UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM 8-K

 

CURRENT REPORT

PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE

SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

 

 

Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): May 15, 2009 (May 12, 2009)

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

Pennsylvania

 

1-3551

 

25-0464690

(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification Number)

 

 

225 North Shore Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15212

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(412) 553-5700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

NONE

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

 

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 


 

Item 1.01.  Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On May 15, 2009, EQT Corporation (the “Company”) completed a public offering of $700,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of its 8.125% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Senior Notes”).  The Senior Notes were offered by the Company pursuant to its Automatic Shelf Registration Statement on Form S-3ASR (File No. 333-148154) and the Prospectus included therein, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 19, 2007 and supplemented by the Prospectus Supplement dated May 12, 2009.  The Company intends to apply the net proceeds from the sale to repay all of the amount outstanding under the Company’s revolving credit facility and the excess will be used for other general corporate purposes.

 

The Company entered into an Underwriting Agreement, dated May 12, 2009 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among the Company and Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named therein (together, the “Underwriters”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of the Senior Notes.  Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Company agreed to sell the Senior Notes to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters agreed to purchase the Senior Notes for resale to the public.  The Underwriting Agreement includes customary representations, warranties and covenants by the Company.  It also provides for customary indemnification by each of the Company and the Underwriters against certain liabilities and customary contribution provisions in respect of those liabilities.

 

Pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 18, 2008 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”), a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q filed on May 1, 2008, the Company and the Trustee entered into a Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 15, 2009 (the “Supplemental Indenture”).  The Supplemental Indenture provides for the issuance, and sets forth the terms of, the Senior Notes.  The Company sold the Senior Notes to the Underwriters at an issue price of 99.018% of the principal amount thereof, and the Underwriters offered the Senior Notes to the public at a price of 99.668% of the principal amount thereof.  Interest is payable on the Senior Notes on June 1 and December 1 of each year, commencing on December 1, 2009. The Supplemental Indenture and Indenture governing the Senior Notes contain covenants that limit the Company’s ability to, among other things, incur certain liens securing indebtedness, engage in certain sale and leaseback transactions, and enter into certain consolidations, mergers, conveyances, transfers or leases of all or substantially all the Company’s assets. The Company may issue additional debt from time to time pursuant to the Indenture.

 

The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement and the Supplemental Indenture does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of such documents, which are filed as Exhibits 1.1 and 4.1 hereto, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

2


 

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

The following exhibits are filed herewith:

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

1.1

 

Underwriting Agreement dated May 12, 2009 among EQT Corporation and Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named therein.

4.1

 

Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 15, 2009 between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee, pursuant to which the 8.125% Senior Notes due 2019 were issued.

 

 

3


 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated: May 15, 2009

By:

 

/s/ Philip P. Conti

 

 

 

Name:

Philip P. Conti

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

4


 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

 

 

 

1.1

 

Underwriting Agreement dated May 12, 2009 among EQT Corporation and Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named therein.

4.1

 

Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 15, 2009 between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as Trustee, pursuant to which the 8.125% Senior Notes due 2019 were issued.

 

 

5

Exhibit 1.1

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

$700,000,000

 

8.125 % Senior Notes due 2019

 

Underwriting Agreement

 

May 12, 2009

 

Banc of America Securities LLC

Barclays Capital Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

  As Representatives of the

  several Underwriters listed

  in Schedule 1 hereto

 

c/o Banc of America Securities LLC

Bank of America Tower

One Bryant Park

New York, New York  10036

 

c/o Barclays Capital Inc.

745 Seventh Avenue

New York, New York  10019

 

c/o Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

388 Greenwich Street

New York, New York  10013

 

c/o J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.

270 Park Avenue

New York, New York  10017

 

and

 

c/o Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

301 South College Street

Charlotte, North Carolina 28288

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

EQT Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (the “Company”), proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you

 


 

are acting as representatives (the “Representatives”), $700,000,000 principal amount of its 8.125% Senior Notes due 2019 (the “Notes”).

 

The Notes will be issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 18, 2008, as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture dated as of March 18, 2008, a Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 30, 2008 and a Third Supplemental Indenture dated as of May 15, 2009 (the “Indenture”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “Trustee”).  The Notes will be issued in book-entry form in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of The Depository Trust Company (the “Depositary”), pursuant to a Letter of Representations, to be dated on or before the Closing Date (as defined in Section 2 below), among the Company, the Trustee and the Depositary.

 

On June 30, 2008, the former Equitable Resources, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation formed in 1926 (“Old EQT”) completed the reorganization described in the Current Report of the Company on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on July 1, 2008 (the “Reorganization”) in which Old EQT reorganized into a holding company structure such that a newly formed Pennsylvania corporation, the Company, became the publicly traded holding company of Old EQT and its subsidiaries.

 

Old EQT prepared and filed with the Commission a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-148154), which contains a base prospectus (the “Base Prospectus”), to be used in connection with the public offering and sale of debt securities, including the Notes, and other securities of the Company under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “Securities Act”), and the offering thereof from time to time in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act.  The Company prepared and filed Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to such registration statement to adopt such registration statement as its own registration statement for all purposes of the Securities Act and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Exchange Act”).  Such registration statement, including Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 thereto and the financial statements, exhibits and schedules thereto, in the form in which it became effective under the Securities Act, including any required information deemed to be a part thereof at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430B under the Securities Act, is called the “Registration Statement.”  The term “Prospectus” shall mean the final prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the date and time that this Agreement is executed (the “Execution Time”) by the parties hereto.  The term “Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Notes, together with the Base Prospectus, that is first filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b).  Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents that are or are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Securities Act prior to 3:20 p.m., New York City time, on May 12, 2009 (the “Initial Sale Time”).  All references in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, or any amendments or supplements to any of the foregoing, shall include any copy thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to its Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (“EDGAR”).

 

 

2


 

All references in this Agreement to financial statements and schedules and other information which is “contained,” “included” or “stated” (or other references of like import) in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to mean and include all such financial statements and schedules and other information which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, prior to the Initial Sale Time; and all references in this Agreement to amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus shall be deemed to include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act, which is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Preliminary Prospectus, as the case may be, after the Initial Sale Time.

 

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

 

1.             Purchase and Sale of the Notes .  (a)  The Company agrees to issue and sell the Notes to the several Underwriters as provided in this Agreement, and each Underwriter, on the basis of the representations, warranties and agreements set forth herein and subject to the conditions set forth herein, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Notes set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule 1 hereto at a price equal to 99.018% of the principal amount.  The Company will not be obligated to deliver any of the Notes except upon payment for all the Notes to be purchased as provided herein.

 

(b)           The Company acknowledges and agrees that:  (i) the purchase and sale of the Notes pursuant to this Agreement, including the determination of the public offering price of the Notes and any related discounts and commissions, is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the several Underwriters, on the other hand, and the Company is capable of evaluation and understanding and understands and accepts the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement; (ii) in connection with each transaction contemplated hereby and the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is and has been acting solely as a principal and is not the financial advisor, agent or fiduciary of the Company or its affiliates, stockholders, creditors or employees or any other party; (iii) no Underwriter has assumed or will assume an advisory, agency or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company with respect to any of the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company on other matters) and no Underwriter has any obligation to the Company with respect to the offering contemplated hereby except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement; (iv) the several Underwriters and their respective affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of the Company and that the several Underwriters have no obligation to disclose any of such interests by virtue of any advisory, agency or fiduciary relationship; and (v) the Underwriters have not provided any legal, accounting, regulatory or tax advice with respect to the offering contemplated hereby and the Company has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it deemed appropriate.

 

 

3


 

This Agreement supersedes all prior written agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the several Underwriters with respect to the subject matter hereof.  The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the several Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty.

 

2.             Payment and Delivery .  (a)  Payment for and delivery of the Notes will be made at the offices of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, 425 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York, 10017, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on May 15, 2009, or at such other time or place on the same or such other date, not later than the third business day hereafter, as the Representatives and the Company may agree upon in writing.  The time and date of such payment and delivery is referred to herein as the “Closing Date”.

