCEPT IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE.]

 

Section 203.                                 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication .

 

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

 

This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

 

Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

Authorized Signatory

Dated:

 

 

 

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ARTICLE III
THE SECURITIES

 

Section 301.                                 Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series .

 

The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

The Securities may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to (a) a Board Resolution or pursuant to authority granted by a Board Resolution and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in an Officer’s Certificate, or (b) one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any series:

 

(1)                                   the title of the Securities of the series (which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from Securities of any other series);

 

(2)                                   the maximum aggregate principal amount, if any, of the Securities of the series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 906 or 1107 and except for any Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder);

 

(3)                                   the Person to whom any interest on a Security of the series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest;

 

(4)                                   the date or dates on which the principal of any Securities of the series is payable or the method used to determine or extend those dates;

 

(5)                                   the rate or rates at which any Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which any such interest shall accrue, the Interest Payment Dates on which any such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date for any such interest payable on any Interest Payment Date;

 

(6)                                   the place or places where the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner in which any payment may be made;

 

(7)                                   the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to redeem the Securities shall be evidenced;

 

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(8)                                   the obligation or the right, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase any Securities of the series pursuant to any sinking fund or at the option of the Holders thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which any Securities of the series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

(9)                                   if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof, the denominations in which any Securities of the series shall be issuable;

 

(10)                             if the amount of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Securities of the series may be determined with reference to a financial or economic measure or index or pursuant to a formula, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

 

(11)                             if other than U.S. dollars, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in U.S. dollars for any purpose, including for purposes of the definition of “ Outstanding ” in Section 101;

 

(12)                             if the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Securities of the series is to be payable, at the election of the Company or the Holders thereof, in one or more currencies or currency units other than that or those in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the currency, currencies or currency units in which the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on such Securities as to which such election is made shall be payable, the periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amount so payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined);

 

(13)                             if other than the entire principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502;

 

(14)                             if the principal amount payable at the Stated Maturity of any Securities of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the Stated Maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such Securities as of any such date for any purpose thereunder or hereunder, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any Maturity other than the Stated Maturity or which shall be deemed to be Outstanding as of any date prior to the Stated Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined);

 

(15)                             if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to defease any Securities of the series pursuant to Section 1302 or Section 1303 shall be evidenced; whether any Securities of the series other than Securities denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate are to be

 

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subject to Section 1302 or Section 1303; or, in the case of Securities denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate, if applicable, that the Securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, shall not be defeasible pursuant to Section 1302 or Section 1303 or both such Sections;

 

(16)                             if applicable, that any Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the respective Depositaries for such Global Securities, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by any such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of that set forth in Section 202 and any circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in clause (2) of the last paragraph of Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and any transfer of such Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name or names of Persons other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof;

 

(17)                             any addition to, deletion from or change in the Events of Default applicable to any Securities of the series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 502;

 

(18)                             any addition to, deletion from or change in the covenants set forth in Article X which applies to Securities of the series;

 

(19)                             if the Securities of the series are to be convertible into or exchangeable for cash and/or any securities or other property of any Person (including the Company), the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable;

 

(20)                             whether the Securities of the series will be guaranteed and, if so, the identity of the guarantors, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be guaranteed and, if applicable, the terms and conditions upon which such guarantees may be subordinated to other indebtedness of the guarantors;

 

(21)                             whether the Securities of the series will be secured by any collateral and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be secured and, if applicable, upon which such liens may be subordinated to other liens securing other indebtedness of the Company or any guarantor; and

 

(22)                             any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 901(11)).

 

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officer’s Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at one time and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred

 

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to above and, subject to Section 303, set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officer’s Certificate referred to above or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions or in any such indenture supplemental hereto with respect to a series of Securities, additional Securities of a series may be issued, at the option of the Company, without the consent of any Holder, at any time and from time to time.

 

If any of the terms of the series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee concurrently with or prior to the delivery of the Officer’s Certificate setting forth the terms of the series.

 

Section 302.                                 Denominations .

 

The Securities of each series shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons and only in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 301. In the absence of any such specified denomination with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 303.                                 Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating .

 

The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, one of its Vice Chairmen, its Chief Executive Officer, its Chief Financial Officer, its Controller, its Chief Accounting Officer, its Treasurer or one of its Vice Presidents. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.

 

Securities bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities.

 

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Section 201 and Section 301, in authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and, subject to Section 601, shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating:

 

(1)                                   if the form of such Securities has been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Section 201, that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

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(2)                                   if the terms of such Securities have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or pursuant to authority granted by one or more Board Resolutions as permitted by Section 301, that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

 

(3)                                   that such Securities, when authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to (i) the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding paragraph of this Section 303, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, including in the event that the aggregate principal amount of a series of Outstanding Securities is increased as contemplated by Section 301, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officer’s Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to this Section 303 at or prior to the authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

 

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

 

No Security shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309, for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

 

Section 304.                                 Temporary Securities .

 

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities of such series in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as determined by the Officer executing such Securities, as evidenced by his or her execution of such Securities.

 

If temporary Securities of any series are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities of such series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of

 

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definitive Securities of such series, the temporary Securities of such series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for such series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any series, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor one or more definitive Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series and tenor.

 

Section 305.                                 Registration of Transfer and Exchange .

 

The Company shall cause to be kept at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee a register (the register maintained in such office and in any other office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Security Register ”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of transfers and exchanges of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “ Security Registrar ” for the purpose of registering transfers of and exchanging Securities as herein provided.

 

Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Security of a series at the office or agency of the Company in a Place of Payment for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and principal amount.

 

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

All Securities issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities shall be the valid obligations of the Company, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.

 

Every Security presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange shall (if so required by the Company or the Trustee) be duly endorsed, or be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed, by the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing.

 

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, Section 906 or Section 1107 not involving any transfer.

 

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If the Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in part, the Company shall not be required (A) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of such series (or of such series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the mailing of a notice of redemption of any such Securities selected for redemption under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (B) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

 

The provisions of clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this paragraph shall apply only to Global Securities:

 

(1)                                   Each Global Security authenticated under this Indenture shall be registered in the name of the Depositary designated for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and delivered to such Depositary or a nominee thereof or custodian therefor, and each such Global Security shall constitute a single Security for all purposes of this Indenture.

 

(2)                                   Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, and subject to such applicable provisions, if any, as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301, the Securities will not be issued in certificated form and no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and no transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof unless (A) such Depositary has notified the Company that it is unwilling, unable or no longer permitted under applicable law or under this Indenture to continue as Depositary for such Global Security and the Company has not appointed a successor Depositary within 90 days, (B) the Company so determines and so directs the Trustee by a Company Order, (C) there shall have occurred and be continuing an Event of Default with respect to such Global Security and such Depositary has requested the issuance of certificated Securities or (D) there shall exist such circumstances, if any, in addition to or in lieu of the foregoing as have been specified for this purpose as contemplated by Section 301.  If certificated Securities are issued pursuant to this clause (2), the certificated Securities shall be registered in such name or names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee.

