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): March 24, 2015 (March 18, 2015)

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Delaware

 

001-35380

 

45-3007926

(State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or
Organization)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

 

15 W. Sixth Street, Suite 900, Tulsa, Oklahoma

 

74119

(Address of Principal Executive Offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (918) 513-4570

 

Not Applicable

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

o 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.

 

Indenture

 

On March 18, 2015, in connection with the completion of the previously announced offer and sale by Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (the “ Company ”), in an underwritten public offering, of $350 million in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 6¼% senior notes due 2023 (the “ Notes ”), the Company entered into an Indenture (the “ Base Indenture ”), dated as of March 18, 2015, among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2015, among the Company, the guarantors party thereto and the Trustee (the “ Supplemental Indenture ” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”).

 

The Company received net proceeds of approximately $344.0 million from the offering, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses.  The Company will use the net proceeds of the offering, together with a portion of the net proceeds from its previously announced common stock offering that closed on March 5, 2015, to redeem all $550 million of its outstanding 9½% senior notes due 2019 (the “ 2019 Notes ”). Pending application of the net proceeds from the offering, the Company may invest the net proceeds in short-term, liquid investments.

 

The Notes will mature on March 15, 2023 with interest accruing at a rate of 6¼% per annum and payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing September 15, 2015.  The Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Laredo Midstream Services, LLC, Garden City Minerals, LLC and certain of the Company’s future restricted subsidiaries.

 

The Company may redeem, at its option, all or part of the Notes at any time on or after March 15, 2018, at the applicable redemption price plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of redemption.  Further, before March 15, 2018, the Company may on one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes in an amount not exceeding the net proceeds from one or more private or public equity offerings at a redemption price of 106.25% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption, if at least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes remains outstanding immediately after such redemption and the redemption occurs within 180 days of the closing date of each such equity offering.  If a change of control occurs prior to March 15, 2016, the Company may redeem all, but not less than all, of the Notes at a redemption price equal to 110% of the principal amount of the Notes plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of redemption.

 

The Notes were offered and sold pursuant to a prospectus supplement dated March 4, 2015 and the base prospectus dated March 22, 2013, relating to the Company’s effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-187479).

 

The foregoing description of the Indenture is a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture, copies of which are attached as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 2.03.  Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.

 

The information set forth under Item 1.01 of this Current Report on Form 8-K concerning the Indenture is incorporated herein by reference.  Copies of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture are filed as Exhibit 4.1 and Exhibit 4.2, respectively, to this Current Report on Form 8-K and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

2



 

Item 2.04.  Triggering Events That Accelerate or Increase a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement.

 

On March 6, 2015, the Company issued a conditional notice of redemption to holders of its outstanding 2019 Notes that the Company will redeem all of its outstanding 2019 Notes on April 6, 2015 (the “ Redemption Date ”). The redemption price for the 2019 Notes will be 104.750% of the principal amount of the 2019 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date (the “ Redemption Price ”), in accordance with the provisions of the indenture governing the 2019 Notes. The Company’s obligation to pay the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date was conditioned upon the completion, prior to April 3, 2015, of the offering of the Notes. This condition has been satisfied and the Company’s obligation to redeem the 2019 Notes is now unconditional.  On the Redemption Date, the 2019 Notes will be redeemed at the Redemption Price and pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the 2019 Notes.

 

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)  Exhibits .

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

 

 

 

4.1

 

Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2015, among Laredo Petroleum, Inc., the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

 

 

 

4.2

 

Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2015, among Laredo Petroleum, Inc., the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

 

 

 

4.3

 

Form of 6¼% Senior Notes due 2023 (included in Exhibit 4.2).

 

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.

 

 

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: March 24, 2015

By:

/s/ Kenneth E. Dornblaser

 

 

Kenneth E. Dornblaser

 

 

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

 

4



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit Number

 

Description

 

 

 

4.1

 

Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2015, among Laredo Petroleum, Inc., the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

 

 

 

4.2

 

Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2015, among Laredo Petroleum, Inc., the guarantors party thereto and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee.

 

 

 

4.3

 

Form of 6¼% Senior Notes due 2023 (included in Exhibit 4.2).

 

5


Exhibit 4.1

 

Execution Version

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

and

 

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO

 

to

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

 

Trustee

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March 18, 2015

 

SENIOR DEBT SECURITIES

 



 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

Certain Sections of this Indenture relating to Sections 310
through 318, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

 

Indenture Section

Section 310(a)(1)

 

609

(a)(2)

 

609

(a)(3)

 

Not Applicable

(a)(4)

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

608

Section 311(a)

 

613

(b)

 

613

Section 312(a)

 

701

 

 

702

(b)

 

702

(c)

 

702

Section 313(a)

 

703

(b)

 

703

(c)

 

703

(d)

 

703

Section 314(a)

 

704

(a)(4)

 

101

(b)

 

Not Applicable

(c)(1)

 

102

(c)(2)

 

102

(c)(3)

 

Not Applicable

(d)

 

Not Applicable

(e)

 

102

Section 315(a)

 

601

(b)

 

602

(c)

 

601

(d)

 

601

(e)

 

514

Section 316(a)

 

101

(a)(1)(A)

 

502

 

 

512

(a)(1)(B)

 

513

(a)(2)

 

Not Applicable

(b)

 

508

(c)

 

104

Section 317(a)(1)

 

503

(a)(2)

 

504

(b)

 

1003

Section 318(a)

 

107

 

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

 

i



 

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

1

 

 

 

Section 101.

Definitions

1

Section 102.

Compliance Certificates and Opinions

9

Section 103.

Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee

9

Section 104.

Acts of Holders; Record Dates

10

Section 105.

Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Company and Guarantors

12

Section 106.

Notice to Holders; Waiver

13

Section 107.

Trust Indenture Act Matters

13

Section 108.

Effect of Headings and Table of Contents

14

Section 109.

Successors and Assigns

14

Section 110.

Separability Clause

14

Section 111.

Benefits of Indenture

14

Section 112.

Governing Law

14

Section 113.

Legal Holidays

14

Section 114.

No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

14

Section 115.

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders

15

Section 116.

Language of Notices, Etc.

15

Section 117.

Force Majeure

15

Section 118.

Waiver of Jury Trial

15

 

 

 

ARTICLE II SECURITY FORMS

15

 

 

Section 201.

Forms Generally

15

Section 202.

Form of Face of Security

16

Section 203.

Form of Reverse of Security

18

Section 204.

Form of Legend for Global Securities

22

Section 205.

Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication

22

 

 

 

ARTICLE III THE SECURITIES

23

 

 

Section 301.

Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series

23

Section 302.

Denominations

27

Section 303.

Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating

27

Section 304.

Temporary Securities

29

Section 305.

Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange

29

Section 306.

Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Wrongfully Taken Securities

31

Section 307.

Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved

32

Section 308.

Persons Deemed Owners

34

Section 309.

Cancellation

34

Section 310.

Computation of Interest

34

 

ii



 

Section 311.

CUSIP Numbers

34

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

34

 

 

Section 401.

Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture

34

Section 402.

Application of Trust Money

36

 

 

 

ARTICLE V REMEDIES

36

 

 

 

Section 501.

Events of Default

36

Section 502.

Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment

38

Section 503.

Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee

39

Section 504.

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

40

Section 505.

Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities

40

Section 506.

Application of Money Collected

40

Section 507.

Limitation on Suits

41

Section 508.

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

41

Section 509.

Restoration of Rights and Remedies

41

Section 510.

Rights and Remedies Cumulative

42

Section 511.

Delay or Omission Not Waiver

42

Section 512.

Control by Holders

42

Section 513.

Waiver of Past Defaults

42

Section 514.

Undertaking for Costs

43

Section 515.

Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws

43

 

 

 

ARTICLE VI THE TRUSTEE

43

 

 

Section 601.

Certain Duties and Responsibilities

43

Section 602.

Notice of Defaults

45

Section 603.

Certain Rights of Trustee

45

Section 604.

Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities

47

Section 605.

May Hold Securities

47

Section 606.

Money Held in Trust

47

Section 607.

Compensation and Reimbursement

47

Section 608.

Conflicting Interests

48

Section 609.

Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility

48

Section 610.

Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor

49

Section 611.

Acceptance of Appointment by Successor

50

Section 612.

Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business

51

Section 613.

Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company

51

Section 614.

Appointment of Authenticating Agent

51

 

 

 

ARTICLE VII HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

53

 

 

Section 701.

Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders

53

Section 702.

Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders

53

Section 703.

Reports by Trustee

54

 

iii



 

Section 704.

Reports by Company and Guarantors

54

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

54

 

 

Section 801.

Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms

54

Section 802.

Successor Substituted

55

 

 

 

ARTICLE IX SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

55

 

 

Section 901.

Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders

55

Section 902.

Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders

57

Section 903.

Execution of Supplemental Indentures

58

Section 904.

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

59

Section 905.

Conformity with Trust Indenture Act

59

Section 906.

Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures

59

 

 

 

ARTICLE X COVENANTS

59

 

 

Section 1001.

Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest

59

Section 1002.

Maintenance of Office or Agency

59

Section 1003.

Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust

60

Section 1004.

Corporate Existence

61

Section 1005.

Statement by Officers as to Default

61

Section 1006.

Waiver of Certain Covenants

62

 

 

 

ARTICLE XI REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

62

 

 

Section 1101.

Applicability of Article

62

Section 1102.

Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee

62

Section 1103.

Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed

63

Section 1104.

Notice of Redemption

63

Section 1105.

Deposit of Redemption Price

64

Section 1106.

Securities Payable on Redemption Date

65

Section 1107.

Securities Redeemed in Part

65

Section 1108.

No Limit on Repurchases

65

 

 

 

ARTICLE XII SINKING FUNDS

65

 

 

Section 1201.

Applicability of Article

65

Section 1202.

Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities

66

Section 1203.

Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund

66

 

 

 

ARTICLE XIII DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

66

 

 

Section 1301.

Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

66

Section 1302.

Defeasance and Discharge

67

Section 1303.

Covenant Defeasance

67

 

iv



 

Section 1304.

Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

68

Section 1305.

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

69

Section 1306.

Reinstatement

70

 

 

 

ARTICLE XIV GUARANTEES

70

 

 

Section 1401.

Guarantees

70

 

v



 

INDENTURE, dated as of March 18, 2015 among Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “ Company ”), having its principal office at 15 West Sixth Street, Suite 900, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119, the Guarantors (as defined hereinafter), each having its principal office at 15 West Sixth Street, Suite 900, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

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

 

Each of the Initial Guarantors has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the guarantee by such Initial Guarantor of such series of Securities as to which such guarantee has been made applicable as provided herein.

 

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

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

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

 

ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS
OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

Section 101.                        Definitions . For all purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 



 

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

 

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

 

(7)                                  unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to “duly provided for” and other words of similar import with respect to any amount or property required to be paid or delivered, as applicable, shall include, without limitation, having made such amount or property available for payment or delivery;

 

(8)                                  references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time;

 

(9)                                  when the words “includes” or “including” are used herein, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation;” and

 

(10)                           “or” is not exclusive.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Authenticating Agent ” means, when used with respect to Securities of any series, any Person authorized by the Trustee to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate the Securities of such series.

 

2



 

Board of Directors ” means either the board of directors of the Company (or, if the Company is organized as a limited partnership, the general partner thereof) or any duly authorized committee of that board.

 

Board Resolution ” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been duly adopted by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee. Where any provision of this Indenture refers to action to be taken pursuant to a Board Resolution (including the establishment of any series of the Securities and the forms and terms thereof), such action may be taken by any officer or employee of the Company authorized to take such action by the Board of Directors as evidenced by a Board Resolution.

 

Business Day ,” when used with respect to any Place of Payment, means each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not a day on which banking institutions in that Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close; provided that, when used with respect to any Security, “Business Day” may have such other meaning, if any, as may be specified for such Security as contemplated by Section 301 .

 

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

 

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

 

Company Request ” or “ Company Order ” means a written request or order signed in the name of the Company by any two Officers of the Company.

 

Corporate Trust Office ” means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered and which, at the date hereof, is located at 750 N. Saint Paul Place, Suite 1750, MAC: T9263-170, Dallas, Texas, 75201, Facsimile (214) 756-7401, attention Corporate, Municipal and Escrow Services, or at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office or any successor Trustee.

 

corporation ” means a corporation, association, company (including a limited liability company), joint-stock company, business trust or other business entity (other than a partnership).