 

(b)           Payment for the Notes shall be made by wire transfer in immediately available funds to the account(s) specified by the Company to the Representatives against delivery to the Depositary, for the account of the several Underwriters, of global notes representing the Notes purchased by the Underwriters (collectively, the “Global Notes”).  The Global Notes will be made available for inspection by the Representatives not later than 1:00 P.M., New York City time, on the business day prior to the Closing Date.

 

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

 

(a)            Compliance with Registration Requirements .  Old EQT met and the Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Securities Act.  The Registration Statement has become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or are pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, are contemplated or threatened by the Commission, and any request on the part of the Commission for additional information has been complied with.  In addition, the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Trust Indenture Act”).

 

At the respective times the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendments thereto (including the filing with the Commission of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 (the “Annual Report on Form 10-K”)) became effective and as of the Initial Sale Time and as of the Closing Date, the Registration Statement and any amendments thereto (i) complied and will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act and the Trust Indenture Act, and (ii) did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading.  At the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, neither the Prospectus nor any amendments or supplements thereto included or will include an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or will omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the representations and warranties in this subsection shall not apply to statements in or omissions from the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment or the Prospectus or any amendments or supplements

 

 

4


 

thereto made in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished to the Company in writing by any of the Underwriters through the Representatives expressly for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof.

 

Each Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, at the time each was filed with the SEC, complied in all material respects with the Securities Act, and the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with the offering of the Notes will, at the time of such delivery, be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(b)            Disclosure Package .  The term “Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Preliminary Prospectus dated May 12, 2009 and (ii) the issuer free writing prospectuses, if any, identified in Annex I hereto.  As of the Initial Sale Time, (a) the Disclosure Package did not and (b) each electronic road show, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, did not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.  The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof.

 

(c)            Incorporated Documents .  The documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus (i) at the time they were or hereafter are filed with the Commission, complied or will comply in all material respects with the requirements of the Exchange Act and (ii) when read together with the other information in the Disclosure Package, at the Initial Sale Time, and when read together with the other information in the Prospectus, at the date of the Prospectus and at the Closing Date, did not or will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(d)            Company is a Well-Known Seasoned Issuer .  (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c) of the Securities Act) made any offer relating to the Notes in reliance on the exemption of Rule 163 of the Securities Act, and (iv) as of the Execution Time, Old EQT or the Company, as the case may be, was and the Company is a “well known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.  The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement,” as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act, that automatically became effective not more than three years prior to the Execution Time; the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the

 

 

5


 

Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form and the Company has not otherwise ceased to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration form.

 

(e)            Company is not an Ineligible Issuer . (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), Old EQT or the Company, as the case may be, was not and the Company is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 of the Securities Act that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

 

(f)             Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses .  Each issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act (each, an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”), as of its issue date and at all subsequent times through the completion of the offering of Notes under this Agreement or until any earlier date that the Company notified or notifies the Representatives as described in the next sentence, did not, does not and will not include any information that conflicted, conflicts or will conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus.  If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict.  The foregoing two sentences do not apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by any Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the information described as such in Section 6(b) hereof.

 

(g)            Distribution of Offering Material By the Company .  The Company has not distributed and will not distribute, prior to the later of the Closing Date and the completion of the Underwriters’ distribution of the Notes, any offering material in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes other than the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus reviewed and consented to by the Representatives and included in Annex I hereto or the Registration Statement.

 

(h)            No Applicable Registration or Other Similar Rights .  There are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any equity or debt securities registered for sale under the Registration Statement or included in the offering contemplated by this Agreement, except for such rights as have been duly waived.

 

(i)             Financial Statements.   The financial statements and the related notes thereto included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, as applicable, and present fairly the financial position of the Company and its subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the results of their operations and the changes in their cash flows for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in conformity with generally

 

 

6


 

accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods covered thereby except as may be expressly stated in the related notes thereto; and the other financial information included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus has been derived from the accounting records of the Company and its subsidiaries and presents fairly the information shown thereby.

 

(j)             No Material Adverse Change.   Since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package, (i) there has not been any change in the capital stock or long-term debt of the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any material adverse change, or any development involving a prospective material adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, except as otherwise disclosed or contemplated in the Disclosure Package; and (ii) except as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has entered into any transaction or agreement material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole other than in the ordinary course of business.

 

(k)            Organization. The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, with power and authority (corporate or other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each other jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties, or conducts any business, so as to require such qualification, other than where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

(l)             Subsidiaries .  Each of the Company’s subsidiaries has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of its jurisdiction of incorporation, with power and authority (corporate or other) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign corporation for the transaction of business and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction in which it owns or leases properties or conducts any business so as to require such qualification, other than where the failure to be so qualified or in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and all the outstanding shares of capital stock of each subsidiary of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully-paid and non-assessable, and (except in the case of foreign subsidiaries, for directors’ qualifying shares) are owned by the Company, directly or indirectly, free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, security interests and claims.

 

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

 

(n)            The Indenture.  The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general

 

 

7


 

applicability; and the Indenture (including any amendments and supplements thereto) will conform on the Closing Date with all requirements of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to an indenture that is qualified thereunder.

 

(o)            The Notes.  The Notes have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and duly paid for by the purchasers thereof, will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable in accordance with their terms except as (i) the enforceability thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and (ii) rights of acceleration and the availability of equitable remedies may be limited by equitable principles of general applicability; the Notes, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the Indenture and delivered to and duly paid for by the purchasers thereof, will rank pari passu with all Notes (as defined in the Indenture) issued and to be issued under the Indenture and all other unsecured debt of the Company which is not expressly subordinated; and the Notes and the Indenture will conform to the description thereof in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(p)            No Violation or Default .  Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in violation of or in default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them or any of their respective properties is bound, except for violations and defaults which individually and in the aggregate are not material to the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole or to the holders of the Notes; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is, or with the giving of notice or lapse of time or both would be, in violation or in default under its Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws; the issue and sale of the Notes and the performance by the Company of all the provisions of its obligations under the Notes, the Indenture and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions herein and therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or by which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject, nor will any such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Articles of Incorporation or By-Laws of the Company or any applicable law or statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company, its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties; and no consent, approval, authorization, order, license, filing, registration or qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the Notes or the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, licenses, filings, registrations or qualifications that have been obtained or made by the Company and are in full force under the Securities Act and as may be required under state securities laws in connection with the purchase and distribution of the Notes by the Underwriters in connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes.

 

(q)            Legal Proceedings .  Other than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no legal or governmental investigations, actions, suits or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened against or affecting the

 

 

8


 

Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective properties or to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is or may be subject which, if determined adversely to the Company or any of its subsidiaries, could individually or in the aggregate reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole and, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by governmental authorities or threatened by others.

 

(r)             Property .  The Company and its subsidiaries have good and marketable title in fee simple to all items of real property and good and marketable title to all personal property owned by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, encumbrances and defects except such as are described or referred to in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or such as do not materially affect the value of such property and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property by the Company and its subsidiaries; and any real property and buildings held under lease by the Company and its subsidiaries are held by them under valid, existing and enforceable leases with such exceptions as are not material and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company or its subsidiaries.

 

(s)            Investment Company Act .  The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Notes, will not be an “investment company” or entity “controlled” by an “investment company”, as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”).