 

(3)                                   Subject to clause (2) above, and subject to such applicable provisions, if any, as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301, any exchange of a Global Security for other Securities may be made in whole or in part, and all Securities issued in exchange for a Global Security or any portion thereof shall be registered in such names as the Depositary for such Global Security shall direct.

 

(4)                                   Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security or any portion thereof, whether pursuant to this Section 305, Section 304, Section 306, Section 906 or Section 1107 or otherwise, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall

 

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be, a Global Security, unless such Security is registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof.

 

Section 306.                                 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities .

 

If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor 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 (1) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (2) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and 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.

 

Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section 306, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of counsel to the Company and the fees and expenses of the Trustee and its counsel) connected therewith.

 

Every new Security of any series issued pursuant to this Section 306 in lieu of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series duly issued hereunder.

 

The provisions of this Section 306 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

 

Section 307.                                 Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved .

 

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any series of Securities, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

 

Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall

 

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forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or (2) below.

 

(1)                                   The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest payable on Securities of a series to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such series and the date of the proposed payment, and the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be given to each Holder of Securities of such series in the manner set forth in Section 106, not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been so delivered, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names the Securities of such series (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to Section 307(2).

 

(2)                                   The Company may make payment of any Defaulted Interest on the Securities of any series in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which such Securities may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, after written notice is given by the Company to the Trustee of the proposed payment pursuant to this clause.

 

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section 307, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

 

In the case of any Security which is converted after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Security whose Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest whose Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or made available for payment) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of

 

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business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Security which is converted, interest whose Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion of such Security shall not be payable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of any Security that may be converted may provide that the provisions of this paragraph do not apply, or apply with such additions, changes or omissions as may be provided thereby, to such Security.

 

Section 308.                                 Persons Deemed Owners .

 

Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and premium, if any, and, subject to Section 307, interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

Section 309.                                 Cancellation .

 

All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee and shall be promptly cancelled by it. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and may deliver to the Trustee (or to any other Person for delivery to the Trustee) for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated hereunder which the Company has not issued and sold, and all Securities so delivered shall be promptly cancelled by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section 309, except as expressly permitted by this Indenture. All cancelled Securities held by the Trustee shall be disposed of in accordance with its customary procedures. The Trustee shall provide the Company a list of all Securities that have been cancelled from time to time as requested in writing by the Company.

 

Section 310.                                 Computation of Interest .

 

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

Section 311.                                 CUSIP Numbers .

 

The Company in issuing any series of the Securities may use “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers and/or other similar numbers, if then generally in use, and thereafter with respect to such series, the Trustee may use such numbers in any notice of redemption with respect to such series; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities of such series or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification

 

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numbers printed on the Securities of such series, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.

 

Section 312.                                 Original Issue Discount .

 

If any of the Securities is an Original Issue Discount Security, the Company shall file with the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (1) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on such Outstanding Original Issue Discount Securities as of the end of such year and (2) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Internal Revenue Code.

 

ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 401.                                 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture .

 

This Indenture shall, upon Company Request, cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Request (except as to any surviving rights of registration of transfer or exchange of Securities of such series herein expressly provided for), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when:

 

(1)                                   either:

 

(A)                               all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than (i) Securities which have been mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306 and (ii) Securities for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(B)                                 all such Securities of such series not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation:

 

(i)                                      have become due and payable; or

 

(ii)                                   will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year of the date of deposit; or

 

(iii)                                are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company,

 

and the Company, in the case of clause (i), (ii) or (iii), has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire

 

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indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and premium, if any, and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

 

(2)                                   the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

 

(3)                                   the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series have been complied with.

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401(1)(B), the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 shall survive.

 

Section 402.                                 Application of Trust Money .

 

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the applicable series of Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and premium, if any, and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee. All money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 (and held by it or any Paying Agent) for the payment of Securities subsequently converted into other property shall be returned to the Company upon Company Request. The Company may direct by a Company Order the investment of any money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401, without distinction between principal and income, in (1) United States Treasury securities with a maturity of one year or less or (2) a money market fund that invests solely in short-term United States Treasury securities (including money market funds for which the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee serves as investment advisor, administrator, shareholder, servicing agent and/or custodian or sub-custodian, notwithstanding that (a) the Trustee charges and collects fees and expenses from such funds for services rendered and (b) the Trustee charges and collects fees and expenses for services rendered pursuant to this Indenture at any time) and from time to time the Company may direct the reinvestment of all or a portion of such money in other securities or funds meeting the criteria specified in clause (1) or (2) of this Section 402.

 

ARTICLE V
REMEDIES

 

Section 501.                                 Events of Default .

 

Except as may be otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 for Securities of any series, an “ Event of Default ” means, whenever used herein or in a Security issued hereunder (whatever

 

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the reason for such Event of Default and whether or not 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) with respect to Securities of any series, any one of the following events:

 

(1)                                   the Company defaults in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Security of such series when the same becomes due and payable at its Stated Maturity, upon optional redemption, declaration of acceleration or otherwise;

 

(2)                                   the Company defaults in the payment of any installment of interest on any Security of such series for 30 days after the same becomes due and payable;

 

(3)                                   the Company defaults in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series;

 

(4)                                   the Company defaults in the performance of, or breaches, any of its covenants and agreements in respect of any Security of such series contained in this Indenture or in the Securities of such series (other than those referred to in clause (1), (2) or (3)), and such default or breach continues for a period of 90 days after the notice specified below;

 

(5)                                   the Company defaults under any Indebtedness, or any agreement under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any Indebtedness of the Company or any Subsidiary, which default or defaults, individually or in the aggregate:

 

(A)                               constitute a failure to pay at least $150 million of the principal of such Indebtedness when due (unless such default or defaults is or are waived or cured within 30 days after the expiration of any applicable grace period); or

 

(B)                                 have resulted in the acceleration of any portion of such Indebtedness having an aggregate principal amount equal to or in excess of $150 million,

 

in the case of each of clause (a) and (b), without the overdue or accelerated portion of such Indebtedness having been discharged, or without such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, within 90 days after the notice specified below;

 

(6)                                   the Company, pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law (as defined below):

 

(A)                               commences a voluntary case or proceeding;

 

(B)                                 consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case or proceeding;

 

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(C)                                 consents to the appointment of a Custodian (as defined below) of it or for all or substantially all of its property;

 

(D)                                makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors;

 

(E)                                  files a petition in bankruptcy or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief;

 

(F)                                  consents to the filing of such petition or the appointment of or taking possession by a Custodian; or

 

(G)                                 takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency;

 

(7)                                   a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

(A)                               is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case, or adjudicates the Company insolvent or bankrupt;

 

(B)                                 appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of the property of the Company; or

 

(C)                                 orders the winding-up or liquidation of the Company (or any similar relief is granted under any foreign laws),

 

and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or

 

(8)                                   any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of such series occurs.

 

The term “ Bankruptcy Law ” means Title 11, United States Code, or any similar federal or state or foreign law for the relief of debtors. The term “ Custodian ” means any custodian, receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or other similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

A Default with respect to Securities of any series under clause (4) or (5) of this Section 501 shall not be an Event of Default until the Trustee (by written notice to the Company) or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such series (by written notice to the Company and the Trustee) gives notice of the Default and the Company does not cure such Default within the time specified in clause (4) or (5) of this Section 501 after receipt of such notice. Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “ Notice of Default .”