 

Covenant Defeasance ” has the meaning specified in Section 1303 .

 

Defaulted Interest ” has the meaning specified in Section 307 .

 

Defeasance ” has the meaning specified in Section 1302 .

 

3



 

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

 

DTC ” has the meaning specified in Section 104 .

 

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

 

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

 

Expiration Date ” has the meaning specified in Section 104 .

 

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect from time to time.  All ratio computations based on GAAP contained in this Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP.

 

Global Security ” means a Security that evidences all or part of the Securities of any series and bears the legend set forth in Section 204 (or such legend as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities).

 

Guarantee ” means a guarantee of any Securities by a Guarantor as contemplated by Article XIV ; provided that the term “Guarantee,” when used with respect to any Security or with respect to the Securities of any series, means a guarantee of such Security or of the Securities of such series, respectively, by a Guarantor of such Security or of the Securities of such series, respectively, as contemplated by Article XIV .

 

Guarantor ” means each of the Initial Guarantors and any other Person who shall have become a Guarantor under this Indenture pursuant to Section 901 hereof, in each case unless and until a successor Person shall have become a successor thereto pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture in place thereof, and thereafter references to such Guarantor shall mean such successor Person; provided that (i) the term “Guarantor,” when used, with respect to the Securities of any series, means the Persons who shall from time to time be the Guarantors of Securities of such series as contemplated by Article XIV ; and (ii) any Person constituting a Guarantor with respect to the Securities of a series shall cease to constitute a Guarantor with respect to Securities of such series when its Guarantee is released with respect to Securities of such series in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

 

Guarantor’s Board of Directors ” means, with respect to any Guarantor, either the board of directors (or other governing body) of such Guarantor (or, if such Guarantor is organized as a limited partnership, the general partner of such Guarantor) or any duly authorized committee of such board (or other governing body).

 

4



 

Guarantor’s Board Resolution ” means, with respect to any Guarantor, a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Guarantor to have been duly adopted by such Guarantor’s Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee. Where any provision of this Indenture refers to action to be taken pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution, such action may be taken by any officer or employee of such Guarantor authorized to take such action by such Guarantor’s Board of Directors as evidenced by a Guarantor’s Board Resolution.

 

Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate ” means, with respect to any Guarantor, a certificate signed by any two of the following: a Chairman of the Board, a Chief Executive Officer, a President, a Vice President, a Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, a Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Guarantor, or any other officer or officers of such Guarantor designated in a writing by or pursuant to authority of such Guarantor’s Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee from time to time.

 

Guarantor Request ” or “ Guarantor Order ” means, with respect to any Guarantor, a written request or order signed in the name of such Guarantor by any two Officers of such Guarantor.

 

Holder ” means a Person in whose name a Security is, at the time of determination, registered in the Security Register.

 

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

 

Initial Guarantor ” or “ Initial Guarantors ” means Laredo Midstream Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Garden City Minerals, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Notice of Default ” means a written notice of the kind specified in Section 501(4) .

 

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Officer ” means, with respect to any Person, the Chairman of the Board, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Operating Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer, the Controller, the Secretary or any Vice-President of such Person (or, if such Person is a partnership, the general partner thereof) or any other officer or officers of such Person (or such general partner) designated in a writing by or pursuant to authority of the Board of Directors (if such Person is the Company) or the Guarantor’s Board of Directors with respect to such Guarantor (if such Person is a Guarantor) and delivered to the Trustee from time to time.

 

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed on behalf of the Company by at least two Officers of the Company, one of whom shall be the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, that meets the requirements of Section 102 .

 

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion from legal counsel (who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or any Affiliate thereof) who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee that meets the requirements of Section 102 .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(5)                                  Securities as to which any property deliverable upon conversion thereof has been delivered (or such delivery has been duly provided for), or as to which any other

 

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particular conditions have been satisfied, in each case as may be provided for such Securities as contemplated in Section 301 ;

 

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

 

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

 

Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Place of Payment ,” when used with respect to the Securities of any series and subject to Section 1002 , means the place or places where the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series are payable as contemplated by Section 301 .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Responsible Officer ,” when used with respect to the Trustee, means any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee (or any successor group of the Trustee) or any other officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by any of the above designated officers and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Subsidiary ,” with respect to any Person, means any (i) corporation (other than a partnership) of which the outstanding capital stock having a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors, managers or trustees of such corporation under ordinary circumstances shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or any other Person of which a majority of the voting interests under ordinary circumstances is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person or (ii) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

 

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

 

Trustee ” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean or include each Person who is

 

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then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that series.

 

Uniform Commercial Code ” means the Uniform Commercial Code in effect in the State of Delaware or the State of New York, as applicable, in each case as amended from time to time.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 102.                        Compliance Certificates and Opinions .  Upon any application or request by the Company or a Guarantor to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, shall furnish to the Trustee such certificates and opinions as may be required under the Trust Indenture Act. Each such certificate or opinion shall be given in the form of an Officers’ Certificate, if to be given by an officer of the Company, or a Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate, if to be given by an officer of any Guarantor, or an Opinion of Counsel, if to be given by counsel, and shall comply with the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and any other requirements set forth in this Indenture.

 

Every certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 103.                        Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee .  In any case where several matters are required to be certified by, or covered by an opinion of, any specified Person, it is not necessary that all such matters be certified by, or covered by the opinion of, only one such Person, or that they be so certified or covered by only one document, but one such Person may certify or give an opinion with respect to some matters and one or more other such Persons as to other matters, and any such Person may certify or give an opinion as to such matters in one or several documents.

 

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Any certificate or opinion of an officer of the Company or a Guarantor may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, counsel, unless such officer knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate or opinion is based are erroneous. Any such certificate or opinion of, or representation by, counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, upon a certificate or opinion of, or representations by, an officer or officers of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, unless such counsel knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.

 

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

 

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

 

Without limiting the generality of this Section, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, (i) a Holder, including a Depositary or its nominee that is a Holder of a Global Security, may give, make or take, by an agent or agents duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted in or pursuant to this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders, and a Depositary or its nominee that is a Holder of a Global Security may duly appoint in writing as its agent or agents members of, or participants in, such Depositary holding interests in such Global Security in the records of such Depositary; and (ii) with respect to any Global Security the Depositary for which is The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”), any consent or other action given, made or taken by an “agent member” of DTC by electronic means in accordance with the Automated Tender Offer Procedures system or other Applicable Procedures of, and pursuant to authorization by, DTC shall be deemed to constitute the “ Act ” of the Holder of such Global Security, and such Act shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Company, any Guarantor and the Trustee upon the delivery by DTC of an “ agent’s message ” or other notice of such consent or other action having been so given, made or taken in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of DTC.

 

The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any instrument or writing may be proved by the affidavit of a witness of such execution or by a certificate of a notary public or other officer authorized by law to take acknowledgments of deeds, certifying that the individual

 

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signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to him the execution thereof. Where such execution is by a signer acting in a capacity other than his individual capacity, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of his authority. The fact and date of the execution of any such instrument or writing, or the authority of the Person executing the same, may also be proved in any other manner which the Trustee deems sufficient.

 

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

 

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

 

With respect to Securities of any series, the Company and, if provided in the terms of any Guarantees of any Guarantor of Securities of such series, any such Guarantor may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series entitled to give, make or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided or permitted by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by Holders of Securities of such series, provided that neither the Company nor such Guarantor may set a record date for, and the provisions of this paragraph shall not apply with respect to, the giving, making or taking of any notice, declaration, request or direction referred to in the next paragraph. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to give, make or take the relevant action, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided , however , that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless given, made or taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Company or any such Guarantor from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action given, made or taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is given, made or taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, at its own expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Trustee in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Sections 105 and 106 .

 

The Trustee may set any day as a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders of Outstanding Securities of any series entitled to join in the giving, making or taking of (i) any Notice of Default, (ii) any declaration of acceleration referred to in Section 502 , (iii) any request to institute proceedings referred to in Section 507(2)  or (iv) any direction referred to in Section 512 , in each case with respect to Securities of such series. If any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Holders of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date, and no other Holders, shall be entitled to give, make or take such notice, declaration, request or

 

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direction, whether or not such Holders remain Holders after such record date; provided , however , that no such action shall be effective hereunder unless given, made or taken on or prior to the applicable Expiration Date by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of such series on such record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Trustee from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action given, made or taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is given, made or taken. Promptly after any record date is set pursuant to this paragraph, the Trustee, at the Company’s expense, shall cause notice of such record date, the proposed action by Holders and the applicable Expiration Date to be given to the Company and any Guarantor in writing and to each Holder of Securities of the relevant series in the manner set forth in Sections 105 and 106 .

 

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

 

Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to give, make or take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Security may do so, in person or by an agent duly appointed in writing, with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Security.

 

Section 105.                        Notices, Etc., to Trustee, Company and Guarantors . Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with, (1) the Trustee by any Holder or by the Company or any Guarantor shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if made, given, furnished or filed in writing and delivered in Person, mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), transmitted by facsimile or sent by overnight courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery to or with the Trustee addressed to it at its Corporate Trust Office or (2) the Company or a Guarantor by the Trustee or by any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if made, given, furnished or filed in writing and delivered in Person, mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), transmitted by facsimile or sent by overnight courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery, to or with the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, addressed to it at the address of its principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument, Attention: Richard C. Buterbaugh, Facsimile: (918) 513-4571 with a copy to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP, 1111 Louisiana St., 44th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002, Facsimile: (713) 236-0822, Attention:

 

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Christine B. LaFollette, or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

All requests, demands, authorizations, directions, notices, consents, waivers or Acts of Holders or other such documents made, given, furnished or filed with or to the Trustee, the Company or any Guarantor shall be deemed to have been duly made, given furnished or filed: (i) at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; (ii) five calendar days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; (iii) when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and (iv) the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery. Notices given by publication will be deemed given on the first date on which publication is made.

 

Section 106.                        Notice to Holders; Waiver . Where this Indenture provides for notice or other communication to Holders of any event, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if given in writing and mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested) or sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next Business Day delivery, to each Holder affected by such event, at such Holder’s address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date (if any), and not earlier than the earliest date (if any), prescribed for the giving of such notice or other communication. Any notice or other communication shall also be so mailed or sent to any Person described in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, to the extent required by the Trust Indenture Act. Failure to mail or send a notice or other communication to a Holder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.

 

If a notice or communication is mailed or sent in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it. Where this Indenture provides for notice or other communication in any manner, such notice or other communication may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice or other communication, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice or other communication. Waivers of notice or other communication by Holders shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver. If the Company mails a notice or communication to the Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee at the same time.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 107.                        Trust Indenture Act Matters . If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the Trust Indenture Act which is required under such Act to be a

 

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part of and govern this Indenture, the latter provision shall control. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act which may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or to be excluded, as the case may be. Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.

 

Section 108.                        Effect of Headings and Table of Contents . The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

Section 109.                        Successors and Assigns . All covenants and agreements in this Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the Trustee and, except as otherwise provided in Section 802 and Section 1401 , any Guarantor shall bind their respective successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

Section 110.                        Separability Clause . In case any provision in this Indenture, or in the Securities (or in any Guarantees endorsed thereon or attached thereto) shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 111.                        Benefits of Indenture . Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities (or in any Guarantees endorsed thereon or attached thereto), express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto and their successors hereunder and the Holders, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture, except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities of a particular series or under this Indenture with respect to such Securities.

 

Section 112.                        Governing Law . This Indenture, the Guarantees and the Securities and the rights and obligations of the parties hereto and thereto, including the interpretation, construction, validity and enforceability thereof, shall be governed by and construed and interpreted in accordance with the law of the State of New York.

 

Section 113.                        Legal Holidays . In any case where any Interest Payment Date, Redemption Date or Maturity of any Security, or any date on which a Holder has the right to convert his Security, shall not be a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then (notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or of the Securities (other than a provision of any Security which specifically states that such provision shall apply in lieu of this Section)) payment of interest or principal (and premium, if any), or conversion of such Security need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or Redemption Date, or at the Maturity, or on such date for conversion, as the case may be.