 

(t)             Taxes .  Except to the extent that any such failures or deficiencies would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, (i) the Company and its subsidiaries have filed all federal, state, local and foreign tax returns which have been required to be filed and have paid all taxes shown thereon and all assessments received by them or any of them to the extent that such taxes have become due and are not being contested in good faith and (ii) except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there is no tax deficiency which has been asserted or threatened against the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

(u)            Conduct of Business .  Each of the Company and its subsidiaries owns, possesses or has obtained all licenses, permits, certificates, consents, orders, approvals and other authorizations from, and has made all declarations and filings with, all federal, state, local and other governmental authorities (including foreign regulatory agencies), all self-regulatory organizations and all courts and other tribunals, domestic or foreign, necessary to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and to carry on its business as conducted as of the date hereof, except where the failure to so own or possess or to have so obtained or made would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole, and neither the Company nor any such subsidiary has received any actual notice of any proceeding, relating to the revocation or modification of any such license, permit, certificate, consent, order, approval or other authorization, except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; each of the Company and its subsidiaries is in

 

 

9


 

compliance with all laws and regulations relating to the conduct of its business as conducted as of the date hereof, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole; and the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance with the applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations of the Commission adopted pursuant thereto as such rules and regulations currently apply to the Company and its subsidiaries, except for where the failure to be in compliance would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

(v)            Environmental Compliance .  The Company and its subsidiaries (i) are in compliance with any and all applicable foreign, federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and environmental safety, the environment or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (“Environmental Laws”), (ii) have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable Environmental Laws to conduct their respective businesses, (iii) are in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except where such noncompliance with Environmental Laws, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and (iv) are not aware of any administrative or judicial action being contemplated by governmental authorities relating to Environmental Laws; neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries are subject to any consent decree or compliance or administrative order  issued pursuant to, or are the subject of any pending investigation or litigation under, applicable Environmental Laws except for such actions, decrees, orders or investigations which do not and are not reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect on, or cause material changes to, the general affairs, business, prospects, management, financial position, stockholders’ equity or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole; and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to a governmental proceeding arising under any Environmental Law which involves potential monetary sanctions, exclusive of interests and costs, of $100,000 or more.

 

(w)           Environmental Costs .  In the ordinary course of business, the Company reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties); and, on the basis of such review, the Company has reasonably concluded that such associated costs and liabilities would not, singly or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

 

(x)             No Labor Disputes .  There are no existing or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened labor disputes with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries which are likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company and its subsidiaries taken as a whole.

 

 

10


 

(y)            Employee Benefits .  Each employee benefit plan, within the meaning of Section 3(3) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), that is maintained, administered or contributed to by the Company or any of its affiliates for employees or former employees of the Company and its affiliates has been established and maintained in compliance with its terms and the requirements of any applicable statutes, orders, rules and regulations, including but not limited to ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).  No prohibited transaction, within the meaning of Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code has occurred with respect to any such plan excluding transactions effected pursuant to a statutory or administrative exemption.  For each such plan which is subject to the funding rules of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA, no failure by any such plan to satisfy the minimum funding standards (within the meaning of Section 412 of the Code or Section 302 of ERISA) has occurred, whether or not waived, and the fair market value of the assets of each such plan (excluding for these purposes accrued but unpaid contributions) exceeded the present value of all benefits accrued under such plan determined using reasonable actuarial assumptions.

 

(z)             Money Laundering .  The operations of the Company and its subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements and the money laundering statutes and the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Money Laundering Laws”) and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries with respect to the Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the best knowledge of the Company, threatened.

 

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

 

(a)            Compliance with Securities Regulations and Commission Requests .  The Company, subject to Section 3(b), will comply with the requirements of Rule 430B of the Securities Act, and during the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) will promptly notify the Representatives, and confirm the notice in writing, of (i) the effectiveness of any post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or the filing of any supplement or amendment to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, (ii) the receipt of any comments from the Commission, (iii) any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or for additional information, and (iv) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, or of the suspension of the qualification of the Notes for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or of the initiation or threatening of any proceedings for any of such purposes.  The Company will promptly effect the filings necessary pursuant to Rule 424 and will take such steps as it deems necessary to ascertain promptly whether the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus transmitted for filing under Rule 424 was received for filing by the Commission and, in the event that it was not, it will promptly file such document.  During the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any stop order and, if any stop order is issued, to obtain the lifting thereof at the earliest possible moment.

 

 

11


 

(b)            Filing of Amendments .  During such period beginning on the date of this Agreement and ending on the later of the Closing Date or such date as, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, the Prospectus is no longer required by law to be delivered in connection with sales of the Notes by an Underwriter or dealer, including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172 of the Securities Act (the “Prospectus Delivery Period”), the Company will give the Representatives notice of its intention to file or prepare any amendment to the Registration Statement (including any filing under Rule 462(b) of the Securities Act), or any amendment, supplement or revision to the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, whether pursuant to the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, will furnish the Representatives with copies of any such documents a reasonable amount of time prior to such proposed filing or use, as the case may be, and will not file or use any such document to which the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters shall reasonably object.

 

(c)            Delivery of Registration Statements .  The Company has furnished or will deliver to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, conformed copies of the Registration Statement as originally filed and of each amendment thereto (without exhibits).  The Registration Statement and each amendment thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(d)            Delivery of Prospectuses .  The Company will deliver to each Underwriter, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request, and the Company hereby consents to the use of such copies for purposes permitted by the Securities Act.  The Company will furnish to each Underwriter, without charge, during the Prospectus Delivery Period, such number of copies of the Prospectus as such Underwriter may reasonably request.  The Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto furnished to the Underwriters will be identical to any electronically transmitted copies thereof filed with the Commission pursuant to EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(e)            Continued Compliance with Securities Laws .  The Company will comply with the Securities Act and the Exchange Act so as to permit the completion of the distribution of the Notes as contemplated in this Agreement and in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.  If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which it is necessary, in the opinion of counsel for the Underwriters or for the Company, to amend the Registration Statement in order that the Registration Statement will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading or to amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order that the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as the case may be, will not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing at the Initial Sale Time or at the time it is delivered or conveyed to a purchaser, not misleading, or if it shall be necessary, in the opinion of either such counsel, at any such time to amend the Registration Statement or amend or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus in order to comply with the requirements of any law, the Company will (1) notify the Representatives of any such event, development or condition and (2) promptly prepare and file with the Commission, subject to Section 3(b) hereof, such amendment or supplement as may be necessary to correct such statement or omission or to make the

 

 

12


 

Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus comply with such law, and the Company will furnish to the Underwriters, without charge, such number of copies of such amendment or supplement as the Underwriters may reasonably request.

 

(f)             Final Term Sheet .  The Company will prepare a final term sheet containing only a description of the Notes, in a form approved by the Underwriters and attached as Exhibit A hereto, and will file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act within the time required by such rule (such term sheet, the “Final Term Sheet”).  Any such Final Term Sheet is an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus for purposes of this Agreement.

 

(g)            Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses .  The Company represents that it has not made, and agrees that, unless it obtains the prior written consent of the Representatives, it will not make, any offer relating to the Notes that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433 of the Securities Act; provided that the prior written consent of the Representatives shall be deemed to have been given in respect of any Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses included in Annex I to this Agreement.  Any such free writing prospectus consented to or deemed to be consented to by the Representatives is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.”  The Company agrees that (i) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and (ii) has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 of the Securities Act applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and record keeping.  The Company consents to the use by any Underwriter of a free writing prospectus that (a) is not an “issuer free writing prospectus” as defined in Rule 433, and (b) contains only (i) information describing the preliminary terms of the Notes or their offering, (ii) information permitted by Rule 134 under the Securities Act or (iii) information that describes the final terms of the Notes or their offering and that is included in the Final Term Sheet of the Company contemplated in Section 3(f).

 

(h)            Notice of Inability to Use Automatic Shelf Registration Statement Form .  If at any time during the Prospectus Delivery Period, the Company receives from the Commission a notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or otherwise ceases to be eligible to use the automatic shelf registration statement form, the Company will (i) promptly notify the Representatives, (ii) promptly file a new registration statement or post effective amendment on the proper form relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such registration statement or post-effective amendment to be declared effective and (iv) promptly notify the Representatives of such effectiveness.  The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the registration statement that was the subject of the Rule 401(g)(2) notice or for which the Company has otherwise become ineligible.  References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, as the case may be.

 

(i)             Renewal Deadline .  If immediately prior to the third anniversary (the “Renewal Deadline”) of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, any of the Notes remain 

 

 

13


 

unsold by the Underwriters, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline file, if it has not already done so and is eligible to do so, a new automatic shelf registration statement relating to the Notes in a form satisfactory to the Representatives.  If the Company is no longer eligible to file an automatic shelf registration statement, the Company will, prior to the Renewal Deadline, if it has not already done so, file a new shelf registration statement relating to the Notes, in a form satisfactory to the Representatives, and will use its best efforts to cause such registration statement to be declared effective within 180 days after the Renewal Deadline.  The Company will take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Notes to continue as contemplated in the expired registration statement.  References herein to the Registration Statement shall include such new automatic shelf registration statement or such new shelf registration statement, as the case may be.