 

Section 502.                                 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment .

 

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series at the time Outstanding (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 501(6) or (7)) occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount

 

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of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal amount of all the Securities of such series (or, if any Securities of that series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount of such Securities as may be specified by the terms thereof), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration, such principal amount (or specified amount), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall become immediately due and payable.  If an Event of Default specified in Section 501(6) or (7) with respect to the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Securities of such series (or, in the case of any Security of such series which specifies an amount to be due and payable thereon upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof, such amount as may be specified by the terms thereof), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable.  Upon payment of such amount, all obligations of the Company in respect of the payment of principal and interest of the Securities of such series shall terminate.

 

Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, at any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to the Securities of any series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article V provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

 

(1)                                   the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay:

 

(A)                               all overdue interest on all Securities of such series;

 

(B)                                 the principal of and premium, if any, on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any interest thereon at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in the Securities of such series;

 

(C)                                 to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities; and

 

(D)                                all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the compensation and reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel; and

 

(2)                                   all Events of Default with respect to Securities of such series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of such series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 512.

 

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

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Section 503.                                 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

 

The Company covenants that if (1) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or (2) default is made in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Security at the Maturity thereof, the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and premium, if any, and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation and reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

 

Section 504.                                 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .

 

In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), its property or its creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. In particular, the Trustee shall be authorized to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it and any predecessor Trustee under Section 607.

 

No provision of this Indenture shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding; provided , however , that the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders, vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar official and be a member of a creditors’ or other similar committee.

 

Section 505.                                 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities .

 

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee

 

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shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, any predecessor Trustee under Section 607, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 506.                                 Application of Money Collected .

 

Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article V shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money or property on account of principal or premium, if any, or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 607;

 

SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and

 

THIRD: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company.

 

Section 507.                                 Limitation on Suits .

 

No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator or sequestrator (or similar official) or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

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

 

(2)                                   the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

 

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

 

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

 

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(5)                                   no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series;

 

it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all of such Holders.

 

Section 508.                                 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and to Convert Securities .

 

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and, subject to Section 307, interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption or repayment, on the Redemption Date or date for repayment, as the case may be, and, if the terms of such Security so provide, to convert such Security in accordance with its terms) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and, if applicable, any such right to convert, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 509.                                 Rights and Remedies Cumulative .

 

Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

Section 510.                                 Delay or Omission Not Waiver .

 

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article V or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

 

Section 511.                                 Control by Holders .

 

The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series; provided that:

 

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(1)                                   such direction shall not be in conflict with any applicable rule of law or with this Indenture;

 

(2)                                   the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction; and

 

(3)                                   the Trustee shall have the right to require compliance with Section 603(5).

 

Section 512.                                 Waiver of Past Defaults .

 

The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default:

 

(1)                                   in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security of such series; or

 

(2)                                   in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which under Article IX cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected.

 

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 513.                                 Undertaking for Costs .

 

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess reasonable costs against any such party litigant, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that neither this Section 513 nor the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit instituted by the Company or the Trustee, a suit by a Holder under Section 508, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities.

 

Section 514.                                 Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws .

 

The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it shall not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it shall not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

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Section 515.                                 Restoration of Rights and Remedies .

 

If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

ARTICLE VI
THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 601.                                 Certain Duties and Responsibilities of Trustee .

 

(1)                                   Except during the continuance of an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities:

 

(A)                               the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee with respect to such series; and

 

(B)                                 in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may rely with respect to the Securities of such series, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

 

(2)                                   In case an Event of Default with respect to any series of Securities has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

 

(3)                                   No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

(A)                               this Section 601(3) shall not be construed to limit the effect of Section 601(1);

 

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

 

(C)                                 the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, determined as provided in Section 101, Section 104 and Section 511, relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and

 

(D)                                no provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

 

(4)                                   Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 601.

 

Section 602.                                 Notice of Defaults .

 

If a Default or an Event of Default occurs with respect to Securities of any series and is continuing and if it is actually known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder of Securities of such series notice of the Default within 90 days after it is known to a Responsible Officer or written notice of it is received by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee. Except in the case of a Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is not opposed to the interests of Holders of Securities of such series.

 

Section 603.                                 Certain Rights of Trustee .

 

Subject to the provisions of Section 601:

 

(1)                                   the Trustee may rely and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper party or parties;

 

(2)                                   if so requested by the Trustee, any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order, and any resolution of the Board of Directors shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

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(3)                                   whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officer’s Certificate;

 

(4)                                   the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon;

 

(5)                                   the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders pursuant to this Indenture, unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction;

 

(6)                                   the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine during customary business hours the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;

 

(7)                                   the Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly or by or through agents or attorneys and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder;

 

(8)                                   the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder and to its agents;

 

(9)                                   the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken, suffered, or omitted to be taken by it in good faith and reasonably believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion or rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;

 

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

 

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(11)                             in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services (it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to avoid and mitigate the effects of such occurrences and to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances); and

 

(12)                             the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee shall have actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default shall have been received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture.

 

Section 604.                                 Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities .

 

The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

Section 605.                                 May Hold Securities .

 

The Trustee, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Section 608 and Section 613, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

 

Section 606.                                 Money Held in Trust .

 

Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed with the Company.

 

Section 607.                                 Compensation and Reimbursement .

 

The Company agrees:

 

(1)                                   to pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as shall be agreed to in writing between the Company and the Trustee for all services rendered by it

 

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hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

 

(2)                                   except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the reasonable expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to its negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith; and

 

(3)                                   to indemnify the Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending itself against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder.

 

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(6) or (7), the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.

 

The Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities as to all property and funds held by it hereunder for any amount owing it or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to this Section 607, except with respect to funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of Securities.

 

The provisions of this Section 607 shall survive the termination of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

Section 608.                                 Conflicting Interests .

 

If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.

 

To the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.

 

Section 609.                                 Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility .

 

There shall at all times be one (and only one) Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of each series, which may be Trustee hereunder for Securities of one or more other series. Each Trustee shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such, has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 and has its Corporate Trust Office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York or any other major city in the United States that is reasonably acceptable to the Company. If any such Person publishes reports of

 

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condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section 609 and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent annual report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 609, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article VI.

 

Section 610.                                 Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor .

 

No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article VI shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611.

 

The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee, at the expense of the Company, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, upon written notice delivered to the Trustee and to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the Trustee being removed, at the expense of the Company, may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

If at any time:

 

(1)                                   the Trustee shall fail to comply with Section 608 after written request therefor by the Company or by any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months; or

 

(2)                                   the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 609 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any such Holder; or

 

(3)                                   the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation,

 

then, in any such case, (A) the Company may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or (B) subject to Section 513, Holders of 10% in aggregate principal amount of Securities of any series who have been bona fide Holders of such Securities for at least six months may, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for

 

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the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

 

If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 611. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 611, Holders of 10% in aggregate principal amount of Securities of any series who have been bona fide Holders of Securities of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of themselves and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 106. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 611.                                 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor .

 

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and to the retiring Trustee a written instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee, but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver a written 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

 

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(1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

 

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

 

No successor Trustee shall accept its appointment unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Trustee shall be qualified and eligible under this Article VI.

 

Section 612.                                 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business .

 

Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder; provided that such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article VI, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion, consolidation or sale to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities; and in case at that time any Securities shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Securities either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Securities or in this Indenture provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.

 

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Section 613.                                 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company .

 

If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any such other obligor).

 

ARTICLE VII
HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE
AND COMPANY

 

Section 701.                                 Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders .

 

If the Trustee is not the Security Registrar, the Company shall cause the Security Registrar to furnish to the Trustee, in writing at least five Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Holders of Securities of each series.

 

Section 702.                                 Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders .

 

The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 701 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

The rights of Holders to communicate with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under the Securities, and the corresponding rights and privileges of the Trustee, shall be as provided by the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of either of them shall be held accountable by reason of any disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 703.                                 Reports by Trustee .

 

The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. The Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Company a copy of any report it delivers to Holders pursuant to this Section 703.

 

A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange and automated quotation system, if any, upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company. The Company will notify the Trustee in writing when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange or automated quotation system or delisted therefrom.

 

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Section 704.                                 Reports by Company .

 

The Company shall comply with all the applicable provisions of the Trust Indenture Act. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and shall not constitute a representation or warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of the reports, information and documents. The Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

 

ARTICLE VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER
AND SALE OF ASSETS

 

Section 801.                                 Company May Merge or Transfer Assets Only on Certain Terms .

 

The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, transfer, lease or convey all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, any other Person, unless:

 

(1)                                   the Company shall be the continuing entity, or the resulting, surviving or transferee Person (the “ Successor ”) shall be a Person organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and the Successor (if not the Company) shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Securities and this Indenture and, for each Security that by its terms provides for conversion, shall have provided for the right to convert such Security in accordance with its terms;

 

(2)                                   immediately after giving effect to such transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing; and

 

(3)                                   the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction and such supplemental indenture, if any, complies with this Indenture (except that such Opinion of Counsel need not opine as to clause (2) above).

 

Section 802.                                 Successor Corporation Substituted .

 

The Successor shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under the Indenture, with the same effect as if the Successor had been an original party to this Indenture, and the Company shall be released from all its liabilities and obligations under this Indenture and the Securities.

 

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ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 901.                                 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders .

 

Without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto for any of the following purposes:

 

(1)                                   to add to the covenants for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

 

(2)                                   to evidence the succession of another Person 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 VIII;

 

(3)                                   to add any additional Events of Default for the benefit of the Holders 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);

 

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

 

(5)                                   to secure the Securities;

 

(6)                                   to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 611;

 

(7)                                   to provide for the issuance of additional Securities of any series;

 

(8)                                   to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 201 and Section 301 ;

 

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

 

(10)                             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;

 

(11)                             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

 

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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 (i) Outstanding;

 

(12)                             to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision of this Indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein; and

 

(13)                             to change any other provision under this Indenture; provided that such action pursuant to this clause (13) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.

 

Section 902.                                 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders .

 

With the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer for or exchange of Securities), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided , however , no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security of such series affected thereby:

 

(1)                                   change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security;

 

(2)                                   reduce the principal amount of any Security or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Security which would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 503, or reduce the rate of interest on any Security;

 

(3)                                   reduce any premium payable upon the redemption of or change the date on which any Security may or must be redeemed;

 

(4)                                   change the coin or currency in which the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security is payable;

 

(5)                                   impair the right of any Holder to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date);

 

(6)                                   reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture;

 

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(7)                                   modify any of the provisions of this Section 902, Section 512 or Section 1007, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided , however , that this clause (7) shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “the Trustee” and concomitant changes in this Section 902 and Section 1007, or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Section 611 and Section 901(6); or

 

(8)                                   if the Securities of any series are convertible into or for any other securities or property of the Company, make any change that adversely affects in any material respect the right to convert any Security of such series (except as permitted by Section 901) or decrease the conversion rate or increase the conversion price of any such Security of such series, unless such decrease or increase is permitted by the terms of such Security.

 

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 the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision, shall be deemed not to affect the rights under this Indenture of the Holders of Securities of any other series.

 

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section 902 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

 

After a supplemental indenture under this Section 902 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Trustee a notice briefly describing such supplemental indenture or a copy of such supplemental indenture and the Trustee shall mail such notice or supplemental indenture to Holders affected thereby. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, or any failure of the Company to mail such supplemental indenture, shall not in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

 

Section 903.                                 Execution of Supplemental Indentures .

 

In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article IX or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and, subject to Section 601, shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that all conditions precedent in this Indenture to the execution of such supplemental indenture, if any, have been complied with; provided , however , that no such Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel shall be required in the case of any supplemental indenture executed and delivered concurrently with the original execution and delivery of this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

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Section 904.                                 Effect of Supplemental Indentures .

 

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article IX, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

 

Section 905.                                 Conformity with Trust Indenture Act .

 

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article IX shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 906.                                 Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures .

 

Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article IX may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

ARTICLE X
COVENANTS

 

Section 1001.                           Payment of Principal, Premium, if any, and Interest .

 

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it shall duly and punctually pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Securities of such series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture. Principal and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if, on or before 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on such date, the Trustee or the Paying Agent (or, if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the Paying Agent, the segregated account or separate trust fund maintained by the Company or such Subsidiary pursuant to Section 1003) holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal and interest then due.

 

The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Securities, and it shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at the same rate to the extent lawful as provided in Section 307.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Indenture, the Company or the Paying Agent may, to the extent it is required to do so by law, deduct or withhold income or other similar taxes imposed by the United States of America or other domestic or foreign taxing authorities from principal or interest payments hereunder.

 

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Section 1002.                           Maintenance of Office or Agency .

 

The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of such series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities may be surrendered for conversion, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series and this Indenture may be served. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency.  If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.  The Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

 

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

With respect to any Global Security, and except as otherwise may be specified for such Global Security as contemplated by Section 301, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall be the Place of Payment where such Global Security may be presented or surrendered for payment or for registration of transfer or exchange, or where successor Securities may be delivered in exchange therefor; provided , however , that any such payment, presentation, surrender or delivery effected pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary for such Global Security shall be deemed to have been effected at the Place of Payment for such Global Security in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

Section 1003.                           Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust .

 

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date for the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities a sum sufficient to pay the principal and premium, if any, and interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Holders or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and shall promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on each due date for the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Securities of such series, deposit with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held in trust for the Holders of such Securities entitled to the same, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

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The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 1003, that such Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by such Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Securities and shall notify the Trustee in writing of any default by the Company in making any such payment.

 

The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or for any other purpose, pay, or by Company Order direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same trusts as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

Subject to applicable abandoned property laws, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease.

 

Section 1004.                           Limitation on Liens .