 

Section 114.                        No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements . This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or other agreement of the Company or any Guarantor or any Subsidiaries of the Company or any Guarantor or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or other agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

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Section 115.                        No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders . No past, present or future director, officer, employee, incorporator or stockholder of the Company or any Guarantor, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or any Guarantor, respectively, under the Securities or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Securities by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Securities. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

 

Section 116.                        Language of Notices, Etc. . Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver, other action or Act provided or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

 

Section 117.                        Force Majeure . Subject to Section 601 , in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts that are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

 

Section 118.                        Waiver of Jury Trial . EACH OF THE COMPANY, EACH GUARANTOR AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY RIGHT IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY ARISING OUT OF, UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS INDENTURE.

 

ARTICLE II
SECURITY FORMS

 

Section 201.                        Forms Generally . As to each series of Securities, (i) the Securities of such series shall be in substantially the form set forth in this Article, or in such other form as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, and (ii) if the Securities of such series are to be guaranteed by the Guarantees of any Guarantor as provided in Section 301 and the terms of such Securities provide for the endorsement thereon or attachment thereto of Guarantees by such Guarantor, such Guarantees to be endorsed on or attached to such Securities shall be in substantially such form as shall be established by or pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in the case of (i) or (ii), with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or Depositary therefor or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the officers executing such Securities or Guarantees, respectively, as evidenced by their execution thereof. If

 

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the form of Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Company Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities. If the form of any Guarantees by any Guarantor to be endorsed on Securities of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of such Guarantor and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Guarantor Order contemplated by Section 303 for the authentication and delivery of such Securities with such Guarantee endorsed thereon. For purposes hereof, a Guarantee that is endorsed on, or otherwise attached to, a Security shall be deemed “endorsed” on such Security.

 

The definitive Securities and any Guarantees endorsed thereon shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or, if such Guarantees by any Guarantor are executed by such Guarantor, by the officers of such Guarantor executing such Guarantees, respectively, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or, if such  Guarantees by any Guarantor are executed by such Guarantor, by the officers of such Guarantor executing such Guarantees, respectively.

 

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, there shall be no requirement that any Security have endorsed thereon or attached thereto a Guarantee or a notation of a Guarantee, but such a Guarantee or notation of a Guarantee may be endorsed thereon or attached thereto as contemplated by this Section 201 .

 

Section 202.                        Form of Face of Security .

 

[ Insert any legend required by the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations thereunder. ]

 

 

 

CUSIP [     ]

 

 

 

 

 

No.

 

$                    

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “ Company ”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to                                     , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                                  Dollars on                                      [if the Security is to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — , and to pay interest thereon from                          or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually on                      and                      in each year, commencing                     , and at the Maturity thereof, at the rate of                     % per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment, [if applicable,

 

16



 

insert —, provided that any premium, and any such installment of interest, which is overdue shall bear interest at the rate of                      % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date such overdue amount is due until such amount is paid or duly provided for, and such interest on any overdue amount shall be payable on demand ]. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the                      or                      (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest so payable, but not punctually paid or duly provided for, will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, or be paid in any other lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange on which this Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.]]

 

[If the Security is not to bear interest prior to Maturity, insert — The principal of this Security shall not bear interest except in the case of a default in payment of principal upon acceleration, upon redemption or at Stated Maturity and in such case the overdue principal and any overdue premium shall bear interest at the rate of               % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), from the dates such amounts are due until they are paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue principal or premium shall be payable on demand. Any such interest on overdue principal or premium which is not paid on demand shall bear interest at the rate of               % per annum (to the extent that the payment of such interest on interest shall be legally enforceable), from the date of such demand until the amount so demanded is paid or made available for payment. Interest on any overdue interest shall be payable on demand. ]

 

Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and [if applicable, insert  — any such ] interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in New York, New York, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts, against surrender of this Security in the case of any payment due at the Maturity of the principal thereof or any payment of interest becomes payable on a day other than an Interest Payment Date; provided , however , that if this Security is not a Global Security, (i) payment of interest on an Interest Payment Date will be made by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register; and all other payments will be made by check against surrender of this Security; (ii) all payments by check will be made in next-day funds ( i.e. , funds that become available on the day after the check is cashed); and (iii) notwithstanding clauses (i) and (ii) above, with respect to any payment of any amount due on this Security, if this Security is in a denomination of at least $1,000,000 and the Holder hereof at the time of surrender hereof or, in the case of any payment of interest on any Interest Payment Date, the Holder thereof on the related Regular Record Date delivers a written request to the Paying Agent to make such payment by wire transfer at least five Business Days before the date such payment becomes due, together with appropriate wire transfer instructions specifying an account at a bank

 

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in New York, New York, the Company shall make such payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account at such bank in New York City, any such wire instructions, once properly given by a Holder as to this Security, remaining in effect as to such Holder and this Security unless and until new instructions are given in the manner described above and provided further , that notwithstanding anything in the foregoing to the contrary, if this Security is a Global Security, payment shall be made pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary as permitted in said Indenture.

 

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

 

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

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be duly signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC., a

 

Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

Section 203.                        Form of Reverse of Security . This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of senior securities of the Company (herein called the “ Securities ”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of                                      (herein called the “ Indenture ”, which term shall have the meaning assigned to it in such instrument), among the Company[, the Guarantors] and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association as Trustee (herein called the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof [if applicable, insert — limited in aggregate principal amount to $                     ].

 

This Security is the general, unsecured, senior obligation of the Company [if applicable, insert — and is guaranteed pursuant to a guarantee (the “ Guarantee ”) by [insert name of each Guarantor] , and any other Person who shall become such in accordance with the Indenture (the “ Guarantors ”). The Guarantee by each Guarantor is the general, unsecured, senior obligation of such Guarantor, subject to the release and discharge thereof as provided in the Indenture.]

 

[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 days’ nor more than 60 days’ notice, at any time [if applicable, insert — on or after

 

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                          , 20    , as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the following Redemption Prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount): If redeemed [ if applicable, insert — on or before                     ,    %, and if redeemed] during the 12-month period beginning                      of the years indicated,

 

Year

 

Redemption Price

 

Year

 

Redemption Price

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to                      % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture. ]

 

[If applicable, insert — The Securities of this series are subject to redemption upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice by mail, (1) on                          in any year commencing with the year          and ending with the year          through operation of the sinking fund for this series at the Redemption Prices for redemption through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below, and (2) at any time [if applicable, insert — on or after                         , as a whole or in part, at the election of the Company, at the Redemption Prices for redemption otherwise than through operation of the sinking fund (expressed as percentages of the principal amount) set forth in the table below:  If redeemed during the 12-month period beginning                          of the years indicated,

 

Year

 

Redemption Price For Redemption
Through Operation of the Sinking
Fund

 

Redemption Price For Redemption
Otherwise Than Through Operation
of the Sinking Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and thereafter ] at a Redemption Price equal to           % of the principal amount, together in the case of any such redemption (whether through operation of the sinking fund or otherwise) with accrued interest to the Redemption Date, but interest installments whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to such Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates referred to on the face hereof, all as provided in the Indenture. ]

 

[If applicable, insert — Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company may not, prior to                           , redeem any Securities of this series as contemplated by [ if applicable, insert —  clause (2) of] the preceding paragraph as a part of, or in anticipation of, any refunding operation by the application, directly or indirectly, of moneys borrowed having an interest cost to the Company (calculated in accordance with generally accepted financial practice) of less than           % per annum .]

 

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[If applicable, insert — The sinking fund for this series provides for the redemption on                          in each year beginning with the year                and ending with the year              of [if applicable, insert — not less than $                   (“mandatory sinking fund”) and not more than ] $                 aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series. Securities of this series acquired or redeemed by the Company otherwise than through [if applicable, insert — mandatory ] sinking fund payments may be credited against subsequent [if applicable, insert — mandatory ] sinking fund payments otherwise required to be made [if applicable, insert —, in the inverse order in which they become due. ]]

 

[ If the Security is subject to redemption of any kind, insert — In the event of redemption of this Security in part only, a new Security or Securities of this series and of like tenor for the unredeemed portion hereof will be issued in the name of the Holder hereof upon the cancellation hereof. ]

 

[ If applicable, insert — The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of the entire indebtedness of this Security or certain restrictive covenants and Events of Default with respect to this Security, in each case upon compliance with certain conditions set forth in the Indenture. ]

 

[If applicable, insert — As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the obligations of the Company under this Security are guaranteed by each of the Guarantors pursuant to the Indenture [as indicated in the notation of Guarantee endorsed hereon]. The Indenture provides that a Guarantor shall be released from its Guarantee upon compliance with certain conditions. ]

 

[ If the Security is not an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. ]

 

[ If the Security is an Original Issue Discount Security, insert — If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, an amount of principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. Such amount shall be equal to — insert formula for determining the amount. Upon payment (i) of the amount of principal so declared due and payable and (ii) of interest on any overdue principal, premium and interest (in each case to the extent that the payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable), all of the Company’s obligations in respect of the payment of the principal of and premium and interest, if any, on the Securities of this series shall terminate. ]

 

The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company [if applicable, insert — and the Guarantors ] and the rights of the Holders of the Securities to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company [if applicable, insert — and the Guarantors ] and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of all Securities at the time Outstanding to be affected (considered together as one class for this

 

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purpose and such Securities to be affected potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series), except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to the Indenture for all or any specific Securities of any series. The Indenture also contains provisions (i) permitting the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Securities at the time Outstanding to be affected under the Indenture (considered together as one class for this purpose and such affected Securities potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any particular series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series), on behalf of the Holders of all Securities so affected, to waive compliance by the Company [if applicable, insert — and the Guarantors ] with certain provisions of the Indenture and (ii) permitting the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Securities at the time Outstanding of any series to be affected under the Indenture (with each such series considered separately for this purpose), on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of such series, to waive certain past defaults under the Indenture with respect to such series and their consequences, in the case of Clause (i) or (ii), except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to the Indenture for all or any specific Securities of any series. Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is made upon this Security.

 

As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of this series, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Securities of this series at the time Outstanding shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it, and the Trustee shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of Securities of this series at the time Outstanding a direction inconsistent with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for 60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any premium or interest hereon on or after the respective due dates expressed herein.

 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed [if applicable, insert — or alter or impair the obligation of each Guarantor, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay pursuant to its Guarantee ].

 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company in any place where the principal of and any premium and interest on this Security are payable, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by

 

21



 

a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by, the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

 

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

 

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

 

Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, [if applicable, insert — any Guarantor ,] the Trustee and any agent of the Company [if applicable, insert — any Guarantor ] 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, [if applicable, insert — any Guarantor ,] the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

[If this Security is a Global Security, insert — This Security is a Global Security and is subject to the provisions of the Indenture relating to Global Securities, including the limitations therein on transfers and exchanges of Global Securities. ]

 

This Security and the Indenture [if applicable, insert — (and any Guarantee endorsed hereon or attached hereto) ] shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the law of the State of New York.

 

All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

Section 204.                        Form of Legend for Global Securities .  Unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the Securities evidenced thereby, every Global Security authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

 

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

 

Section 205.                        Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication .  The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

 

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

 

Dated:

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
As Trustee

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

ARTICLE III
THE SECURITIES

 

Section 301.                        Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series .  The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(4)                                  the date or dates on which the principal of any Securities of the series is payable;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(11)                           if other than the currency of the United States of America, the currency, currencies, composite currency, composite currencies or currency units in which the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of the series shall be payable and the manner of determining the equivalent thereof in the currency of the United States of America for any purpose, including for the purposes of making payment in the currency of the United States of America and applying the definition of “Outstanding” in Section 101 ;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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Maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined);

 

(15)                           if applicable, that the Securities of the series, in whole or any specified part, shall not be defeasible pursuant to Section 1302 or Section 1303 or both such Sections, and, if such Securities may be defeased, in whole or in part, pursuant to either or both such Sections, any provisions to permit a pledge of obligations other than U.S. Government Obligations (or the establishment of other arrangements) to satisfy the requirements of Section 1304(1)  for defeasance of such Securities and, if other than by a Board Resolution, the manner in which any election by the Company to defease such Securities shall be evidenced;

 

(16)                           if applicable, that any Securities of the series shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and, in such case, the respective Depositaries for such Global Securities, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by any such Global Security in addition to or in lieu of that set forth in Section 204 , any addition to, elimination of or other change in the circumstances set forth in Clause (2) of the penultimate paragraph of Section 305 in which any such Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and any transfer of such Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name or names of Persons other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof and any other provisions governing exchanges or transfers of any such Global Security;

 

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

 

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

 

(19)                           any provisions necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance, payment or conversion of any Securities of the series that may be converted into securities or other property other than Securities of the same series and of like tenor, whether in addition to, or in lieu of, any payment of principal or other amount and whether at the option of the Company or otherwise;

 

(20)                           if applicable, that Persons other than those specified in Section 111 shall have such benefits, rights, remedies and claims with respect to any Securities of the series or under this Indenture with respect to such Securities, as and to the extent provided for such Securities;

 

(21)                           any change in the actions permitted or required under this Indenture to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of the Securities of the series, including any such change that permits or requires any or all such actions to be taken by or on behalf of the Holders of any specific Securities of the series rather than or in addition to the Holders of all Securities of the series;

 

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(22)                           if the Securities of the series are to be guaranteed by any Guarantors, the names of the Guarantors of the Securities of the series (which may, but need not, include any or all of the Initial Guarantors) and the terms of the Guarantees of the Securities of the series, if such terms differ from those set forth in Section 1401 , and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article XIV or any other provisions of this Indenture in connection with the Guarantees of the Securities of the series;

 

(23)                           any provisions for subordination of any Securities of the series to other indebtedness of the Company (including Securities of other series); and

 

(24)                           any other terms of the series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except as permitted by Section 901(5) ).