 

(j)             Filing Fees .  The Company agrees to pay the required Commission filing fees relating to the Notes within the time required by and in accordance with Rule 456(b)(1) and 457(r) of the Securities Act.

 

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

 

(l)             Earnings Statement.   The Company will make generally available to its security holders, as soon as it is practicable to do so, but in any event not later than 15 months after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Securities Act), an earnings statement (which need not be audited) in reasonable detail, complying with the requirements of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the Rule 158 under the Securities Act.

 

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

 

(n)            Use of Proceeds.   The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading “Use of Proceeds”.

 

(o)            DTC.   The Company will assist the Underwriters in arranging for the Global Notes to be eligible for clearance and settlement through the Depositary.

 

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

 

 

14


 

(q)            Filing of Exchange Act Documents.   The Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

5.             Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations .  The obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase Notes on the Closing Date as provided herein are subject to the performance by the Company of its respective covenants and other obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

 

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

 

(b)            No Downgrade.   Subsequent to the Execution Time, (i) no downgrading shall have occurred in the rating accorded the Notes or any other debt securities or preferred stock issued by the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization”, as such term is defined by the Commission for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2) under the Securities Act; and (ii) no such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its rating of the Notes or of any other debt securities or preferred stock issued by the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

(c)            No Material Adverse Change.   Subsequent to the Execution Time, no event or condition of a type described in Section 3(j) hereof shall have occurred or shall exist, which event or condition is not described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (excluding any amendment or supplement thereto or any document filed with the Commission after the date hereof and incorporated by reference therein) and the effect of which in the judgment of the Representatives makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering, sale or delivery of the Notes on the terms and in the manner contemplated by this Agreement and the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(d)            Officer’s Certificate.   The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date a certificate of an executive officer of the Company who has specific knowledge of the Company’s financial matters and is satisfactory to the Representatives (i) confirming that such officer has carefully reviewed the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and, to the best knowledge of such officer, the representations set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) of Section 3 hereof are true and correct, (ii) confirming that the other representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct and that the Company has complied with all agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date, (iii) confirming that the Company has received no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or threatened by the Commission, (iv) the Company has not received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form, and (v) to the effect set forth in paragraphs (a) through (c) above.

 

 

15


 

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

 

(f)             Opinion of Counsel for the Company.   Each of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, as counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, their written opinions, including, in the case of Skadden, Arps, Slate Meagher & Flom LLP, an additional written tax opinion, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, substantially in the forms attached as Exhibits B, C, D and E hereto.

 

(g)            Opinion of Counsel for the Underwriters.   The Representatives shall have received on and as of the Closing Date an opinion of Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to such matters as the Representatives may reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such documents and information as they may reasonably request to enable them to pass upon such matters.

 

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

 

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

 

(j)             Effectiveness of Registration Statement .  The Registration Statement shall have become effective under the Securities Act and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Securities Act and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or be pending or threatened by the Commission, any request on the part of the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of counsel to the Underwriters and the Company shall not have received from the Commission any notice pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) of the Securities Act objecting to use of the automatic shelf registration statement form.  The Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus shall have been filed with the Commission in accordance with Rule 424(b) (or any required post-effective amendment providing such information shall have been filed and declared effective in accordance with the requirements of Rule 430A).

 

 

16


 

(k)            The Depositary.   The Notes shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through the Depositary, Clearstream Banking and the Euroclear System.

 

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

 

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

 

6.             Indemnification and Contribution .

 

(a)            Indemnification of the Underwriters .  The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of or are based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement, or any amendment thereto, or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto) or the omission or alleged omission therefrom of a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by any Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by an Underwriter through the Representatives consists of the information described in Section 6(b) hereof.

 

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

 

 

17


 

Prospectus: the third paragraph of text under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus, the second sentence of the first paragraph of text under the subcaption “New Issue of Notes” under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus and the first paragraph of text under the subcaption “Price Stabilization and Short Positions” under the caption “Underwriting” in the Prospectus.

 

(c)            Notice and Procedures .  If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 6 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided , further , that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 6.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 6 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  Any such separate firm for any Underwriter, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control persons of such Underwriter shall be designated in writing by the Representatives and any such separate firm for the Company and any control persons of the Company shall be designated in writing by the Company.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the

 

 

18


 

written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (x) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (y) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

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

 

(e)            Limitation on Liability .  The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 6 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 6, in no event shall an Underwriter be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter with respect to the offering of the Notes exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation.  The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 6 are several in proportion to their respective purchase obligations hereunder and not joint.

 

 

19


 

(f)             Non-Exclusive Remedies .  The remedies provided for in this Section 6 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

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

 

8.             Defaulting Underwriter .  (a)  If, on the Closing Date, any Underwriter defaults on its obligation to purchase the Notes that it has agreed to purchase hereunder, the non-defaulting Underwriters may in their discretion arrange for the purchase of such Notes by other persons satisfactory to the Company on the terms contained in this Agreement.  If, within 36 hours after any such default by any Underwriter, the non-defaulting Underwriters do not arrange for the purchase of such Notes, then the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure other persons satisfactory to the non-defaulting Underwriters to purchase such Notes on such terms.  If other persons become obligated or agree to purchase the Notes of a defaulting Underwriter, either the non-defaulting Underwriters or the Company may postpone the Closing Date for up to five full business days in order to effect any changes that in the opinion of counsel for the Company or counsel for the Underwriters may be necessary in the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or in any other document or arrangement, and the Company agrees to promptly prepare any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus that effects any such changes.  As used in this Agreement, the term “Underwriter” includes, for all purposes of this Agreement unless the context otherwise requires, any person not listed in Schedule 1 hereto that, pursuant to this Section 8, purchases Notes that a defaulting Underwriter agreed but failed to purchase.

 

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

 

 

20


 

(c)           If, after giving effect to any arrangements for the purchase of the Notes of a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters by the non-defaulting Underwriters and the Company as provided in paragraph (a) above, the aggregate principal amount of such Notes that remains unpurchased exceeds one-eleventh of the aggregate principal amount of all the Notes, or if the Company shall not exercise the right described in paragraph (b) above, then this Agreement shall terminate without liability on the part of the non-defaulting Underwriters.  Any termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 8 shall be without liability on the part of the Company, except that the Company will continue to be liable for the payment of expenses as set forth in Section 9 hereof and except that the provisions of Section 6 hereof shall not terminate and shall remain in effect.

 

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

 

9.             Payment of Expenses .  (a)  Whether or not the transactions contemplated by this Agreement are consummated or this Agreement is terminated, the Company agrees to pay or cause to be paid all costs and expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder, including without limitation, (i) the costs incident to the authorization, issuance, sale, preparation and delivery of the Notes and any taxes payable in that connection; (ii) the costs incident to the preparation, printing and filing of the Registration Statement (including financial statements, exhibits, schedules, consents and certificates of experts), each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus, and all amendments and supplements thereto, and the distribution thereof; (iii) the costs of reproducing and distributing each of the documents relating to this offering; (iv) the fees and expenses of the Company’s counsel and independent accountants; (v) the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the registration or qualification and determination of eligibility for investment of the Notes under the laws of such jurisdictions as the Representatives may designate and the preparation, printing and distribution of a Blue Sky Survey (including the related fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters); (vi) any fees charged by rating agencies for rating the Notes; (vii) the fees and expenses of the Trustee and any paying agent (including related fees and expenses of any counsel to such parties); (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with the approval of the Notes for book-entry transfer by DTC; (ix) all expenses incurred by the Company in connection with any “road show” presentation to potential investors and (x) all other fees, costs and expenses referred to in Item 14 of Part II of the Registration Statement.

 

(b)           If (i) this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 7, (ii) the Company for any reason fails to tender the Notes for delivery to the Underwriters or (iii) the Underwriters decline to purchase the Notes for any reason permitted under this Agreement, the Company agrees to reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket costs and expenses (including the fees and expenses of their counsel) reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement and the offering contemplated hereby.  Otherwise, the Underwriters shall pay their own expenses, including the fees and expenses of their counsel.