 

(a)                                   The Company shall not, and shall not permit any North American Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, issue, assume or guarantee any Indebtedness if that Indebtedness is secured by any Lien upon any of the Principal Property of the Company or of a North American Subsidiary, without effectively securing the Securities of each series equally and ratably with that Indebtedness for so long as such Indebtedness is so secured. The foregoing restriction shall not apply to:

 

(1)                                   Liens on any property acquired, constructed or improved by the Company or any North American Subsidiary after the date of this Indenture which are created or assumed contemporaneously with or within one year after the acquisition of such property, or completion of construction or improvement thereon, or within one year thereafter pursuant to a firm commitment for financing arrangements entered into within that one-year period to secure or provide for the payment of the purchase price or cost thereof; provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness secured by such Liens shall not exceed the cost of the property or assets so acquired, constructed or improved;

 

(2)                                   Liens existing on any property at the time of acquisition thereof from a Person merged or consolidated with or into the Company or a North American

 

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Subsidiary; provided that the Lien is not created in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

 

(3)                                   Liens on property of any Person existing at the time that Person becomes a North American Subsidiary;

 

(4)                                   Liens existing on any property at the time of acquisition thereof (in addition to Liens contemplated by the foregoing clauses (2) and (3));

 

(5)                                   Liens to secure Indebtedness of a North American Subsidiary owed to the Company or Indebtedness of the Company or a North American Subsidiary owed to another North American Subsidiary;

 

(6)                                   Liens consisting solely of encumbrances, rights-of-way, restrictions (including zoning restrictions), minor defects or irregularities in title and other similar charges or encumbrances not, in any material respect, impairing the use of the encumbered property for its intended purpose;

 

(7)                                   any Lien existing on the date of this Indenture; or

 

(8)                                   Liens for the sole purpose of extending, renewing, replacing or refinancing Indebtedness secured by any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (1) to (7), inclusive; provided , however , that the principal amount of Indebtedness secured by that Lien shall not exceed the principal amount of Indebtedness so secured at the time of such extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing, and that such extension, renewal, replacement or refinancing shall be limited to the property that secured the Lien so extended, renewed, replaced or refinanced (plus improvements on such property).

 

(b)                                  The foregoing limitation on Liens shall not apply to the issuance, assumption or guarantee by the Company or any North American Subsidiary of Indebtedness secured by a Lien which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions up to an aggregate amount which, together with all other Indebtedness of the Company and the North American Subsidiaries secured by Liens (not including Liens permitted under the foregoing exceptions) that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions and the Value of Sale and Leaseback Transactions existing at that time (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions that, if such Sale and Leaseback Transaction had been a Lien, would have been permitted under Section 1004(a) (1) or (4) and other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions as to which application of amounts have been made in accordance with Section 1005(3)), does not at the time exceed the greater of 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets and 10% of Consolidated Capitalization.

 

Section 1005.                           Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .

 

The Company shall not, and shall not permit any North American Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction unless the net proceeds of the Sale and Leaseback Transaction are at least equal to the sum of all costs incurred by the Company or any North American Subsidiary in connection with the acquisition of, and construction of any improvements on, the Principal Property to be leased and:

 

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(1)                                   the Company or the North American Subsidiary would be entitled to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Principal Property to be leased without equally and ratably securing the debt securities, pursuant to Section 1004(a);

 

(2)                                   the Company or the North American Subsidiary would be entitled to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Principal Property to be leased without equally and ratably securing the debt securities, pursuant to Section 1004(b); or

 

(3)                                   the Company or the North American Subsidiary shall, within 180 days of the effective date of any such arrangement (or, in the case of clause (B) below, within six months thereafter pursuant to a firm purchase commitment entered into within such 180-day period) apply an amount equal to the proceeds from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction relating to such Principal Property to:

 

(A)                               the payment or other retirement of Indebtedness incurred or assumed by the Company or any North American Subsidiary that ranks senior or equal to the Securities of that series (other than Indebtedness owned or held by the Company or any North American Subsidiary); or

 

(B)                                 the purchase of other Principal Property.

 

Section 1006.                           Statement by Officers as to Default .

 

For so long as any Securities remain outstanding under this Indenture, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof an Officer’s Certificate signed by its principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer, stating whether or not, to the best knowledge of such officer, the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) and, if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.

 

Section 1007.                           Waiver of Certain Covenants .

 

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of such series, the Company may, with respect to the Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in any covenant provided pursuant to Section 301(18), Section 901(1) or Section 901(8) for the benefit of the Holders of such series, if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

 

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ARTICLE XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 1101.                           Applicability of Article .

 

Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities) in accordance with this Article XI.

 

Section 1102.                           Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee .

 

The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution or an Officer’s Certificate or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of the Securities of any series (including any such redemption affecting only a single Security), the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee in writing of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officer’s Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction.

 

Section 1103.                           Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed .

 

If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed or unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (which may include by lot) and which may provide for the selection for redemption of a portion of the principal amount of any Security of such series; provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security. If less than all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed (unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.

 

If any Security selected for partial redemption is converted in part before termination of the conversion right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted during a selection of securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Securities selected for redemption as aforesaid and, in case of any Securities selected for partial redemption as aforesaid, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

 

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The provisions of the two preceding paragraphs shall not apply with respect to any redemption affecting only a single Security, whether such Security is to be redeemed in whole or in part. In the case of any such redemption in part, the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of the Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security.

 

For all purposes of this Indenture, unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Securities shall relate, in the case of any Securities redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Securities which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

Section 1104.                           Notice of Redemption .

 

Notice of redemption shall be given by first-class mail, postage prepaid, mailed not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date (or within such period as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of a series), to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at such Holder’s address appearing in the Security Register.

 

All notices of redemption shall identify the Securities to be redeemed and state:

 

(1)                                  the Redemption Date;

 

(2)                                  the Redemption Price (or the method of calculating such price);

 

(3)                                  if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series consisting of more than a single Security are to be redeemed, the identification (and, in the case of partial redemption of any such Securities, the principal amounts) of the particular Securities to be redeemed and, if less than all the Outstanding Securities of any series consisting of a single Security are to be redeemed, the principal amount of the particular Security to be redeemed;

 

(4)                                  that on the Redemption Date the Redemption Price will become due and payable upon each such Security to be redeemed and, if applicable, that interest thereon will cease to accrue on and after said date;

 

(5)                                  the place or places where each such Security is to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price;

 

(6)                                  for any Securities that by their terms may be converted, the terms of conversion, the date on which the right to convert the Security to be redeemed will terminate and the place or places where such Securities may be surrendered for conversion;

 

(7)                                  that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case; and

 

(8)                                  if applicable, the CUSIP numbers of the Securities of such series; provided , however , that no representation will be made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, or any similar number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Securities.

 

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Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request (which may be rescinded or revoked at any time prior to the time at which the Trustee shall have given such notice to the Holders), by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company. The notice, if delivered in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities.

 

Section 1105.                           Deposit of Redemption Price .

 

By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date or the Securities of the series provide otherwise) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date, other than Securities or portions of Securities called for redemption which are owned by the Company or a Subsidiary and have been delivered by the Company or such Subsidiary to the Trustee for cancellation. The Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Company any money deposited with the Paying Agent by the Company in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the Redemption Price of, and accrued interest, if any, on, all Securities to be redeemed.