 

If the Securities of the series are to be guaranteed by any Guarantor pursuant to Article XIV , there shall be established in or pursuant to a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor and, subject to Section 303 , set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in a Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate of such Guarantor, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of the series, the terms of the Guarantees by such Guarantor with respect to the Securities of the series, if such terms differ from those set forth in Section 1401 .

 

All Securities of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to the Board Resolution referred to above and (subject to Section 303 ) set forth, or determined in the manner provided, in the Officers’ Certificate referred to above or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.  All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided pursuant to this Section 301 for any series, after issuance of Securities of such series, such series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of that series.

 

The terms of any Security of a series may differ from the terms of other Securities of the same series, if and to the extent provided pursuant to this Section 301 . The matters referenced in any or all of Clauses (1) through (24) above may be established and set forth or determined as aforesaid with respect to all or any specific Securities of a series (in each case to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act).

 

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

 

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

 

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Section 302.                        Denominations .  The Securities of each series shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons and only in such denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 301 . In the absence of any such specified denomination with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 303.                        Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating .  The Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President of the Company (or any other officer of the Company designated in writing by or pursuant to authority of the Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee from time to time). The signature of any of these officers on the Securities may be manual or facsimile.  If the terms of the Securities of any series provide that any Guarantee by any Guarantor is to be endorsed on or otherwise attached to, or made part of, Securities of any series, and if the terms of such Securities provide for the execution of such Guarantee by such Guarantor (it being understood and agreed that the terms of Securities of any series may, but need not, provide for the execution of any Guarantee by any Guarantor), such Guarantee shall be executed on behalf of such Guarantor by the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President of such Guarantor (or any other officer of such Guarantor designated in writing by or pursuant to authority of the Guarantor’s Board of Directors and delivered to the Trustee from time to time).  The signature of any of these officers on any Guarantee may be manual or facsimile.

 

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

 

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any series executed by the Company, together with, if the terms of such Securities provide for the endorsement thereon of any Guarantees by any Guarantor, such Guarantees endorsed hereon and, if such terms so provide, executed by such Guarantor, to the Trustee for authentication, together with a Company Order and, if any Guarantee by a Guarantor is to be endorsed on such Securities, a Guarantor Order of such Guarantor, for the authentication and delivery of such Securities with any such Guarantees endorsed thereon, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities with any such Guarantees endorsed thereon. If the form or terms of the Securities of the series have been established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions or the form or terms of any Guarantees thereof by any Guarantor have been established by or pursuant to one or more Guarantor’s Board Resolutions of such Guarantor as permitted by Sections 201 and 301 , in authenticating such Securities with any such Guarantees endorsed thereon, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and such Guarantees, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Section 601 ) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating,

 

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(1)                                  if the form of such Securities or any Guarantee by any Guarantor endorsed thereon has been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, as permitted by Section 201 , that such form has been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

 

(2)                                  if the terms of such Securities or any Guarantee thereof by a Guarantor have been established by or pursuant to Board Resolution or Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor as permitted by Section 301 , that such terms have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture; and

 

(3)                                  that when such Securities with any Guarantees endorsed thereon have been authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, such Securities and such Guarantee will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company or such Guarantor, respectively, enforceable in accordance with their terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws of general applicability relating to or affecting creditors’ rights and to general equity principles and subject to any limitation with respect to payments in currency other than U.S. dollars.

 

If such form or terms have been so established, the Trustee shall not be required to authenticate such Securities with any Guarantees endorsed thereon if the issue of such Securities with any Guarantees endorsed thereon pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner which is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 301 and of the preceding paragraph, if all Securities of a series are not to be originally issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver the Officers’ Certificate or Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate otherwise required pursuant to Section 301 or the Company Order, any Guarantor Order and Opinion of Counsel otherwise required pursuant to such preceding paragraph at or prior to the authentication of each Security of such series if such documents are delivered at or prior to the authentication upon original issuance of the first Security of such series to be issued.

 

Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication.

 

No Security, nor any Guarantee endorsed thereon, shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for herein executed by the Trustee by manual signature, and such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security with any Guarantees endorsed thereon has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any Security shall have been authenticated and delivered hereunder but never issued and sold by the Company, and the Company shall deliver such Security to the Trustee for cancellation as provided in Section 309 , for all purposes of this Indenture such Security shall be deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder and shall never be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

 

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Wherever herein it shall provide for the Company to execute, and the Trustee to authenticate and deliver, Securities of any series, if the terms of such Securities provide for the endorsement thereon of the Guarantees by any Guarantor, the Company shall cause such Securities so executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee to have such Guarantees endorsed thereon, and, if such terms require such Guarantees to be executed by such Guarantor, such Guarantees to be executed by such Guarantor.

 

Section 304.                        Temporary Securities .  Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order and, if any Guarantees by a Guarantor are so to be endorsed on such Securities, a Guarantor Order of such Guarantor, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing such Securities or Guarantees, respectively, may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Guarantees, respectively.

 

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

 

Section 305.                        Registration, Registration of Transfer and Exchange .  The Company shall cause to be kept at each office or agency of the Company designated as a Place of Payment pursuant to the first paragraph of Section 1002 a register (the register, maintained in each such office or agency of the Company designated as a Place of Payment, being herein sometimes collectively referred to as the “ Security Register ”) in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of Securities and of transfers of Securities. The Trustee is hereby appointed “Security Registrar” for the purpose of registering Securities and transfers of Securities as herein provided.

 

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

 

At the option of the Holder, Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations and of like tenor and aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at such office or agency.

 

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Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company, and, if applicable, the Guarantors shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities, which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

If the Securities of any series (or of any series and specified tenor) are to be redeemed in whole or in part, the Company shall not be required (A) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities of that series (or of that series and specified tenor, as the case may be) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of selection of any such Securities for redemption under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on the day of such selection (or during such period as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 for such Securities), or (B) to register the transfer of or exchange any Security so selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part.

 

The provisions of Clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) below shall apply only to Global Securities:

 

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

 

(2)                                  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, and subject to such applicable provisions, if any, as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 , no Global Security may be exchanged in whole or in part for Securities registered, and no transfer of a Global Security in whole or in part may be registered, in the name of any Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof unless (A) such Depositary has notified the Company that it (i) is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Global Security or (ii) has ceased to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, or (B) the Company has executed and delivered to the Trustee a Company Order stating that such Global Security shall be exchanged in whole for Securities that are not Global Securities (in which case such exchange shall promptly

 

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be effected by the Trustee). If the Company receives a notice of the kind specified in Clause (A) above or has delivered a Company Order of the kind specified in Clause (B) above, it may, in its sole discretion, designate a successor Depositary for such Global Security within 90 days after receiving such notice or delivery of such order, as the case may be. If the Company designates a successor Depositary as aforesaid, such Global Security shall promptly be exchanged in whole for one or more other Global Securities registered in the name of the successor Depositary, whereupon such designated successor shall be the Depositary for such successor Global Security or Global Securities and the provisions of Clauses (1), (2), (3) and (4) of this provision shall continue to apply thereto.

 

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

 

(4)                                  Every Security authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for or in lieu of, a Global Security or any portion thereof, whether pursuant to this Section, Section 304 , 306 , 906 or 1107 or otherwise, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Security, unless such Security is registered in the name of a Person other than the Depositary for such Global Security or a nominee thereof.

 

Every Person who takes or holds any beneficial interest in a Global Security agrees that:

 

(1)                                  the Company and the Trustee may deal with the Depositary as sole owner of the Global Security and as the authorized representative of such Person;

 

(2)                                  such Person’s rights in the Global Security shall be exercised only through the Depositary and shall be limited to those established by law and agreement between such Person and the Depositary and/or direct and indirect participants of the Depositary;

 

(3)                                  the Depositary and its participants make book-entry transfers of beneficial ownership among, and receive and transmit distributions of principal and interest on the Global Securities to, such Persons in accordance with the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary; and

 

(4)                                  none of the Company, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a Global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

 

Section 306.                        Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Wrongfully Taken Securities .  If (a) any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee or (b) both (i) there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (A) a claim by a Holder as to the destruction, loss or wrongful taking of any Security of such Holder and a request thereby for a new replacement Security of the same series, and (B) such indemnity bond as may be required by them to save each of them and any

 

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agent of either of them harmless and (ii) such other reasonable requirements as may be imposed by the Company as permitted by Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code have been satisfied, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a “protected purchaser” within the meaning of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code, the Company, and, if applicable, the Guarantors, shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security, a new Security of the same series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously Outstanding.

 

In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 307.                        Payment of Interest; Interest Rights Preserved .  Except as otherwise provided as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to any Securities of a series, interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest (or, if no business is conducted by the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office on such date, at 5:00 P.M. New York City time on such date).

 

Any interest on any Security of any series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date (herein called “ Defaulted Interest ”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder, and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

 

(1)                                  The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest payable on any Securities of a series to the Persons in whose names such Securities (or their respective Predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of

 

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

 

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

 

Except as may otherwise be provided in this Section 307 or as contemplated in Section 301 with respect to any Securities of a series, the Person to whom interest shall be payable on any Security that first becomes payable on a day that is not an Interest Payment Date shall be the Holder of such Security on the day such interest is paid.

 

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

 

In the case of any Security which is converted after any Regular Record Date and on or prior to the next succeeding Interest Payment Date (other than any Security whose Maturity is prior to such Interest Payment Date), interest whose Stated Maturity is on such Interest Payment Date shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date notwithstanding such conversion, and such interest (whether or not punctually paid or duly provided for) shall be paid to the Person in whose name that Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on such Regular Record Date. Except as otherwise expressly provided in the immediately preceding sentence, in the case of any Security which is converted, interest whose Stated Maturity is after the date of conversion of such Security shall not be payable.

 

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Notwithstanding the foregoing, the terms of any Security that may be converted may provide that the provisions of the immediately preceding paragraph do not apply, or apply with such additions, changes or omissions as may be provided thereby, to such Security.

 

Section 308.                        Persons Deemed Owners .  Prior to due presentment of a Security for registration of transfer, the Company, any Guarantor and the Trustee and any agent of the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Security is registered as the owner of such Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 307 ) any interest on such Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Security be overdue, and neither the Company, any Guarantor, the Trustee nor any agent of the Company , any Guarantor or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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

 

Section 310.                        Computation of Interest .  Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for Securities of any series, interest on the Securities of each series shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

Section 311.                        CUSIP Numbers .  The Company, in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” and “ISIN” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers.  The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any change in “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers.