 

10.           Persons Entitled to Benefit of Agreement .  This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and any controlling persons referred to herein, and the affiliates, officers and directors of each Underwriter referred to in Section 6 hereof.  Nothing in this Agreement is intended or shall be

 

 

21


 

construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement or any provision contained herein.  No purchaser of Notes from any Underwriter shall be deemed to be a successor merely by reason of such purchase.

 

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

 

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

 

13.           Miscellaneous .  (a)  Authority of the Representatives.   Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by the Representatives on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by the Representatives shall be binding upon the Underwriters.

 

(b)            Notices .  All notices and other communications hereunder shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given if mailed or transmitted and confirmed by any standard form of telecommunication.  Notices to the Underwriters shall be given to the Representatives c/o Banc of America Securities LLC, Bank of America Tower, One Bryant Park, New York, New York 10036 (fax: (704) 264-2522); Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal; Barclays Capital Inc., 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166 (fax: (212) 410-7305); Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate; Citigroup Global Markets Inc., 388 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10013, (fax: 212-816-7912); Attention: General Counsel; J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., 270 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10017 (fax: (212) 834-6081); Attention: High Grade Syndicate Desk; and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, 301 South College Street, Charlotte, North Carolina 28288, (fax: (704) 383-9165); Attention: Transaction Management Department.  Notices to the Company shall be given to it at EQT Corporation, EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (fax: 412-553-7700); Attention: Lewis B. Gardner, Vice President and General Counsel.

 

(c)            Governing Law .  This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

(d)            Entire Agreement and Counterparts .  This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.  This Agreement may be signed in counterparts (which may include counterparts delivered by any standard form of telecommunication), each of which shall be an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

 

22


 

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

 

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

 

(g)            Partial Unenforceability.   The invalidity or unenforceability of any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other Section, paragraph or provision hereof.  If any Section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.

 

 

23


 

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

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

By

  /s/ Philip P. Conti

 

 

 

Name:

Philip P. Conti

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

 


 

Accepted as of the date first above written

 

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

WACHOVIA CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

For themselves and on behalf of the

several Underwriters listed

in Schedule 1 hereto.

 

 

BANC OF AMERICA SECURITIES LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ James M. Mercurio

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

 

BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Yukari Saegusa

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

 

CITIGROUP GLOBAL MARKETS INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Brian Bednarski

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Rob Bottamedi

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

 

WACHOVIA CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Carolyn C. Hurley

 

 

 

Authorized Officer

 

 

 

 

Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement

 


 

SCHEDULE 1

 

Underwriter

Principal Amount

 

 

Banc of America Securities LLC

$

126,000,000

 

Barclays Capital Inc

$

126,000,000

 

Citigroup Global Markets Inc

$

126,000,000

 

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc

$

126,000,000

 

Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

$

70,000,000

 

BMO Capital Markets Corp.

$

21,000,000

 

Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.

$

21,000,000

 

PNC Capital Markets LLC

$

21,000,000

 

SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

$

21,000,000

 

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.

$

10,500,000

 

Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.

$

10,500,000

 

RBS Securities Inc.

$

10,500,000

 

SG Americas Securities, LLC

$

10,500,000

 

Total

$

700,000,000

 

 


 

ANNEX I

 

Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses

 

Final Term Sheet dated May 12, 2009

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433
Registration Statement No. 333-148154

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

$700,000,000

 

8.125% Senior Notes due 2019

 

Form of Final Term Sheet

 

May 12, 2009

 

Issuer:

 

EQT Corporation

 

 

 

Legal Format:

 

SEC Registered

 

 

 

Size:

 

$700,000,000

 

 

 

Maturity Date:

 

June 1, 2019

 

 

 

Coupon (Interest Rate):

 

8.125%

 

 

 

Yield to Maturity:

 

8.173%

 

 

 

Spread to Benchmark Treasury:

 

+500 basis points

 

 

 

Benchmark Treasury:

 

U.S. Treasury 3.125% due May 15, 2019

 

 

 

Benchmark Treasury Yield:

 

3.173%

 

 

 

Interest Payment Dates:

 

Semi-annually on June 1 and on December 1, commencing on December 1, 2009

 

 

 

Make Whole Redemption Provision:

 

At any time at a discount rate of U.S. Treasury plus 50 basis points

 

 

 

Price to Public:

 

99.668%

 

 

 

Trade Date:

 

May 12, 2009

 

 

 

Settlement Date:

 

May 15, 2009 (T+3)

 

 

 

Ratings*:

 

Baa1/BBB/BBB+ (negative/stable/stable)

 

 

 

CUSIP/ISIN:

 

26884LAA7 / US26884LAA70

 

 

A-1


 

Joint Book-Runners:

 

Banc of America Securities LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
Citigroup Global Markets Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities Inc.
Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC

 

 

 

Senior Co-Managers:

 

BMO Capital Markets Corp.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.
PNC Capital Markets LLC
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.

 

 

 

Junior Co-Managers:

 

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
RBS Securities Inc.
SG Americas Securities, LLC

 

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

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates.  Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering.  You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov.  Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Banc of America Securities LLC at 1-800-294-1322 (toll-free) or by calling Barclays Capital Inc. at 1-888-227-2275 extension 2663 (toll-free) or by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at 1-877-858-5407 (toll-free) or by calling J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. at 1-212-834-4533 (collect) or by calling Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC at 1-800-326-5897 (toll-free).

 

 

A-2


 

EXHIBIT B

 

OPINION OF SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.     The Delaware Subsidiaries have been duly incorporated and are validly existing in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

2.     The Underwriting Agreement has been duly executed and delivered by the Company, to the extent such execution and delivery are governed by the laws of the State of New York.

 

3.     The Base Indenture and the Third Supplemental Indenture have been duly executed and delivered by the Predecessor and the Company, respectively, to the extent such execution and delivery are governed by the laws of the State of New York, and each is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

4.     The Second Supplemental Indenture is a valid and binding agreement of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.

 

5.     The execution and delivery by the Predecessor of the Base Indenture, the execution and delivery by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents (other than the Base Indenture) (the “Other Transaction Documents”), and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby, including the issuance and sale of the Securities, will not (i) constitute a violation of, or a breach or default under, the terms of any Applicable Contract or (ii) violate or conflict with, or result in any contravention of, any Applicable Law or any Applicable Order.  We do not express any opinion, however, as to whether the execution and delivery by the Company of the Other Transaction Documents or performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to financial ratios or tests or any aspect of the financial condition or results of operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

 

6.     No Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required for (i) the execution or delivery of each of the Other Transaction Documents by the Company or (ii) the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

7.     To our knowledge, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or to which any property of the Company or any of its subsidiaries is subject that are required to be disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus pursuant to Item 103 of Regulation S-K of the Rules and Regulations that are not so disclosed, except that we do not express any opinion in this paragraph 7 with respect to legal or governmental proceedings relating to the gathering, transportation, storage and distribution of natural gas.

 

 

B-1


 

8.     The Securities have been duly executed by the Company to the extent such execution is governed by the laws of the State of New York, and when duly authenticated by the Trustee and issued and delivered by the Company against payment therefore in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture, the Securities will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits of the Indenture and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

9.     The statements in the Preliminary Prospectus, as supplemented by the Free Writing Prospectus, and the Prospectus under the captions “Description of Debt Securities” and “Description of Notes,” insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Indenture and the Securities, fairly summarize such provisions in all material respects.

 

10.   The Company is not and, solely after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

 

B-2


 

EXHIBIT C

 

NEGATIVE ASSURANCE LETTER OF SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER
& FLOM LLP

 

On the basis of the foregoing, (i) the Registration Statement, at the Applicable Time (as defined below) and the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, appeared on their face to be appropriately responsive in all material respects to the requirements of the Securities Act and the Rules and Regulations (except that in each case we do not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 (the “Form T-1”)) and (ii) no facts have come to our attention that have caused us to believe that the Registration Statement, as of each Effective Date (as defined below), contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and as of the date hereof, contained or contains an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (except that in each case we do not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom, or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1).

 

In addition, on the basis of the foregoing, no facts have come to our attention that have caused us to believe that the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (except that we do not express any view as to the financial statements, schedules and other financial information included or incorporated by reference therein or excluded therefrom or the statements contained in the exhibits to the Registration Statement, including the Form T-1).