 

If any Security called for redemption is converted, any money deposited with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent or so segregated and held in trust for the redemption of such Security shall (subject to any right of the Holder of such Security or any Predecessor Security to receive interest as provided in the last paragraph of Section 307 or in the terms of such Security) be paid to the Company upon Company Request or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.

 

Section 1106.                           Securities Payable on Redemption Date .

 

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together, if applicable, with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307; provided further that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, if the Redemption Date is after a Regular Record Date and on or prior to the Interest Payment Date, the accrued and unpaid interest shall be payable to the Holder of the redeemed Securities registered on the relevant Regular Record Date.

 

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If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and premium, if any, shall, until paid, bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security.

 

Section 1107.                           Securities Redeemed in Part .

 

Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

 

ARTICLE XII
SINKING FUNDS

 

Section 1201.                           Applicability of Article .

 

The provisions of this Article XII shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of any series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.

 

The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of any series of Securities is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of such Securities is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment.” If provided for by the terms of any series of Securities, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 1202. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of the series as provided for by the terms of such Securities.

 

Section 1202.                           Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities .

 

The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to any Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as and to the extent provided for by the terms of such Securities; provided that the Securities to be so credited have not been previously so credited. The Securities to be so credited shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price, as specified in the Securities so to be redeemed, for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

 

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Section 1203.                           Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund .

 

Not less than 60 days (or such shorter period as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for such Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities pursuant to Section 1202 and shall also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days prior to each such sinking fund payment date, the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Section 1106 and Section 1107.

 

ARTICLE XIII
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

Section 1301.                           Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

 

Unless otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301, Section 1302 and Section 1303 shall apply to all Securities or each series of Securities, as the case may be, in either case, denominated in U.S. dollars and bearing interest at a fixed rate, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 301 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article XIII; and the Company may elect, at its option at any time, to have Section 1302 and Section 1303 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, designated pursuant to Section 301 as being defeasible pursuant to such Section 1302 or Section 1303, in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 301 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article XIII.  Any such election to have or not to have Section 1302 and Section 1303 apply, as the case may be, shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.

 

Section 1302.                           Defeasance and Discharge .

 

Upon the Company’s exercise of its option, if any, to have this Section 1302 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, or if this Section 1302 shall otherwise apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section 1302 on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called “ Defeasance ”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), subject to the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (1) the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1304 and as more

 

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fully set forth in such Section 1305, payments in respect of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Securities when payments are due, (2) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Securities under Section 304, Section 305, Section 306, Section 1002 and Section 1003, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (4) this Article XIII. Subject to compliance with this Article XIII, the Company may exercise its option, if any, to have this Section 1302 applied to the Securities of any series notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option, if any, to have Section 1303 applied to such Securities.

 

Section 1303.                           Covenant Defeasance .

 

Upon the Company’s exercise of its option, if any, to have this Section 1303 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, or if this Section 1303 shall otherwise apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under Section 1002, Section 1003, Section 1004 and Section 1005 and under any covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18), Section 901(1), Section 901(3) or Section 901(8) for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Section 501(4), Section 501(5) and Section 501(8) shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section 1303 on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called “ Covenant Defeasance ”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Securities, the Company may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities shall be unaffected thereby.

 

Section 1304.                           Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

 

The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 1302 or Section 1303 to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be:

 

(1)                                   The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee which satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 609 and agrees to comply with the provisions of this Article XIII applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefits of the Holders of such Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount, or (C) a combination thereof, in each case 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, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or any such other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Securities on the respective Stated Maturities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities. As used herein, “ U.S. Government Obligation

 

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means (x) any security which is (i) a direct obligation of the United States of America for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged or (ii) an obligation of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case (i) or (ii), is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (y) any depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any U.S. Government Obligation which is specified in clause (x) above and held by such bank for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, or with respect to any specific payment of principal of or interest on any U.S. Government Obligation which is so specified and held; provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of principal or interest evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

(2)                                   In the event of an election to have Section 1302 apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the date of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case (A) or (B) to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit, Defeasance and discharge to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge were not to occur.

 

(3)                                   In the event of an election to have Section 1303 apply to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of such Securities will not recognize gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of the deposit and Covenant Defeasance to be effected with respect to such Securities and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount, in the same manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit and Covenant Defeasance were not to occur.

 

(4)                                   The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate to the effect that neither such Securities nor any other Securities of the same series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will be delisted as a result of such deposit.

 

(5)                                   No Default or Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit or, insofar as Sections 501(6) or 501(7) are concerned, at any time on or prior to the

 

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90th day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until after such 90th day).

 

(6)                                   Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

(7)                                   The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with (in each case, subject to the satisfaction of the condition in clause (5)).

 

Before or after a deposit, the Company may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of Securities at a future date in accordance with Article XI.

 

Section 1305.                           Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions .

 

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section 1305 and Section 1306, the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the “ Trustee ”) pursuant to Section 1304 in respect of any Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any such Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal and premium, if any, and interest, but money so held in trust need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 1304 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of Outstanding Securities; provided that the Trustee shall be entitled to charge any such tax, fee or other charge to such Holder’s account.

 

Anything in this Article XIII to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 1304 with respect to any Securities which are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect the Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, with respect to such Securities.

 

Section 1306.                           Reinstatement .

 

If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money in accordance with this Article XIII with respect to any Securities by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the obligations under this Indenture and such Securities from which the Company has been discharged or released pursuant to Section 1302 or 1303 shall be revived and reinstated as

 

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though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article XIII with respect to such Securities, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all money held in trust pursuant to Section 1305 with respect to such Securities in accordance with this Article XIII; provided , however , that (a) if the Company makes any payment of principal of or premium, if any, or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights, if any, of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money so held in trust and (b) unless otherwise required by any legal proceeding or any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall return all such money and U.S. Government Obligations to the Company promptly after receiving a written request therefor at any time, if such reinstatement of the Company’s obligations has occurred and continues to be in effect.

 

ARTICLE XIV
REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

 

Section 1401.                           Applicability of Article .

 

Repayment of Securities of any series before their Stated Maturity at the option of Holders thereof shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series) in accordance with this Article XIV.

 

Section 1402.                           Repayment of Securities .

 

Securities of any series subject to repayment in whole or in part at the option of the Holders thereof will, unless otherwise provided in the terms of such Securities, be repaid at a price equal to the principal amount thereof and premium, if any, thereon, together with interest thereon accrued to the Repayment Date specified in or pursuant to the terms of such Securities. The Company covenants that on or before the Repayment Date it shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money sufficient to pay the principal (or, if so provided by the terms of the Securities of any series, a percentage of the principal) of, the premium, if any, and (except if the Repayment Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities or portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid on such date.

 

Section 1403.                           Exercise of Option .