 

ARTICLE IV
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 401.                        Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture .  This Indenture shall upon Company Request cease to be of further effect with respect to the Securities of any series and any Guarantees of such Securities (except as to any surviving rights of conversion, registration of transfer or exchange of any such Security expressly provided for herein or in the terms of such

 

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Security), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to such Securities, when

 

(1)                                  either

 

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

 

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

 

(i)                                      have become due and payable, or

 

(ii)                                   will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or

 

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

 

and the Company or, if applicable, a Guarantor, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Stated Maturity or Redemption Date, as the case may be;

 

(2)                                  the Company or Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company and the Guarantors with respect to such Securities;

 

(3)                                  no event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities (other than such an event or Event of Default with respect to such Securities resulting solely from the incurrence of indebtedness or other borrowing of funds, or the grant of liens securing such indebtedness or other borrowing, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit) shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit;

 

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

 

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

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 607 , the obligations of the Trustee to any Authenticating Agent under Section 614 , and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (B) of Clause (1) of this Section with respect to such Securities, the obligations of the Company of such series under Section 1002 and the obligations of the Trustee under Section 402 , Section 606 and the last paragraph of Section 1003 with respect to such Securities shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

Section 402.                        Application of Trust Money .  Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003 , all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 with respect to Securities of any series shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal and any premium and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee. All moneys deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 (and held by it or any Paying Agent) for the payment of Securities subsequently converted shall be returned to the Company upon Company Request, to the extent originally deposited by the Company. The Company may direct by a Company Order the investment of any money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 , without distinction between principal and income, in (1) United States Treasury Securities with a maturity of one year or less or (2) a money market fund that invests solely in short term United States Treasury Securities and from time to time the Company may direct the reinvestment of all or a portion of such money in other securities or funds meeting the criteria specified in Clause (1) or (2) of this sentence.

 

ARTICLE V
REMEDIES

 

Section 501.                        Events of Default .

 

Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, “ Event of Default ,” wherever used herein with respect to the Securities of that series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(1)                                  default in the payment of any interest upon any Security of that series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

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(2)                                  default in the payment of the principal of or any premium on any Security of that series at its Maturity; or

 

(3)                                  default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment, when and as due by the terms of a Security of that series and continuance of such default for a period of 60 days; or

 

(4)                                  default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with or which has expressly been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of series of Securities other than that series), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder; or

 

(5)                                  the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of (A) a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or (B) a decree or order adjudging the Company a bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition of or in respect of the Company under any applicable Federal or State law, or appointing a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order for relief or any such other decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days (provided that, if any Person becomes the successor to the Company pursuant to Article VIII and such Person is a corporation, partnership or trust organized and validly existing under the law of a jurisdiction outside the United States, each reference in this Clause (5) to an applicable Federal or State law of a particular kind shall be deemed to refer to such law or any applicable comparable law of such non-U.S. jurisdiction, for as long as such Person is the successor to the Company hereunder and is so organized and existing); or

 

(6)                                  the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or of any other case or proceeding to be adjudicated a bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the entry of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case or proceeding under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar law or to the commencement of any bankruptcy or insolvency case or proceeding against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any applicable Federal or State law, or the consent by it to the filing of such petition or to the appointment of or taking possession by a custodian, receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator or other similar official of the Company or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its

 

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inability to pay its debts generally as they become due, or the taking of corporate action by the Company in furtherance of any such action (provided that, if any Person becomes the successor to the Company pursuant to Article VIII and such Person is a corporation, partnership or trust organized and validly existing under the law of a jurisdiction outside the United States, each reference in this Clause (6) to an applicable Federal or State law of a particular kind shall be deemed to refer to such law or any applicable comparable law of such non-U.S. jurisdiction, for as long as such Person is the successor to the Company hereunder and is so organized and existing); or

 

(7)                                  if Article XIV has been made applicable with respect to such Securities, the Guarantee of the Securities of such series by any Guarantor shall for any reason cease to be, or shall for any reason be asserted in writing by such Guarantor or the Company not to be, in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent contemplated or permitted by this Indenture or by the terms of the Securities of such series established pursuant to Section 301 ; or

 

(8)                                  any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that series in accordance with Section 301 .

 

Section 502.                        Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment .  Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, if an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5)  or 501(6)) with respect to Securities of that series at the time Outstanding occurs and is continuing, then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series may declare the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, in the case of any Security of that series which specifies an amount to be due and payable thereon upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof, such amount as may be specified by the terms thereof) to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company and any Guarantor of the Securities of that series (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall become immediately due and payable. Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, if an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5)  or Section 501(6)  with respect to Securities of that series at the time Outstanding occurs, the principal amount of all the Securities of that series (or, in the case of any Security of that series which specifies an amount to be due and payable thereon upon acceleration of the Maturity thereof, such amount as may be specified by the terms thereof), together with any accrued and unpaid interest thereon, shall automatically, and without any declaration or other action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder, become immediately due and payable.

 

Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, at any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to Securities of that series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series, by written notice to the Company, any Guarantor of the Securities of that series and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

 

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

 

(A)                                all overdue interest on all Securities of that series,

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(2)                                  all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that series, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities of that series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 513 .

 

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

 

Section 503.                        Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee .  The Company covenants that if

 

(1)                                  default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 60 days, or

 

(2)                                  default is made in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Security at the Maturity thereof,

 

the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and premium and on any overdue interest, at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

 

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

 

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Section 504.                        Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .  In case of any judicial proceeding relative to the Company , any Guarantor or any other obligor upon the Securities, their property or their creditors, the Trustee shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, to take any and all actions authorized under the Trust Indenture Act in order to have claims of the Holders and the Trustee allowed in any such proceeding. The Trustee shall be authorized to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same; and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607 . To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under the Indenture out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.

 

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

 

Section 505.                        Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities .  All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities or any Guarantee may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 506.                        Application of Money Collected . Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or any premium or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

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

 

SECOND:  To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such

 

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money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and any premium and interest, respectively; and

 

THIRD:  To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company, any Guarantor or to whomsoever may be lawfully entitled to receive the same as a court of competent jurisdiction may direct.

 

Section 507.                        Limitation on Suits .  No Holder of any Security of any series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 508.                        Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal, Premium and Interest and to Convert .  Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and any premium and (subject to Section 307 ) interest on such Security on the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date), and, if the terms of such Security so provide, to convert such Security in accordance with its terms, and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and, if applicable, any such right to convert, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 509.                        Restoration of Rights and Remedies .  If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such

 

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

 

Section 510.                        Rights and Remedies Cumulative .  Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or wrongfully taken Securities in the last paragraph of Section 306 , no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

Section 511.                        Delay or Omission Not Waiver .  No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

 

Section 512.                        Control by Holders .  The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such series, provided that

 

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

 

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

 

(3)                                  subject to the provisions of Section 601 , the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

 

Section 513.                        Waiver of Past Defaults .  Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Outstanding Securities of any series to be affected under this Indenture may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except a default

 

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

 

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

 

Upon any such waiver with respect to any series, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, with respect to such series for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon. A waiver of any past default and its consequences given by or on behalf of any Holder of Securities in connection with a purchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such purchase, tender or exchange.

 

Section 514.                        Undertaking for Costs .  In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, a court may require any party litigant in such suit to file an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and may assess costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any such party litigant, in the manner and to the extent provided in the Trust Indenture Act; provided that neither this Section nor the Trust Indenture Act shall be deemed to authorize any court to require such an undertaking or to make such an assessment in any suit instituted by the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee or, if applicable, in any suit for the enforcement of the right to convert any Security in accordance with its terms.

 

Section 515.                        Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws .  The Company and each Guarantor covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any usury, stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company and each Guarantor (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

ARTICLE VI
THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 601.                        Certain Duties and Responsibilities .

 

(a)  Except during the continuance of an Event of Default,

 

(1)                                  the Trustee undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture and as are provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

 

(2)                                  in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any

 

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provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

 

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

 

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

 

(1)                                  this Subsection shall not be construed to limit the effect of the first paragraph of this Section;

 

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

 

(3)                                  the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, determined as provided in Section 512 , relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series; and

 

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

 

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

 

(e)                                   No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability.  The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities that might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

(f)                                    Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds and need not be held in an interest-bearing account, in each case except to the extent required by law or by any other provision of this Indenture.  The Trustee (acting in any capacity hereunder) shall

 

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not be liable for interest on any money received by it hereunder unless the Trustee otherwise agrees in writing with the Company.

 

Section 602.                        Notice of Defaults .  If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing hereunder with respect to Securities of any series, and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to the Holders of Securities of such series notice of such Event of Default within 90 days after the Trustee gains knowledge of such Event of Default unless such Event of Default shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice. Except in the case of an Event of Default in payment of principal of, premium or interest on Securities of any series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of the Holders of the Securities of such series.

 

Section 603.                        Certain Rights of Trustee .  Subject to the provisions of Section 601 :

 

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

 

(2)                                  any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or Company Order and any request or direction of a Guarantor mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Guarantor Request or Guarantor Order of such Guarantor, and any resolution of the Board of Directors shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution and any resolution of a Guarantor’s Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Guarantor’s Board Resolution;

 

(3)                                  whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence be herein specifically prescribed) shall be entitled to receive and may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, conclusively rely upon, and shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance upon, an Officers’ Certificate or, if such matter relates to a Guarantor, a Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate of such Guarantor or an Opinion of Counsel;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(8)                                  the Trustee may request that the Company deliver an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture, which Officers’ Certificate may be signed by any person authorized to sign an Officers’ Certificate, including any person specified as so authorized in any such certificate previously delivered and not superseded;

 

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

 

(10)                           except with respect to an Event of Default under Sections 501(1) and 501(2), the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture; and

 

(11)                           the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and to each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

 

(12)                           in no event shall the Trustee be liable for special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages, including but not limited to lost profits, irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action arising in connection with the Indenture;

 

(13)                           any action taken, or omitted to be taken, by the Trustee in good faith pursuant to the documents upon the request or authority or consent of any person who, at the time of making such request or giving such authority or consent, is the holder of any

 

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Security shall be conclusive and binding upon all future holders of Securities and upon Securities executed and delivered in exchange therefore or in place thereof; and

 

(14)                           under no circumstances shall the Trustee be liable in its individual capacity for the obligations evidenced by the Securities.

 

Section 604.                        Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities .  The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee does not assume any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

Section 605.                        May Hold Securities .  The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other agent of the Company or any Guarantor, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and, subject to Sections 608 and 613 , may otherwise deal with the Company or any Guarantor with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other agent.

 

Section 606.                        Money Held in Trust .  Money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company or any Guarantor.

 

Section 607.                        Compensation and Reimbursement .

 

(a)                                  The Company shall pay to the Trustee (in its capacity as Trustee, and, to the extent it has been appointed as such, as Paying Agent and Security Registrar) from time to time reasonable compensation for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder in accordance with a written schedule provided by the Trustee to the Company.  The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust.  The Company shall reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable and customary disbursements, advances and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services, except those resulting from its own negligent action, negligent failure to act or willful misconduct.  Such expenses shall include the reasonable and customary compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel. The obligation of the Company to pay foregoing compensation and reimbursement shall survive the payment in full or defeasance of the Securities or the removal or resignation of the Trustee.

 

(b)                                  The Company shall indemnify the Trustee in its capacity against any and all losses, liabilities or reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of its duties under this Indenture, including the costs and expenses of enforcing this Indenture against the Company (including this Section 607) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by either of the Company or any Holder or any other person) or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of its powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent any such loss, liability or expense may be

 

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attributable to its negligence or willful misconduct.  The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity.  Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder.  The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense.  The Trustee may elect to have separate counsel defend the claim, but the Company shall be obligated to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such separate counsel only if the Company fails to assume the Trustee’s defense or there is a conflict of interest between the Company, on the one hand, and the Trustee, on the other hand, with respect to the claim, as reasonably determined by the Trustee.  The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.  None of the Company nor the Guarantors need reimburse the Trustee for any expense or indemnity against liability or loss of the Trustee to the extent such expense, liability or loss is found by a court of competent jurisdiction in a non-appealable judgment to have resulted from the negligence or willful misconduct of the Trustee.

 

(c)                                   As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on Securities of such series. Such lien shall survive satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.

 

(d)                                  Without limiting any rights available to the Trustee under applicable law, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 501(5)  or Section 501(6) , the expenses (including the reasonable charges and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any applicable Federal or State bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law.

 

(e)                                   The provisions of this Section shall survive the termination of this Indenture.

 

Section 608.                        Conflicting Interests .  If the Trustee has or shall acquire a conflicting interest within the meaning of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall either eliminate such interest or resign, to the extent and in the manner provided by, and subject to the provisions of, the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture. To the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have a conflicting interest by virtue of being a trustee under this Indenture with respect to Securities of more than one series.

 

Section 609.                        Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility .  There shall at all times be one (and only one) Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of each series, which may be Trustee hereunder for Securities of one or more other series. Each Trustee shall be a Person that is eligible pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act to act as such, has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 and has its Corporate Trust Office in the continental United States of America. If any such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of its supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section and to the extent permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. If at any time the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 610.                        Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor .  No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611 .