 

 

C-1


 

EXHIBIT D

 

TAX OPINION OF SKADDEN, ARPS, SLATE, MEAGHER & FLOM LLP

 

Based upon the foregoing and subject to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, although the discussion in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations” does not purport to discuss all possible United States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Securities, it is our opinion that such discussion fairly summarizes, in all material respects, the United States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of the Securities.

 

 

D-1


 

EXHIBIT E

 

OPINION OF BUCHANAN INGERSOLL & ROONEY PC

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and subject to the additional qualifications set forth below, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.             The Transaction Documents have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, with the exception of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, which were duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Predecessor on or about March 18, 2008 and were assumed by the Company on June 30, 2008.

 

2.             The Company is validly existing and validly subsisting as a corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, with the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

3.             The issue and sale of the Securities and the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated will not result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation or Amended and Restated By-Laws of the Company or any Applicable Law or Applicable Order relevant to the Company or the Pennsylvania Subsidiary or any of their respective properties.

 

4.             The execution and delivery by the Predecessor of the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture, the execution and delivery by the Company of the Transaction Documents (other than the Base Indenture and the First Supplemental Indenture), the issue and sale of the Securities and the performance by the Company of its obligations under the Transaction Documents and the consummation of the transactions therein contemplated will not conflict with or result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, the terms of any Applicable Contract.  We do not express any opinion, however, as to whether the execution, delivery or performance by the Company of each of the Transaction Documents will constitute a violation of, or a default under, any covenant, restriction or provision with respect to financial ratios or tests or any aspect of the financial condition or results of operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries contained in any Applicable Contract.

 

5.             No Governmental Approval, which has not been obtained or taken and is not in full force and effect, is required to authorize, or is required for, (i) the execution or delivery of each of the Transaction Documents by the Company or (ii) the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby.

 

6.             The Pennsylvania Subsidiary is validly existing as a corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with the corporate power and authority to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and has all corporate powers required to carry on its business as now conducted.

 

 

E-1

Exhibit 4.1

 

EQT CORPORATION

as Issuer

and

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

as Trustee




THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

Dated as of May 15, 2009

to

INDENTURE

Dated as of March 18, 2008




8.125% Senior Notes due 2019

 


 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

Page

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

 

Section 1.1.

Definition of Terms

2

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

 

 

Section 2.1.

Designation and Principal Amount

3

Section 2.2.

Maturity

3

Section 2.3.

Further Issues

4

Section 2.4.

Form of Payment

4

Section 2.5.

Global Securities

4

Section 2.6.

Interest

4

Section 2.7.

Authorized Denominations

4

Section 2.8.

Redemption

4

Section 2.9.

Limitation on Liens

4

Section 2.10.

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

6

Section 2.11.

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

7

Section 2.12.

Events of Default

8

Section 2.13.

Appointment of Agents

9

Section 2.14.

Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

 

 

Section 3.1.

Form of Senior Notes

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

 

 

Section 4.1.

Original Issue of Senior Notes

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

Section 5.1.

Ratification of Indenture

10

Section 5.2.

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals

10

Section 5.3.

Governing Law

10

 

i


 

Section 5.4.

Separability

10

Section 5.5.

Counterparts

10

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A – Form of Senior Notes

A-1

EXHIBIT B – Form of Senior Notes

B-1

 

ii


 

THIRD SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE , dated as of May 15, 2009 (this “Third Supplemental Indenture”), between EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (the “Company”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

WHEREAS , the Company, as successor, and the Trustee executed and delivered the indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008 (the “Base Indenture”, as supplemented by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 2008, and, together with this Third Supplemental Indenture, the “Indenture”), to provide for the issuance of the Company’s debt securities (the “Securities”), to be issued in one or more series;

 

WHEREAS , pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its notes under the Base Indenture to be known as its “8.125% Senior Notes due 2019” (the “Senior Notes”), the form and substance and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Third Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to resolutions duly adopted on April 23, 2008 and February 18, 2009, have duly authorized the issuance of the Senior Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Company to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect each such issuance;

 

WHEREAS , this Third Supplemental Indenture is being entered into pursuant to the provisions of Section 14.01 of the Base Indenture;

 

WHEREAS , the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Third Supplemental Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS , all things necessary to make this Third Supplemental Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, and to make the Senior Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee, the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, have been performed, and the execution and delivery of this Third Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized in all respects;

 

NOW THEREFORE , in consideration of the premises and the purchase and acceptance of the Senior Notes by the Holders thereof, and for the purpose of setting forth, as provided in the Base Indenture, the forms and terms of the Senior Notes, the Company covenants and agrees, with the Trustee, as follows:

 


 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.1.      Definition of Terms .  Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(a)        each term defined in the Base Indenture has the same meaning when used in this Third Supplemental Indenture;

 

(b)        the singular includes the plural and vice versa; and

 

(c)        headings are for convenience of reference only and do not affect interpretation.

 

(d)        a reference to a Section or Article is to a Section or Article of this Third Supplemental Indenture unless otherwise indicated.

 

(e)        The following terms have the meanings given to them in this Section 1.1(e):

 

(i)         “Attributable Debt” in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction means, as of any particular time, the present value (discounted at the rate of interest implicit in the terms of the lease involved in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction, as determined in good faith by the Company) of the obligation of the lessee thereunder for net rental payments (excluding, however, any amounts required to be paid by such lessee, whether or not designated as rent or additional rent, on account of maintenance and repairs, services, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges and any amounts required to be paid by such lessee thereunder contingent upon monetary inflation or the amount of sales, maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates or similar charges) during the remaining term of such lease (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended).

 

(ii)        “Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” means the aggregate amount of assets of the Company and its consolidated Subsidiaries (less applicable reserves) after deducting therefrom (x) all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles and (y) all current liabilities except for current maturities of long-term debt, current maturities of capitalized lease obligations, indebtedness for borrowed money having a maturity of less than 12 months from the date of the most recent audited consolidated balance sheet of the Company, but which by its terms is renewable or extendable beyond 12 months from such date at the option of the borrower and deferred income taxes which are classified as current liabilities, all as reflected in the audited consolidated balance sheet contained in the Company’s most recent annual report to its shareholders under Rule 14a-3 of the Exchange Act, prior to the time as of which “Consolidated Net Tangible Assets” is being determined.

 

(iii)       “Debt” means indebtedness for borrowed money.

 

2


 

(iv)       “DTC” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.5.

 

(v)        “Event of Default” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.12.

 

(vi)       “Incurrence Time” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.9(b).

 

(vii)      “Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest or lien.

 

(viii)      “Principal Property” means any manufacturing plant or production, transportation or marketing facility or other similar facility located within the United States (other than its territories and possessions) and owned by, or leased to, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, the book value of the real property, plant and equipment of which (as shown, without deduction of any depreciation reserves, on the books of the owner or owners) is not less than 1.5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets as of the date on which such facility is acquired or a leasehold interest therein is acquired.

 

(ix)       “Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary substantially all the property of which is located, or substantially all the business of which is carried on, within the United States (other than its territories and possessions) which shall at the time, directly or indirectly, through one or more Subsidiaries or in combination with one or more other Subsidiaries or the Company, own or be a lessee of a Principal Property.

 

(x)        “Sale and Leaseback Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.10.

 

(xi)       “Subsidiary” means, with respect to the Company, a corporation of which more than 50% of the total voting power of the capital stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of its directors is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Company or by one or more other Subsidiaries or by the Company and one or more other Subsidiaries.

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

Section 2.1.      Designation and Principal Amount .  There is hereby authorized and established a new series of Securities under the Base Indenture, designated as the “8.125% Senior Notes due 2019”, which is not limited in aggregate principal amount.  The initial aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes to be issued under this Third Supplemental Indenture shall be limited to $700,000,000.  Any additional amounts of such series to be issued shall be set forth in a Company Order.

 

Section 2.2.      Maturity .  The stated maturity of principal for the Senior Notes will be June 1, 2019.