 

Securities of any series subject to repayment at the option of the Holders thereof will contain an “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Securities. To be repaid at the option of the Holder, any Security so providing for such repayment, with the “Option to Elect Repayment” form on the reverse of such Security duly completed by the Holder (or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), must be received by the Company at the Place of Payment therefor specified in the terms of such Security (or at such other place or places of which the Company shall from time to time notify the Holders of such Securities) not earlier than 45 days nor later than 30 days prior to the Repayment Date. If less than the entire principal amount of such Security is to be repaid in accordance with the terms of such Security, the principal amount of such Security to be repaid, in increments of the minimum denomination for

 

61



 

Securities of such series, and the denomination or denominations of the Security or Securities to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the principal amount of such Security surrendered that is not to be repaid, must be specified. The principal amount of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof may not be repaid in part if, following such repayment, the unpaid principal amount of such Security would be less than the minimum authorized denomination of Securities of the series of which such Security to be repaid is a part. Except as otherwise may be provided by the terms of any Security providing for repayment at the option of the Holder thereof, exercise of the repayment option by the Holder shall be irrevocable unless waived by the Company.

 

Section 1404.                           When Securities Presented for Repayment Become Due and Payable .

 

If Securities of any series providing for repayment at the option of the Holders thereof shall have been surrendered as provided in this Article XIV and as provided by or pursuant to the terms of such Securities, such Securities or the portions thereof, as the case may be, to be repaid shall become due and payable and shall be paid by the Company on the Repayment Date therein specified, and on and after such Repayment Date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of such Securities on such Repayment Date) such Securities shall, if the same were interest-bearing, cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for repayment in accordance with such provisions, the principal amount of such Security so to be repaid shall be paid by the Company, together with accrued interest and/or premium, if any, to (but excluding) the Repayment Date; provided , however , that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301, installments of interest, if any, whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Repayment Date shall be payable (but without interest thereon, unless the Company shall default in the payment thereof) to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

 

If the principal amount of any Security surrendered for repayment shall not be so repaid upon surrender thereof, such principal amount (together with interest, if any, thereon accrued to such Repayment Date) and any premium shall, until paid, bear interest from the Repayment Date at the rate of interest or yield to maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) set forth in such Security.

 

Section 1405.                           Securities Repaid in Part .

 

Upon surrender of any Security which is to be repaid in part only, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security, without service charge and at the expense of the Company, a new Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denomination specified by the Holder, in a principal amount equal to and in exchange for the portion of the principal of such Security so surrendered which is not to be repaid.

 

*      *      *

 

62



 

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

 

[Signature page follows]

 

63



 

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

 

 

BEST BUY CO., INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name: 

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,

 

     as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

64




Exhibit 5.1

 

March 8, 2011

 

Best Buy Co., Inc.

7601 Penn Avenue South

Richfield, Minnesota 55423

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to Best Buy Co., Inc., a Minnesota corporation (the “Company”), in connection with the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the “Registration Statement”) filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the issuance by the Company of senior unsecured debt securities (the “Securities”).  The Securities will be issued under supplemental indentures (the “Supplemental Indentures”) between the Company and Wells Fargo, N.A., as Trustee (the “Trustee”), to an indenture between the Company and the Trustee (the “Base Indenture” and, as amended and supplemented by the Supplemental Indentures, the “Indenture”).

 

We have examined the Registration Statement and the form of the Base Indenture, which has been filed with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement.  We also have examined the originals, or duplicates or certified or conformed copies, of such corporate and other records, agreements, documents and other instruments and have made such other investigations as we have deemed relevant and necessary in connection with the opinion hereinafter set forth.   As to questions of fact material to this opinion, we have relied upon certificates or comparable documents of public officials and of officers and representatives of the Company.

 



 

In rendering the opinion set forth below, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as duplicates or certified or conformed copies and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents.  We also have assumed that at the time of execution, authentication, issuance and delivery of the Securities, the Indenture will be the valid and legally binding obligation of the Trustee.

 

We have further assumed that (1)  at the time of execution, authentication, issuance and delivery of the Securities, the Indenture will have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company in accordance with the law of the State of Minnesota and (2) the execution, delivery and performance by the Company of the Indenture and the Securities will not violate the law of the State of Minnesota or any agreement or instrument to which the Company is then a party.

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications, assumptions and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that assuming (a) the taking of all necessary corporate action to approve the issuance and terms of the Securities, the terms of the offering thereof and related matters by the Board of Directors of the Company, a duly constituted and acting committee of such Board or duly authorized officers of the Company (such Board of Directors, committee or authorized officers being hereinafter referred to as the “Board”) and (b) the due execution, authentication and issuance of the Securities in accordance with the Indenture, and upon payment and delivery in accordance with the applicable definitive underwriting, purchase or similar agreement approved by the Board, the Securities will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms .

 

2



 

Our opinion set forth above is subject to (i) the effects of bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, (ii) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

We do not express any opinion herein concerning any law other than the law of the State of New York and the federal law of the United States.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion letter as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the use of our name under the caption “Validity of the Securities” in the Prospectus included in the Registration Statement.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/ SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

 

 

 

SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT LLP

 

3




Exhibit 12.1

 

Best Buy Co., Inc.
Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
(in millions, except ratios)

 

 

 

Nine Months Ended

 

Year Ended

 

 

 

November 27,
2010

 

November 28,
2009

 

February
27, 2010

 

February
28, 2009

 

March 1,
2008

 

March 3,
2007

 

February
25, 2006

 

Earnings before income taxes, noncontrolling interests and equity in income (loss) of affiliates

 

$

1,078

 

$

922

 

$

2,195

 

$

1,700

 

$

2,228

 

$

2,130

 

$

1,721

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fixed Charges:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest portion of rental expense

 

$

258

 

$

251

 

$

338

 

$

282

 

$

222

 

$

198

 

$

165

 

Interest expense

 

64

 

68

 

94

 

94

 

62

 

31

 

30

 

Total fixed charges

 

$

322

 

$

319

 

$

432

 

$

376

 

$

284

 

$

229

 

$

195

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings available for fixed charges

 

$

1,400

 

$

1,241

 

$

2,627

 

$

2,076

 

$

2,512

 

$

2,359

 

$

1,916

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

 

4.35x

 

3.89x

 

6.08x

 

5.52x

 

8.85x

 

10.30x

 

9.83x

 

 




Exhibit 23.2

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form S-3 of our reports dated April 28, 2010, relating to the consolidated financial statements and the related financial statement schedule of Best Buy Co., Inc., and subsidiaries (“the Company”), (which report expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory paragraph relating to the Company’s adoption of FASB ASC 810, Consolidation (formerly FASB Statement No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements — an amendment of ARB No. 51)), and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the year ended February 27, 2010, and to the reference to us under the heading “Experts” in the Prospectus, which is part of this Registration Statement.

 

 

/s/ DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

 

Minneapolis, Minnesota

March 4, 2011

 




Exhibit 25.1

 

 

 

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

 

Washington, D.C.  20549

 


 

FORM T-1

 

STATEMENT OF ELIGIBILITY

UNDER THE TRUST INDENTURE ACT OF 1939 OF A

CORPORATION DESIGNATED TO ACT AS TRUSTEE

 


 

o CHECK IF AN APPLICATION TO DETERMINE ELIGIBILITY OF A TRUSTEE PURSUANT TO SECTION 305(b) (2)

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

(Exact name of trustee as specified in its charter)

 

A National Banking Association

 

94-1347393

(Jurisdiction of incorporation or

 

(I.R.S. Employer

organization if not a U.S. national

 

Identification No.)

bank)

 

 

 

101 North Phillips Avenue

 

 

Sioux Falls, South Dakota

 

57104

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 

Wells Fargo & Company
Law Department, Trust Section

MAC N9305-175

Sixth Street and Marquette Avenue, 17 th  Floor

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55479

(612) 667-4608

(Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

 


 

Best Buy Co., Inc.