 

The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 611 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 60 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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

 

If at any time:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

then, in any such case, (A) the Company by a Board Resolution may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities, or (B) subject to Section 514 , any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

 

If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 611 . If an instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee shall not have been delivered to the Trustee

 

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within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the Trustee being removed may petition, at the expense of the Company, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 611 , become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 611 , any Holder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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

 

Section 611.                        Acceptance of Appointment by Successor .  In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, every such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company, any Guarantor and to the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or the successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall, upon payment of its charges, execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder.

 

In case of the appointment hereunder of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company , any Guarantor, the retiring Trustee and each successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, each successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one

 

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Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee; and upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein and each such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or any successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 612.                        Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business .  Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto. In case any Securities shall have been authenticated, but not delivered, by the Trustee then in office, any successor by merger, conversion or consolidation to such authenticating Trustee may adopt such authentication and deliver the Securities so authenticated with the same effect as if such successor Trustee had itself authenticated such Securities.

 

Section 613.                        Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company .  If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any such other obligor).

 

Section 614.                        Appointment of Authenticating Agent .  The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to any series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate the Securities of such Series issued upon original issue and upon exchange, registration of transfer, partial conversion or partial redemption or pursuant to Section 306 , and Securities of such series so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder.  Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities of such series by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by

 

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an Authenticating Agent so appointed with respect to such series and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent so appointed with respect to such series. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and shall at all times be a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia, authorized under such laws to act as Authenticating Agent, having a combined capital and surplus of not less than $50,000,000 and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority.  If such Authenticating Agent publishes reports of condition at least annually pursuant to law or to the requirements of said supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published.  If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, such Authenticating Agent shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

Any corporation into which an Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which such Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to the corporate agency or corporate trust business of an Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be an Authenticating Agent, provided such corporation shall be otherwise eligible under this Section, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee, the Company, the Authenticating Agent or such successor corporation.

 

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company.  The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company.  Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent with respect to any series of Securities which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner provided in Section 106 .  Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent.  No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

The Trustee agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section, and the Trustee shall be entitled to be reimbursed by the Company for such payments, subject to the provisions of Section 607 .

 

If an appointment is made pursuant to this Section with respect to Securities of any series, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in the following form:

 

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

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By [ NAME OF AUTHENTICATING AGENT ],

 

 

as Authenticating Agent

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

ARTICLE VII
HOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

Section 701.                        Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders .  The Company and any Guarantor will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

 

(1)                                  semi-annually, not later than March 15 and September 15 in each year, a list, in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities of each series as of the immediately preceding March 1 and September 1 as the case may be, and

 

(2)                                  at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company or such Guarantor, respectively, of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished;

 

excluding from any such list names and addresses received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar.

 

Section 702.                        Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders .  The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, the names and addresses of Holders contained in the most recent list furnished to the Trustee as provided in Section 701 and the names and addresses of Holders received by the Trustee in its capacity as Security Registrar. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 701 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

 

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

 

Every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company , any Guarantor and the Trustee that neither of the Company nor the Guarantors (if applicable) nor the Trustee nor any agent of any of them shall be held accountable by reason of any

 

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disclosure of information as to names and addresses of Holders made pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 703.                        Reports by Trustee .  The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto.

 

Reports so required to be transmitted at stated intervals of not more than 12 months shall be transmitted no later than April 15 and shall be dated as of April 1 in each calendar year, commencing in 2016.

 

A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Holders, be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which any Securities are listed, with the Commission and with the Company and any Guarantor. The Company and any Guarantor will notify the Trustee when any Securities are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.

 

Section 704.                        Reports by Company and Guarantors .  The Company and any Guarantor shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, and transmit to Holders, such information, documents and other reports, and such summaries thereof, as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act, if any, at the times and in the manner provided pursuant to such Act; provided that any such information, documents or reports required to be filed with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act need not be filed with the Trustee until the 15th day after the same are actually filed with the Commission. Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the compliance by the Company or any Guarantor with any of their covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates or Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificates, as the case may be).

 

ARTICLE VIII
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, CONVEYANCE, TRANSFER OR LEASE

 

Section 801.                        Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms .  The Company shall not, in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, consolidate with or merge into any other Person or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, and the Company shall not permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into the Company, unless:

 

(1)                                  in case the Company shall consolidate with or merge into another Person or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by sale, conveyance or transfer, or which leases, all or substantially all the properties and assets of the Company shall be a corporation, partnership or trust, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably

 

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satisfactory to the Trustee, the due and punctual payment of the principal of and any premium and interest on all the Securities and the performance or observance of every covenant of this Indenture on the part of the Company to be performed or observed and, for each Security that by its terms provides for conversion, shall have provided for the right to convert such Security in accordance with its terms;

 

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

 

(3)                                  the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

Section 802.                        Successor Substituted .  Upon any consolidation of the Company with, or merger of the Company into, any other Person or any sale, conveyance, transfer or lease of all or substantially all the properties and assets of the Company in accordance with Section 801 , the successor Person formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which such sale, conveyance, transfer or lease is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and thereafter, except in the case of a lease, the predecessor Person shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

 

ARTICLE IX
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 901.                        Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Holders .  Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series, without the consent of any Holders, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, each of the Guarantors, when authorized by a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, for any of the following purposes:

 

(1)                                  to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company or a Guarantor and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company or such Guarantor herein and in the Securities or the Guarantees of such Guarantor, as the case may be; or

 

(2)                                  to add to the covenants of the Company or any Guarantor for the benefit of the Holders of all or any Securities of any series (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all Securities of such series, stating that such covenants are expressly

 

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being included solely for the benefit of such Securities within such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company or any Guarantor with regard to all or any Securities of any series (and if any such surrender is to be made with regard to less than all Securities of such series, stating that such surrender is expressly being made solely with regard to such Securities within such series); or

 

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

 

(4)                                  to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form; or

 

(5)                                  to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of all or any Securities of any series or any Guarantees thereof (and if such addition, change or elimination is to apply with respect to less than all Securities of such series or Guarantees thereof, stating that it is expressly being made to apply solely with respect to such Securities within such series or Guarantees thereof), provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series or Guarantee thereof created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding; or

 

(6)                                  to secure the Securities or any Guarantees; or

 

(7)                                  to establish the form or terms of all or any Securities of any series and any Guarantees thereof as permitted by Sections 201 and 301 ; or

 

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

 

(9)                                  to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture with respect to any Securities that by their terms may be converted into securities or other property other than Securities of the same series and of like tenor, in order to permit or facilitate the issuance, payment or conversion of such Securities; or

 

(10)                           to add any Person as an additional Guarantor under this Indenture, to add additional Guarantees or additional Guarantors in respect of any Outstanding Securities under this Indenture, or to evidence the release and discharge of any Guarantor from its

 

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obligations under its Guarantees of any Securities and its obligations under this Indenture in respect of any Securities in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; or

 

(11)                           to conform the text of this Indenture or any Securities or any Guarantee endorsed thereon to any provision of the “Description of the Notes” (or comparable) section in any offering memorandum, prospectus or prospectus supplement of the Company prepared from time to time after the date of this Indenture with respect to the offer and sale of Securities of any series, to the extent that such provision was intended to be a verbatim recitation of a provision of this Indenture, the Securities or such Guarantee; or

 

(12)                           to cure any ambiguity, to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture, provided that such action pursuant to this Clause (12) shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series in any material respect.

 

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

 

Section 902.                        Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Holders .  Except as may otherwise be provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any specific Securities of any series or Guarantees thereof, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of the Outstanding Securities of all series affected by such supplemental indenture (considered together as one class for this purpose and such affected Securities potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series), by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, each of the Guarantors when authorized by a Guarantor’s Board Resolution of such Guarantor, and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture or any Guarantees of such Securities; provided , however , that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities),

 

(1)                                  change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of principal of or interest on, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or reduce the amount of the principal of an Original Issue Discount Security or any other Security which would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity

 

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thereof pursuant to Section 502 , or permit the Company to redeem any Security if, absent such supplemental indenture, the Company would not be permitted to do so, or change any Place of Payment where, or the coin or currency in which, any Security or any premium or interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date), or

 

(2)                                  if any Security provides that the Holder may require the Company to repurchase or convert such Security, impair such Holder’s right to require repurchase or conversion of such Security on the terms provided therein, or

 

(3)                                  reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any one or more series (considered separately or together as one class, as applicable, and whether comprising the same or different series or less than all the Securities of a series), the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in this Indenture, or

 

(4)                                  if any Security is guaranteed by the Guarantee of any Guarantor, release such Guarantor from any of its obligations under such Guarantee except in accordance with the terms of this Indenture, or

 

(5)                                  modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or Section 1006 , except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby; provided , however , that this clause shall not be deemed to require the consent of any Holder with respect to changes in the references to “ the Trustee ” and concomitant changes in this Section and Section 1006 , or the deletion of this proviso, in accordance with the requirements of Sections 611 and 901(8) .

 

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

 

It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof. A consent to any indenture supplemental hereto by or on behalf of any Holder of Securities given in connection with a purchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such purchase, tender or exchange.

 

Section 903.                        Execution of Supplemental Indentures .  In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to

 

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receive, and (subject to Section 601 ) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and Officers’ Certificate and Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate, as the case may be, stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Section 904.                        Effect of Supplemental Indentures .  Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Holder of Securities theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

 

Section 905.                        Conformity with Trust Indenture Act .  Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 906.                        Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures .  Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article may, and shall if required by the Trustee, bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Company, to any such supplemental indenture may be prepared and executed by the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantors and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee in exchange for Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

ARTICLE X
COVENANTS

 

Section 1001.                 Payment of Principal, Premium and Interest .  The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and any premium and interest on the Securities of that series in accordance with the terms of the Securities and this Indenture.

 

Section 1002.                 Maintenance of Office or Agency .  The Company will maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an office or agency where Securities of that series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities may be surrendered for conversion and where notices and demands to or upon the Company or any Guarantor in respect of the Securities of that series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company and each Guarantor hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 1003.                 Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust .  If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any of the Securities of that series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum sufficient to pay the principal and any premium and interest so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided and will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it will, on or prior to 12:30 P.M., New York City time, on each due date of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Securities of that series, deposit (or, if the Company has deposited any trust funds with a trustee pursuant to Section 1304(1) , cause such trustee to deposit) with a Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such amount, such sum to be held as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

The Company will cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent will (1) comply with the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act applicable to it as a Paying Agent and (2) during the continuance of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of that series) in the making of any payment in respect of the Securities of that series, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums held in trust by such Paying Agent for payment in respect of the Securities of that series.

 

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

 

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Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on any Security of any series and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, premium or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request (or if deposited by a Guarantor, paid to such Guarantor on Guarantor Request), or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall, at the expense of the Company, cause to be published once, in The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company, or the applicable Guarantor as the case may be.

 

Section 1004.     Corporate Existence . Subject to Article VIII , the Company will do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence, rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises; provided, however, that the Company will not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise if it shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company.

 

Section 1005.     Statement by Officers as to Default .

 

(a)  The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers’ Certificate, stating that a review of the activities of the Company during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of each series Outstanding and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of such Officer’s actual knowledge, the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series and is not in default in the performance and observance of any of the material terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series, in each case, so as not to result in any default or Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series (or, if a default or Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing, describing all such defaults or Events of Default of which such Officer may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking or propose to take with respect thereto).

 

(b)  So long as any Securities of a series to which Article XIV has been made applicable are Outstanding, each Guarantor with respect to Securities of such series Outstanding shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, a Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate with respect to such Guarantor, stating

 

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that a review of the activities of such Guarantor during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether such Guarantor has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of such Officer’s actual knowledge, such Guarantor has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series and is not in default in the performance and observance of any of the material terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series, in each case, so as not to result in any default or Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series (or, if a default or Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series shall have occurred and be continuing, describing all such defaults or Events of Default of which such Officer may have knowledge and what action such Guarantor is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto).

 

Section 1006.     Waiver of Certain Covenants .  Except as otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 for all or any Securities of any series, the Company may, with respect to all or any Securities of any series, omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 1004 or in any covenant provided pursuant to Section 301(18) , 901(2) , 901(6)  or 901(7)  for the benefit of the Holders of such series or in Article VIII if, before the time for such compliance, the Holders of a majority in principal amount (including waivers obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Securities) of all Outstanding Securities affected by such waiver (considered together as one class for this purpose and such affected Securities potentially being Securities of the same or different series and, with respect to any particular series, potentially comprising fewer than all the Securities of such series) shall, by Act of such Holders, either waive such compliance in such instance or generally waive compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect. A waiver of compliance given by or on behalf of any Holder of Securities in connection with a purchase of, or tender or exchange offer for, such Holder’s Securities will not be rendered invalid by such purchase, tender or exchange.