 

3


 

Section 2.3.      Further Issues .  The Company may from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Senior Notes, issue additional notes of such series.  Any such additional notes will have the same ranking, interest rate, maturity date and other terms as the Senior Notes.  Any such additional notes, together with the Senior Notes herein provided for, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture.

 

Section 2.4.      Form of Payment .  Principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Senior Notes shall be payable in U.S. dollars.

 

Section 2.5.      Global Securities .  Upon the original issuance, the Senior Notes will be represented by one or more Global Securities.  The Company will issue the Senior Notes in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof and will deposit the Global Securities with the Trustee as custodian for The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”), in New York, New York, and register the Global Securities in the name of DTC or its nominee.

 

Section 2.6.      Interest .  The Senior Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from May 15, 2009 at the rate of 8.125% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears; interest payable on each interest payment date will include interest accrued from May 15, 2009, or from the most recent interest payment date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for; the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable are June 1 and December 1, commencing on December 1, 2009; and the record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date is the close of business on May 15 or November 15, as the case may be, next preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date.

 

Section 2.7.      Authorized Denominations .  The Senior Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 2.8.      Redemption .  The Senior Notes are subject to redemption at the option of the Company as set forth in the forms of Senior Note attached hereto as Exhibit A and Exhibit B.

 

Section 2.9.      Limitation on Liens .

 

(a)        Except as otherwise provided in clauses (i) through (ix) below or in subsection (b) of this section, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a Lien upon any Principal Property of the Company or of any Restricted Subsidiary or upon any shares of stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, without in any such case effectively providing that the Senior Notes together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness of or guaranty by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not subordinated to the Senior Notes) shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such secured Debt, so long as such Debt shall be so secured; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 2.9 shall prevent, restrict or apply to (and there shall be excluded from secured Debt in any computation under this Section 2.9) Debt secured by:

 

4


 

(i)         Liens on property of, or shares of stock or Debt issued by, any Subsidiary existing at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that such Lien shall not have been incurred in connection with the transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of a Principal Property to such Subsidiary unless the Company, within 180 days of the effective date of such transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of such Principal Property at the time of such transfer, to the retirement of Senior Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Senior Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), having a stated maturity (x) more than 12 months from the date of such application or (y) which is extendable at the option of the obligor thereon to a date more than 12 months from the date of such application;

 

(ii)        Liens on any property, shares of stock or Debt existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (including acquisition through merger or consolidation) or Liens to secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price or construction cost thereof or securing any Debt incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 180 days after, the acquisition of such property, shares of stock or Debt or the completion of any such construction, whichever is later, for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or construction cost thereof;

 

(iii)       Liens on any property to secure all or any part of the cost of development, construction, alteration, repair or improvement of all or any portion of such property, or to secure Debt incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 180 days after, the completion of such development, construction, alteration, repair or improvement, whichever is later, for the purpose of financing all or any part of such cost;

 

(iv)       Liens which secure Debt owed by a Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to another Restricted Subsidiary or by the Company to a Restricted Subsidiary so long as the Debt is held by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(v)        Liens securing indebtedness of a corporation or other Person which becomes a successor of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.11 hereof other than Debt incurred by such corporation or other Person in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale of assets in accordance with Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.11 hereof;

 

(vi)       Liens on property of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in favor of the United States or any state thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United States or any state thereof, or in favor of any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any indebtedness incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or the cost of construction, alteration, repair or improvement of the property subject to such Liens (including but not limited to Liens incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial revenue or similar financing), or in favor of any trustee

 

5


 

or mortgagee for the benefit of holders of indebtedness of any such entity incurred for any such purpose;

 

(vii)      Liens securing Debt which is payable, both with respect to principal and interest, solely out of the proceeds of oil, gas, coal or other minerals to be produced from the property subject thereto and to be sold or delivered by the Company or a Subsidiary, including any interest of the character commonly referred to as a “production payment”;

 

(viii)      Liens created or assumed by a Subsidiary on oil, gas, coal or other mineral property, owned or leased by a Subsidiary, to secure Debt of such Subsidiary for the purpose of developing such property, including any interest of the character commonly referred to as a “production payment”; provided, however, that neither the Company nor any Subsidiary shall assume or guarantee such Debt or otherwise be liable in respect thereof; and

 

(ix)       any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (viii), inclusive, or of any Debt secured thereby; provided, that such extension, renewal or replacement Lien shall be limited to all or any part of the same property that secured the Lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus any improvements and construction on such property) and shall secure no larger amount of Debt than that which had been so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement and, in the case of clause (iv), that the Debt being secured thereby is being secured for the same type of Person as the Debt being replaced.

 

(b)        Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.9, the Company and any one or more Restricted Subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions if at the time it does so (the “Incurrence Time”) the aggregate amount of such Debt plus all other Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions after giving effect to the retirement of any Debt which is currently being retired (not including Debt permitted to be secured under clauses (i) through (ix) above), plus the aggregate Attributable Debt (determined as of the Incurrence Time) of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 2.10) entered into after the date of this Third Supplemental Indenture and in existence at the Incurrence Time (less the aggregate amount of proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions which shall have been applied in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 2.10), does not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Section 2.10.    Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement after May 15, 2009 with any bank, insurance company or other lender or investor (other than the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) providing for the leasing as lessee by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except a lease for a term not to exceed three years by the end of which term it is intended that the use of such Principal Property by the lessee will be discontinued and a lease which secures or relates to industrial revenue or pollution

 

6


 

control bonds or similar financing), which was or is owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to such Person, more than 180 days after the completion of construction and commencement of full operation of such property by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, to such lender or investor or to any Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such lender or investor on the security of such Principal Property (herein called a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”) unless:

 

(a)        the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would, at the time of entering into such arrangement, be entitled pursuant to clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.9, without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes, to issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien on such Principal Property in the amount of the Attributable Debt arising from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction; or

 

(b)        the Attributable Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and all other Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into after the date of this Third Supplemental Indenture (other than such Sale and Leaseback Transactions as are permitted by subsection (a) or (c) of this Section 2.10), plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by Liens on Principal Properties then outstanding (not including any such Debt secured by Liens described in clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.9) which do not equally and ratably secure the Senior Notes, would not exceed 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; or

 

(c)        the Company, within 180 days after any such sale or transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of such sale or transfer or the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction to the retirement of Senior Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Senior Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), having a stated maturity (i) more than 12 months from the date of such application or (ii) which is extendable at the option of the obligor thereon to a date more than 12 months from the date of such application; provided, that the amount to be so applied shall be reduced by (x) the principal amount of Senior Notes delivered to the Trustee for retirement and cancellation within 180 days after such sale or transfer, and (y) the principal amount of any such Debt of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary other than Senior Notes voluntarily retired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary within 180 days after such sale or transfer.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no retirement referred to in this subdivision (c) may be effected by payment at Maturity.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, where the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is the lessee in any Sale and Leaseback Transaction, Attributable Debt shall not include any Debt resulting from the guarantee by the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary of the lessee’s obligation thereunder.

 

Section 2.11.    Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets . In addition to the covenants provided in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture, the Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or sell other than for cash or lease its assets substantially as

 

7


 

an entirety to another entity, or purchase the assets of another entity substantially as an entirety, if, as a result of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or purchase, properties or assets of the Company would become subject to a lien which would not be permitted by the Indenture, unless the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, takes such steps as are necessary to effectively secure the Senior Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby.

 

Section 2.12.    Events of Default .  The term “Event of Default” with respect to the Senior Notes shall mean

 

(a)     the failure of the Company to pay any installment of interest on the Senior Notes when and as the same shall become payable, which failure shall have continued unremedied for a period of 30 days;

 

(b)     the failure of the Company to pay the principal of (and premium, if any, on) the Senior Notes, when and as the same shall become payable, whether at maturity or by call for redemption;

 

(c)     the failure of the Company, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06 of the Base Indenture, to perform any covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement which has been expressly included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Senior Notes and other than a covenant or agreement a default in the performance of which is specifically addressed elsewhere in this Section 2.12), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision deemed to be adequate for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 90 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(d)     default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $100,000,000 whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall constitute a failure to pay any portion of the principal of such indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period with respect thereto or shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, which continues for a period of 30 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such default, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(e)     the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy,

 

8


 

insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the property of the Company or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

(f)      the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or the consent by the Company to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or the consent by the Company to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, custodian or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the property of the Company or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any action;

 

provided, however, that no event described in clause (c) or (d) above shall constitute an Event of Default hereunder until a Responsible Officer assigned to and working in the Trustee’s corporate trust department has actual knowledge thereof or until a written notice of any such event is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office, and such notice refers to the facts underlying such event, the Senior Notes generally, the Company and the Indenture.