(Exact name of obligor as specified in its charter)

 

Minnesota

 

41-0907483

(State or other jurisdiction of

 

(I.R.S. Employer

incorporation or organization)

 

Identification No.)

 

7601 Penn Avenue South

 

 

Richfield, Minnesota

 

55423

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip code)

 


 

Debt Securities

(Title of the indenture securities)

 

 

 



 

Item 1.    General Information.   Furnish the following information as to the trustee:

 

(a)                                   Name and address of each examining or supervising authority to which it is subject.

 

Comptroller of the Currency

Treasury Department

Washington, D.C.

 

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation

Washington, D.C.

 

Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

San Francisco, California 94120

 

(b)                                  Whether it is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

 

The trustee is authorized to exercise corporate trust powers.

 

Item 2.              Affiliations with Obligor.   If the obligor is an affiliate of the trustee, describe each such affiliation.

 

None with respect to the trustee.

 

No responses are included for Items 3-14 of this Form T-1 because the obligor is not in default as provided under Item 13.

 

Item 15. Foreign Trustee.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

Item 16. List of Exhibits.

 

List below all exhibits filed as a part of this Statement of Eligibility.

 

Exhibit 1.

 

A copy of the Articles of Association of the trustee now in effect.*

 

 

 

Exhibit 2.

 

A copy of the Comptroller of the Currency Certificate of Corporate Existence and Fiduciary Powers for Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, dated February 4, 2004.**

 

 

 

Exhibit 3.

 

See Exhibit 2

 

 

 

Exhibit 4.

 

Copy of By-laws of the trustee as now in effect.***

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

Exhibit 6.

 

The consent of the trustee required by Section 321(b) of the Act.

 

 

 

Exhibit 7.

 

A copy of the latest report of condition of the trustee published pursuant to law or the requirements of its supervising or examining authority.

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.

 

Not applicable.

 

 

 

Exhibit 9.

 

Not applicable.

 




*      Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the trustee’s Form T-1 filed as exhibit 25 to the Form S-4 dated December 30, 2005 of file number 333-130784-06.

 

**   Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the trustee’s Form T-1 filed as exhibit 25 to the Form T-3 dated March 3, 2004 of file number 022-28721.

 

*** Incorporated by reference to the exhibit of the same number to the trustee’s Form T-1 filed as exhibit 25 to the Form S-4 dated May 26, 2005 of file number 333-125274.

 



 

SIGNATURE

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the trustee, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, has duly caused this statement of eligibility to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, all in the City of Minneapolis and State of Minnesota on the 7th day of March 2011.

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jayne Sillman

 

Jayne Sillman

 

Vice President

 



 

EXHIBIT 6

 

March 7, 2011

 

 

Securities and Exchange Commission

Washington, D.C.  20549

 

Gentlemen:

 

In accordance with Section 321(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, the undersigned hereby consents that reports of examination of the undersigned made by Federal, State, Territorial, or District authorities authorized to make such examination may be furnished by such authorities to the Securities and Exchange Commission upon its request therefor.

 

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

 

 

 

 

/s/ Jayne Sillman

 

Jayne Sillman

 

Vice President

 



 

Exhibit 7

 

Consolidated Report of Condition of

 

Wells Fargo Bank National Association

of 101 North Phillips Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104

And Foreign and Domestic Subsidiaries,

at the close of business December 31, 2010, filed in accordance with 12 U.S.C. §161 for National Banks.

 

 

 

 

 

Dollar Amounts

 

 

 

 

 

In Millions

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

Cash and balances due from depository institutions:

 

 

 

 

 

Noninterest-bearing balances and currency and coin

 

 

 

$

17,518

 

Interest-bearing balances

 

 

 

57,228

 

Securities:

 

 

 

 

 

Held-to-maturity securities

 

 

 

0

 

Available-for-sale securities

 

 

 

150,439

 

Federal funds sold and securities purchased under agreements to resell:

 

 

 

 

 

Federal funds sold in domestic offices

 

 

 

1,656

 

Securities purchased under agreements to resell

 

 

 

16,821

 

Loans and lease financing receivables:

 

 

 

 

 

Loans and leases held for sale

 

 

 

38,095

 

Loans and leases, net of unearned income

 

691,483

 

 

 

LESS: Allowance for loan and lease losses

 

19,637

 

 

 

Loans and leases, net of unearned income and allowance

 

 

 

671,846

 

Trading Assets

 

 

 

30,824

 

Premises and fixed assets (including capitalized leases)

 

 

 

8,129

 

Other real estate owned

 

 

 

5,713

 

Investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries and associated companies

 

 

 

659

 

Direct and indirect investments in real estate ventures

 

 

 

111

 

Intangible assets

 

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

 

20,931

 

Other intangible assets

 

 

 

26,452

 

Other assets

 

 

 

55,856

 

Total assets

 

 

 

$

1,102,278

 

LIABILITIES

 

 

 

 

 

Deposits:

 

 

 

 

 

In domestic offices

 

 

 

$

747,742

 

Noninterest-bearing

 

165,559

 

 

 

Interest-bearing

 

582,183

 

 

 

In foreign offices, Edge and Agreement subsidiaries, and IBFs

 

 

 

99,235

 

Noninterest-bearing

 

2,029

 

 

 

Interest-bearing

 

97,206

 

 

 

Federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreements to repurchase:

 

 

 

 

 

Federal funds purchased in domestic offices

 

 

 

2,930

 

Securities sold under agreements to repurchase

 

 

 

16,102

 

 



 

 

 

Dollar Amounts

 

 

 

In Millions

 

 

 

 

 

Trading liabilities

 

15,647

 

Other borrowed money
(includes mortgage indebtedness and obligations under capitalized leases)

 

40,254

 

Subordinated notes and debentures

 

19,252

 

Other liabilities

 

37,554

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities

 

$

978,716

 

 

 

 

 

EQUITY CAPITAL

 

 

 

Perpetual preferred stock and related surplus

 

0

 

Common stock

 

519

 

Surplus (exclude all surplus related to preferred stock)

 

98,971

 

Retained earnings

 

17,489

 

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

5,280

 

Other equity capital components

 

0

 

 

 

 

 

Total bank equity capital

 

122,259

 

Noncontrolling (minority) interests in consolidated subsidiaries

 

1,303

 

 

 

 

 

Total equity capital

 

123,562

 

 

 

 

 

Total liabilities, and equity capital

 

$

1,102,278

 

 

I, Howard I. Atkins, EVP & CFO of the above-named bank do hereby declare that this Report of Condition has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.

 

 

Howard I. Atkins

 

EVP & CFO

 

We, the undersigned directors, attest to the correctness of this Report of Condition and declare that it has been examined by us and to the best of our knowledge and belief has been prepared in conformance with the instructions issued by the appropriate Federal regulatory authority and is true and correct.

 

John Stumpf

Directors

Dave Hoyt

 

Michael Loughlin