 

ARTICLE XI
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 1101.     Applicability of Article .  Securities of any series which are redeemable before their Stated Maturity shall be redeemable in accordance with their terms and (except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities) in accordance with this Article.

 

Section 1102.     Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee .  The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all the Securities of any series (including any such redemption affecting only a single Security), the Company shall, at least 5 Business Days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date, of the principal amount of Securities of

 

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such series to be redeemed and, if applicable, of the tenor of the Securities to be redeemed. In the case of any redemption of Securities (1) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, or (2) pursuant to an election of the Company that is subject to a condition specified in the terms of the Securities of the series to be redeemed, the Company shall furnish the Trustee with an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition. Redemptions may be conditioned upon the occurrence of conditions precedent with respect to the redemption.

 

Section 1103.     Selection by Trustee of Securities to Be Redeemed .  If less than all the Securities of any series are to be redeemed (unless all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed or unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 40 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of a portion of the principal amount of any Security of such series, provided that the unredeemed portion of the principal amount of any Security shall be in an authorized denomination (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) for such Security. If less than all the Securities of such series and of a specified tenor are to be redeemed (unless such redemption affects only a single Security), the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 40 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee, from the Outstanding Securities of such series and specified tenor not previously called for redemption in accordance with the preceding sentence.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 1104.     Notice of Redemption .  Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106 not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date (or within such period as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for the

 

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relevant Securities), to each Holder of Securities to be redeemed, at his address appearing in the Security Register.

 

All notices of redemption shall identify the Securities to be redeemed (including CUSIP numbers, if any) and shall state:

 

(1)           the Redemption Date,

 

(2)           the Redemption Price,

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(6)           any conditions precedent for the redemption, if any,

 

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

 

(8)           that the redemption is for a sinking fund, if such is the case.

 

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company.

 

Section 1105.     Deposit of Redemption Price .  Prior to 11:00 A.M., New York City time, on any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003 ) an amount of money sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of, and (except if the Redemption Date shall be an Interest Payment Date) accrued interest on, all the Securities which are to be redeemed on that date, other than any Securities called for redemption on that date which have been converted prior to the date of such deposit.

 

If any Security called for redemption is converted, any money deposited with the Trustee or with any Paying Agent or so segregated and held in trust for the redemption of such Security shall (subject to any right of the Holder of such Security or any Predecessor Security to receive

 

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interest as provided in the last paragraph of Section 307 or in the terms of such Security) be paid to the Company upon Company Request or, if then held by the Company, shall be discharged from such trust.

 

Section 1106.     Securities Payable on Redemption Date .  Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price and accrued interest or unless the conditions for the redemption have been satisfied) such Securities shall cease to bear interest. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided , however , that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 , installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date will be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307 .

 

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

 

Section 1107.     Securities Redeemed in Part .  Any Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at a Place of Payment therefor (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company, and, if applicable, the Guarantors shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Security or Securities of the same series and of like tenor, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder, in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered.

 

Section 1108.     No Limit on Repurchases .  Nothing in this Indenture or the Securities shall prohibit or limit the right of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company to repurchase Securities from time to time at any price in open market purchases or private transactions at negotiated prices, by tender offer or otherwise, in each case without any notice to or consent by Holders.  Any Securities purchased by the Company or any Affiliate of the Company may, to the extent permitted by law and at the discretion of the Company, be held, resold or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.  Any such Securities delivered to the Trustee for cancellation may not be resold and shall be disposed of as directed by Company Order.

 

ARTICLE XII
SINKING FUNDS

 

Section 1201.     Applicability of Article .  The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of any series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.

 

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

 

Section 1202.     Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities .  The Company (1) may deliver Outstanding Securities of a series (other than any previously called for redemption) and (2) may apply as a credit Securities of a series which have been converted in accordance with their terms or which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, in each case in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to any Securities of such series required to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities as and to the extent provided for by the terms of such Securities; provided that the Securities to be so credited have not been previously so credited. The Securities to be so credited shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price, as specified in the Securities so to be redeemed (or at such other prices as may be specified for such Securities as contemplated in Section 301 ), for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly.

 

Section 1203.     Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund .  Not less than 45 days (or such shorter period as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing sinking fund payment for such Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting Securities pursuant to Section 1202 and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so delivered. Not less than 30 days prior to each such sinking fund payment date, the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104 . Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107 .

 

ARTICLE XIII
DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

 

Section 1301.     Company’s Option to Effect Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .  Unless otherwise designated pursuant to Section 301(15) , the Securities of any series of Securities shall be subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to such Section 1302 or 1303 , in accordance with any applicable requirements provided pursuant to Section 301 and upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article. The Company may elect, at its option, at any time, to have Section 1302 or Section 1303 applied to any Securities or any series of Securities so subject to defeasance or covenant defeasance. Any such election shall be

 

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evidenced by a Board Resolution or in another manner specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities.

 

Section 1302.     Defeasance and Discharge .  Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called “ Defeasance ”). For this purpose, such Defeasance means that the Company and the Guarantors of the Securities shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Securities and to have satisfied all their other respective obligations under such Securities and this Indenture insofar as such Securities or such Guarantees are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), subject to the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (1) the rights of Holders of such Securities to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 1304(1)  and as more fully set forth in such Section, payments in respect of the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities when payments are due, or, if applicable, to convert such Securities in accordance with their terms, (2) the obligations of the Company and the Guarantors of the Securities of such series with respect to such Securities under Sections 304 , 305 , 306 , 1002 and 1003 , and, if applicable, their obligations with respect to the conversion of such Securities, (3) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (4) this Article. Subject to compliance with this Article, the Company may exercise its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option (if any) to have Section 1303 applied to such Securities.  Upon the effectiveness of Defeasance with respect to any series of Securities, each Guarantor of the Securities of such series shall (except as provided in clause (2) of the next preceding sentence) be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all of its obligations under its Guarantee of the Securities of such series and all of its other obligations under this Indenture in respect of the Securities of such series, without any action by the Company, any Guarantor or the Trustee and without the consent of the Holders of any Securities.

 

Section 1303.     Covenant Defeasance .  Upon the Company’s exercise of its option (if any) to have this Section applied to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be, (1) the Company shall be released from its obligations under Section 1004 and any covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18) , 901(2) , 901(6)  or 901(7)  for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and (2) the occurrence of any event specified in Sections 501(4)  (with respect to Section 1004 and any such covenants provided pursuant to Section 301(18) , 901(2) , 901(6)  or 901(7) ) and 501(8)  shall be deemed not to be or result in an Event of Default, in each case with respect to such Securities as provided in this Section on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 1304 are satisfied (hereinafter called “ Covenant Defeasance ”). For this purpose, such Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to such Securities, the Company and any Guarantor may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such specified Section (to the extent so specified in the case of Section 501(4) ), whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such Section or by reason of any reference in any such Section to any other provision herein or in any other document, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and any Guarantees thereof shall be unaffected thereby.

 

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Section 1304.     Conditions to Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .  The following shall be the conditions to the application of Section 1302 or Section 1303 to any Securities or any series of Securities, as the case may be:

 

(1)           The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee which satisfies the requirements contemplated by Section 609 and agrees to comply with the provisions of this Article applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefits of the Holders of such Securities, (A) money in an amount, or (B) U.S. Government Obligations which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of accountants or nationally recognized investment banking firm, not later than one day before the due date of any payment, money in an amount, or (C) such other obligations or arrangements as may be specified as contemplated by Section 301 with respect to such Securities, or (D) a combination thereof, in each case sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or nationally recognized investment banking firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or any such other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, the principal of and any premium and interest on such Securities on the respective Stated Maturities, in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and such Securities. As used herein, “ U.S. Government Obligation ” means (x) any security which is (i) a direct obligation of the United States of America for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged or (ii) an obligation of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America, which, in either case (i) or (ii), is not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and (y) any depositary receipt issued by a bank (as defined in Section 3(a)(2) of the Securities Act) as custodian with respect to any U.S. Government Obligation which is specified in Clause (x) above and held by such bank for the account of the holder of such depositary receipt, or with respect to any specific payment of principal of or interest on any U.S. Government Obligation which is so specified and held, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depositary receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation or the specific payment of principal or interest evidenced by such depositary receipt.

 

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

 

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manner and at the same times as would be the case if such deposit, Defeasance and discharge were not to occur.

 

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

 

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

 

(5)           No event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to such Securities or any other Securities (other than such an event or Event of Default with respect to such Securities resulting solely from the incurrence of indebtedness or other borrowing of funds, or the grant of liens securing such indebtedness or other borrowing, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit) shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of such deposit.

 

(6)           Such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture insofar as such Securities are concerned) to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound.

 

(7)           The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of such Securities over the other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company.

 

(8)           The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance have been complied with.

 

Section 1305.     Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Miscellaneous Provisions .  Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003 , all money and U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee or other qualifying trustee (solely for purposes of this Section and Section 1306 , the Trustee and any such other trustee are referred to collectively as the “ Trustee ”) pursuant to Section 1304 in respect of any Securities shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any such Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent or any Guarantor of the Securities of the applicable series or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company or any such Guarantor acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities, of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal

 

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and any premium and interest, but money and U.S. Government Obligations so held in trust need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 1306.     Reinstatement .  If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money in accordance with this Article with respect to any Securities by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the respective obligations under this Indenture and such Securities and, if applicable, Guarantees of such Securities from which the Company and the applicable Guarantors have been discharged or released pursuant to Section 1302 or 1303 shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article with respect to such Securities, until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all money held in trust pursuant to Section 1305 with respect to such Securities in accordance with this Article; provided , however , that if the Company or any Guarantor makes any payment of principal of or any premium or interest on any such Security following such reinstatement of its obligations, the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be subrogated to the rights (if any) of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money so held in trust.

 

ARTICLE XIV
GUARANTEES

 

Section 1401.     Guarantees .  Securities of any series that are to be guaranteed by the Guarantees of any Guarantors shall be guaranteed by such Guarantors as shall be established pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series.  The Persons who shall initially be the Guarantors of the Securities of any such series may, but need not, include any or all of the Initial Guarantors and may include any and all such other Persons as the Company may determine; provided that, prior to the authentication and delivery upon original issuance of Securities that are to be guaranteed by a Person that is not an Initial Guarantor, the Company, the Trustee and such Person shall enter into a supplemental indenture pursuant to Section 901 hereof whereby such Person shall become a Guarantor under this Indenture.

 

Securities of any series that are to be guaranteed by the Guarantees of any Guarantors shall be guaranteed in accordance with the terms of such Guarantees as established pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Securities and such Guarantees thereof and (except as otherwise

 

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specified as contemplated by Section 301 for such Securities and such Guarantees thereof) in accordance with this Article.

 

Each Guarantor of any Security hereby fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of such Security, and to the Trustee on behalf of such Holder, the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on such Security when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, in accordance with the terms of such Security and of this Indenture. In case of the failure of the Company punctually to make any such payment, such Guarantor hereby agrees to cause such payment to be made punctually when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, and as if such payment were made by the Company.

 

The Guarantor of any Security hereby agrees that its obligations hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of, and shall be unaffected by, any invalidity, irregularity or unenforceability of such Security or this Indenture, any failure to enforce the provisions of such Security or this Indenture, or any waiver, modification or indulgence granted to the Company with respect thereto, by the Holder of such Security or the Trustee or any other circumstance which may otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a surety or guarantor; provided, however, that, notwithstanding the foregoing, no such waiver, modification or indulgence shall, without the consent of any Guarantor, increase the principal amount of such Security, or increase the interest rate thereon, change any redemption provisions thereof (including any change to increase any premium payable upon redemption thereof) or change the Stated Maturity of any payment thereon, or increase the principal amount of any Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration or the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 of this Indenture.