 

Section 2.13.    Appointment of Agents .  The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Senior Notes.

 

Section 2.14.    Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations .  At the Company’s option, either (a) the Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged from its obligations with respect to the Senior Notes on the first day after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied or (b) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Sections 2.9, 2.10 and 2.11 with respect to the Senior Notes at any time after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 have been satisfied.

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

Section 3.1.      Form of Senior Notes .  The Senior Notes and the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication to be endorsed thereon are to be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A and Exhibit B hereto.

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

Section 4.1.      Original Issue of Senior Notes .  The Senior Notes may, upon execution of this Third Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Company and delivered to

 

9


 

the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall, upon Company order, authenticate and deliver such Senior Notes as in such Company order provided.

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 5.1.      Ratification of Indenture .  The Base Indenture, as supplemented by this Third Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this Third Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Base Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided; provided that the provisions of this Third Supplemental Indenture apply solely with respect to the Senior Notes.

 

Section 5.2.      Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals .  The recitals herein contained are made by the Company and not by the Trustee, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness thereof.  The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Third Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 5.3.      Governing Law .  This Third Supplemental Indenture and each Senior Note shall be deemed to be contracts made under the law of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of said State.

 

Section 5.4.      Separability .  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Senior Notes 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 5.5.      Counterparts .  This Third Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

10


 

 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Philip P. Conti

 

 

Name:

Philip P. Conti

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and Chief

 

 

 

Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

/s/ Mary Miselis

 

 

Name:

Mary Miselis

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 


 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), 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 SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE 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.

 

A-1


 

CUSIP No. 26884LAA7

 

EQT CORPORATION
8.125% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2019

 

No. R-1

 

$500,000,000

 

 

As revised by the
Schedule of Increases
or Decreases in
Global Security
attached hereto

 

Interest .  EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of 500 million dollars ($500,000,000), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on June 1, 2019 and to pay interest thereon from May 15, 2009 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 in each year, commencing December 1, 2009 at the rate of 8.125% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

 

Method of Payment .  The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such interest, which shall be May 15 or November 15, as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.  Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice thereof having been given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.  Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office in U.S. Dollars.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

Authentication .  Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

A-2


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

 

Dated: May 15, 2009

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

Philip P. Conti

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

Dated:

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

as Trustee, certifies
that this is one of
the Securities referred
to in the Indenture.

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

A-3


 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

 

Indenture .  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation (the “Company”), as successor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented and amended by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 18, 2008, by a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated June 30, 2008, and by a Third Supplemental Indenture, dated May 15, 2009 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $ 700,000,000.

 

Optional Redemption .  The Securities of this series are subject to redemption at the Company’s option, at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date, and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 50 basis points plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to the Redemption Date.

 

For purposes of determining the optional redemption price, the following definitions are applicable:

 

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the Securities, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for that Redemption Date.

 

The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the Redemption Date.

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Securities that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining terms of the Securities.

 

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any Redemption Date:

 

A-4


 

(a)        the average of four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or

 

(b)        if the Independent Investment Banker is unable to obtain at least four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained by the Independent Investment Banker.

 

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as specified by the Company, or if these firms are unwilling or unable to select the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and a Primary Treasury Dealer (as defined below) selected by Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC or their affiliates which are primary U.S. government securities dealers (and their respective successors), provided however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date for the notes, an average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue for the notes (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each registered holder of notes to be redeemed.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions of the notes called for redemption.  If fewer than all of the notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, the particular notes or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding notes not previously called by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

Except as set forth above, the Securities will not be redeemable by the Company prior to maturity and will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

Defaults and Remedies .   If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

Amendment, Modification and Waiver .  The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the

 

A-5


 

Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

Restrictive Covenants .  The Indenture does not limit unsecured debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  It does limit certain mortgages, liens and sale-leaseback transactions.  The limitations are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions.  Once a year the Company must report to the Trustee on compliance with the limitations.

 

Denominations, Transfer and Exchange .   The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.  As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the Registrar accompanied by a written request for transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

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

 

Persons Deemed Owners .  Prior to due presentment of this 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 this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

Miscellaneous .  The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of law rules of said State.

 

All terms used in this Security and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

A-6


 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

 

The following increases or decreases in this Global Security have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of
this Global Security

 

Amount of decrease
in Principal Amount
of this Global
Security

 

Principal Amount of
this Global Security
following each
decrease or increase

 

Signature of
authorized signatory
of Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A-7


 

EXHIBIT B

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), 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 SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE 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.

 

B-1


 

CUSIP No. 26884LAA7

 

EQT CORPORATION
8.125% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2019

 

No. R-2

$200,000,000
As revised by the
Schedule of Increases
or Decreases in
Global Security
attached hereto

 

Interest .  EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of  200 million dollars ($200,000,000), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on June 1, 2019 and to pay interest thereon from May 15, 2009 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 in each year, commencing December 1, 2009 at the rate of 8.125% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

 

Method of Payment .  The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Record Date for such interest, which shall be May 15 or November 15, as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date.  Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice thereof having been given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.  Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office in U.S. Dollars.

 

Reference is hereby made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof, which further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

Authentication .  Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by the Trustee referred to on the reverse hereof by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.

 

B-2


 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

 

Dated: May 15, 2009

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

Philip P. Conti

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

Dated:

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

as Trustee, certifies
that this is one of
the Securities referred
to in the Indenture.

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

B-3


 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

 

 

Indenture .  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation (the “Company”), as successor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented and amended by a First Supplemental Indenture, dated March 18, 2008, by a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated June 30, 2008, and by a Third Supplemental Indenture, dated May 15, 2009 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $ 700,000,000.

 

Optional Redemption .  The Securities of this series are subject to redemption at the Company’s option, at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date, and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the Redemption Date) discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 50 basis points plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to the Redemption Date.

 

For purposes of determining the optional redemption price, the following definitions are applicable:

 

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the Securities, the rate per year equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for that Redemption Date.

 

The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the Redemption Date.

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Securities that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining terms of the Securities.

 

“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any Redemption Date:

 

B-4


 

(c)        the average of four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or

 

(d)        if the Independent Investment Banker is unable to obtain at least four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations obtained by the Independent Investment Banker.

 

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC, as specified by the Company, or if these firms are unwilling or unable to select the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means Banc of America Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. and a Primary Treasury Dealer (as defined below) selected by Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC or their affiliates which are primary U.S. government securities dealers (and their respective successors), provided however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any redemption date for the notes, an average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue for the notes (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such redemption date.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each registered holder of notes to be redeemed.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the redemption date, interest will cease to accrue on the notes or portions of the notes called for redemption.  If fewer than all of the notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, the particular notes or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding notes not previously called by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

Except as set forth above, the Securities will not be redeemable by the Company prior to maturity and will not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

Defaults and Remedies .   If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

 

Amendment, Modification and Waiver .  The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the

 

B-5


 

Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.  Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

Restrictive Covenants .  The Indenture does not limit unsecured debt of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries.  It does limit certain mortgages, liens and sale-leaseback transactions.  The limitations are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions.  Once a year the Company must report to the Trustee on compliance with the limitations.

 

Denominations, Transfer and Exchange .   The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.  As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registerable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the Registrar accompanied by a written request for transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

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

 

Persons Deemed Owners .  Prior to due presentment of this 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 this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

Miscellaneous .  The Indenture and this Security shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of law rules of said State.

 

All terms used in this Security and not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

B-6


 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

 

The following increases or decreases in this Global Security have been made:

 

Date of
Exchange

 

Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of
this Global Security

 

Amount of decrease
in Principal Amount
of this Global
Security

 

Principal Amount of
this Global Security
following each
decrease or increase

 

Signature of
authorized signatory
of Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

B-7