 

The Guarantor of any Security hereby waives the benefits of diligence, presentment, demand for payment, any requirement that the Trustee or any of the Holders exhaust any right or take any action against the Company or any other Person, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest or notice with respect to any Security or the indebtedness evidenced thereby and all demands whatsoever, and covenants that its obligations hereunder will not be discharged in respect of such Security except by complete performance of the obligations of such Guarantor contained in such Security and in this Indenture. Any Guarantee of any Guarantor hereunder shall constitute a guaranty of payment and not of collection. The Guarantor of any Security hereby agrees that, in the event of a default in payment of principal, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on such Security, whether at its Stated Maturity, by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise, legal proceedings may be instituted by the Trustee on behalf of, or by, the Holder of such Security, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in this Indenture, directly against such Guarantor to enforce the obligation of such Guarantor hereunder without first proceeding against the Company.

 

The obligations of the Guarantor of any Security hereunder with respect to such Security shall be continuing and irrevocable until the date upon which the entire principal of, premium, if

 

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any, and interest, if any, on such Security has been, or has been deemed pursuant to the provisions of Article Four of this Indenture to have been, paid in full or otherwise discharged.

 

The Guarantor of any Security shall be subrogated to all rights of the Holders of such Security against the Company in respect of any amounts paid by the Guarantor on account of such Security pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture; provided, however, that such Guarantor shall not be entitled to enforce or to receive any payments arising out of, or based upon, such right of subrogation until the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on all Securities issued hereunder that are due and payable shall have been paid in full.

 

The Guarantee by any  Guarantor of any Security shall remain in full force and effect and continue notwithstanding any petition filed by or against the Company for liquidation or reorganization, the Company becoming insolvent or making an assignment for the benefit of creditors or a receiver or trustee being appointed for all or any significant part of the Company’s assets, and shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, continue to be effective or reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment of such Security, is, pursuant to applicable law, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any Holder of such Security, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent transfer,” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment, or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned on a Security, such Security shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be reinstated and deemed paid only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.

 

No Guarantor shall consolidate with or merge into any other Person or sell, convey or transfer all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, and no Guarantor shall permit any Person to consolidate with or merge into such Guarantor, in each case in a transaction in which the successor Person formed by such consolidation or merger or to which such sale, conveyance or transfer is made is an Affiliate of the Company, and no Guarantor shall lease all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person (whether or not such an Affiliate), unless, in any such case:

 

(1)           in case such Guarantor shall consolidate with or merge into another Person or sell, convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all its properties and assets to any Person, the Person formed by such consolidation or into which such Guarantor is merged or the Person which acquires by sale, conveyance or transfer, or which leases, all or substantially all the properties and assets of such Guarantor shall be a corporation, partnership or trust, shall be organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume, by an indenture supplemental hereto, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, the performance or observance of every covenant of this Indenture and any Guarantees on the part of such Guarantor to be performed or observed;

 

(2)           immediately after giving effect to such transaction no Event of Default, and no event which, after notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have happened and be continuing; and

 

72



 

(3)           such Guarantor has delivered to the Trustee a Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or lease and, if a supplemental indenture is required in connection with such transaction, such supplemental indenture comply with this Article and that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

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

 

Upon (i) a consolidation or merger of any Guarantor with or into, or a sale, conveyance or transfer of all or substantially all the properties and assets of any Guarantor to, any other Person or any consolidation or merger of any Person with or into any Guarantor, in each case in a transaction in which the successor Person formed by such consolidation or merger or to which such sale, conveyance or transfer is made is not an Affiliate of the Company or (ii) any sale, conveyance or transfer (including by way of merger) by the Company or any Subsidiary thereof of all or substantially all the capital stock of any Guarantor to any Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company, such Guarantor shall be deemed to be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all its obligations under its Guarantees and under this Article XIV with respect to Securities of all series without any further action required on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing such release and discharge upon receipt of a Company Request accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate certifying as to the compliance with this paragraph of Section 1401 . The Company may, at its option, at any time and from time to time, cause any Guarantor  to be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all its obligations under its Guarantees with respect to Securities of any series guaranteed by Guarantees of such Guarantor and under this Article XIV upon (i) any conditions for such release provided with respect to Securities of such series in accordance with Section 301 having been satisfied and (ii) delivery by the Company to the Trustee of a Company Order relating to such release and discharge. The Trustee shall deliver an appropriate instrument evidencing such release and discharge upon receipt of a Company Request accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate certifying as to the compliance with this paragraph of Section 1401 .

 

Anything in this Indenture, the Securities or any Guarantee to the contrary notwithstanding, the obligations of any Guarantor under its Guarantees and this Indenture shall be limited to the maximum amount as will, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantees and this Indenture not constituting a fraudulent advance or fraudulent transfer under any Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal, state or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

73



 

No Guarantee by any Guarantor of any Security, whether or not such Guarantee is or is to be endorsed thereon, shall be valid and obligatory for any purpose with respect to such Security until the certificate of authentication on such Security shall have been signed by or on behalf of the Trustee.

 

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Indenture. Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Indenture, but failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability and binding effect of this Indenture.

 

The parties hereto acknowledge that in accordance with Section 326 of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act, the Trustee, like all financial institutions and in order to help fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering, is required to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies each person or legal entity that establishes a relationship or opens an account with the Trustee. The parties agree that they provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. PATRIOT Act.

 

74



 

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

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC. ,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Name:

Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

LAREDO MIDSTREAM SERVICES, LLC ,

 

a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Name:

Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

GARDEN CITY MINERALS, LLC ,

 

a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Name:

Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Base Indenture

 



 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Patrick T. Giordano

 

 

Name:

Patrick T. Giordano

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Base Indenture

 


Exhibit 4.2

 

Execution Version

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC., as Issuer,

 

THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO, as Guarantors

 

and

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 


 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March 18, 2015

 


 

6¼% Senior Notes due 2023

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE ONE ISSUE AND DESCRIPTION OF NOTES

2

 

 

Section 1.01

Designation and Amount; Ranking Payments; Denomination

2

Section 1.02

Form of Notes

3

Section 1.03

Additional Notes

4

Section 1.04

Execution and Authentication

5

Section 1.05

Non-Business Day Payments

5

Section 1.06

Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes

6

Section 1.07

Registrar and Paying Agent

6

Section 1.08

Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust

6

Section 1.09

Holder Lists

7

Section 1.10

Outstanding Notes

7

Section 1.11

Treasury Notes

8

 

 

ARTICLE TWO DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

8

 

 

Section 2.01

Definitions

8

Section 2.02

Other Definitions

46

Section 2.03

Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act

47

Section 2.04

Rules of Construction

48

 

 

ARTICLE THREE REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT

48

 

 

Section 3.01

Notices to Trustee

48

Section 3.02

Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed

48

Section 3.03

Notice of Redemption

49

Section 3.04

Effect of Notice of Redemption

50

Section 3.05

Deposit of Redemption Price

50

Section 3.06

Notes Redeemed in Part

51

Section 3.07

Optional Redemption

51

Section 3.08

Mandatory Redemption

53

Section 3.09

Application of Trust Money

53

Section 3.10

No Limit on Other Purchases

53

 

 

ARTICLE FOUR COVENANTS

53

 

 

Section 4.01

Payment of Notes

53

Section 4.02

Maintenance of Office or Agency

54

Section 4.03

Reports

55

Section 4.04

Compliance Certificate

56

Section 4.05

Taxes

56

Section 4.06

Stay, Extension and Usury Laws

57

Section 4.07

Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock

57

Section 4.08

Restricted Payments

61

Section 4.09

Transactions with Affiliates

66

Section 4.10

Liens

69

Section 4.11

Asset Sales

69

Section 4.12

Issuances of Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries

74

Section 4.13

Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries

74

 

i



 

Section 4.14

Sale and Leaseback Transactions

77

Section 4.15

Unrestricted Subsidiaries

78

Section 4.16

Payments for Consent

80

Section 4.17

Offer to Repurchase upon a Change of Control

80

Section 4.18

Corporate Existence

83

Section 4.19

Covenant Suspension

83

 

 

ARTICLE FIVE SUCCESSORS

85

 

 

Section 5.01

Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets

85

 

 

ARTICLE SIX DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

88

 

 

Section 6.01

Events of Default

88

Section 6.02

Acceleration

90

Section 6.03

Other Remedies

91

Section 6.04

Waiver of Past Defaults

91

Section 6.05

Control by Majority

91

Section 6.06

Limitation on Suits

91

Section 6.07

Rights of Holders to Receive Payment

92

Section 6.08

Collection Suit by Trustee

92

Section 6.09

Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

92

Section 6.10

Priorities

93

Section 6.11

Undertaking for Costs

93

 

 

ARTICLE SEVEN DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE

94

 

 

Section 7.01

Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

94

Section 7.02

Legal Defeasance and Discharge

94

Section 7.03

Covenant Defeasance

94

Section 7.04

Conditions to Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance

95

Section 7.05

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

96

Section 7.06

Repayment to the Company

97

Section 7.07

Reinstatement

97

 

 

ARTICLE EIGHT AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER

97

 

 

Section 8.01

Without Consent of Holders

97

Section 8.02

With Consent of Holders

99

Section 8.03

Compliance with Trust Indenture Act

101

Section 8.04

Revocation and Effect of Consents

101

Section 8.05

Notation on or Exchange of Notes

101

Section 8.06

Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc.

102

Section 8.07

Effect of Supplemental Indentures

102

 

 

ARTICLE NINE GUARANTEES

102

 

 

Section 9.01

Guarantee

102

Section 9.02

Limitation on Guarantor Liability

103

Section 9.03

Guarantee Evidenced by Indenture; No Notation of Guarantee

104

Section 9.04

Releases of Guarantors

104

 

ii



 

ARTICLE TEN SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

105

 

 

Section 10.01

Satisfaction and Discharge

105

Section 10.02

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

107

Section 10.03

Repayment to the Company

108

 

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN MISCELLANEOUS

108

 

 

Section 11.01

No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements

108

Section 11.02

Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

108

Section 11.03

Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

109

Section 11.04

Rules by Trustee and Agents

109

Section 11.05

No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders

110

Section 11.06

Governing Law

110

Section 11.07

Trust Indenture Act Controls

110

Section 11.08

Successors

110

Section 11.09

Severability

110

Section 11.10

Counterpart Originals

110

Section 11.11

Benefit of Supplemental Indenture

111

Section 11.12

Table of Contents, Headings, Etc.

111

Section 11.13

Language of Notices, Etc.

111

Section 11.14

Scope of this Supplemental Indenture

111

Section 11.15

Ratification and Incorporation of Base Indenture

111

Section 11.16

Covenants not Applicable

111

 

Exhibits :

 

Exhibit A

 

FORM OF NOTE

 

 

 

Exhibit B

 

FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

iii



 

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), dated as of March 18, 2015, among Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (herein called the “ Company ”), having its principal office at 15 West Sixth Street, Suite 900, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74119, the Initial Guarantors (as defined hereinafter), each having its principal office at 15 West Sixth Street, Suite 900, Tulsa Oklahoma 74119, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Trustee executed and delivered that certain indenture, dated as of March 18, 2015 (the “ Base Indenture ”), to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Company’s unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (the “ Securities ”) to be issued in one or more series;

 

WHEREAS, Section 901 of the Base Indenture provides that the Company and the Guarantors, when authorized by a resolution of their respective Boards of Directors, and the Trustee may, without the consent of the Holders of the Securities, enter into a supplemental indenture to (i) in accordance with clause (7) thereof, establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted by Section 201 and Section 301 of the Base Indenture or (ii) in accordance with clause (5) thereof, add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of the Base Indenture in respect of all or any Securities of any series, provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding;

 

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the issue of 6¼% Senior Notes due 2023 (as they may be issued from time to time under this Supplemental Indenture, including any Additional Notes issued pursuant to Section 301 of the Base Indenture and Section 1.03 of this Supplemental Indenture, the “ Notes ”), initially in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $350,000,000, and in connection therewith, there being no Notes outstanding at the time of execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture, the Company and the Initial Guarantors have duly determined to make, execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture to set forth the terms and provisions of the Notes as required by the Base Indenture and to add to, change and eliminate certain provisions of the Base Indenture in respect of the Notes;

 

WHEREAS, the Company and the Initial Guarantors have determined that this Supplemental Indenture is authorized or permitted by Section 901 of the Base Indenture and the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel, the Company has delivered an Officers’ Certificate and each of the Guarantors has delivered a Guarantor’s Officers’ Certificate to the effect that all conditions precedent provided for in the Base Indenture to the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture have been complied with;

 

WHEREAS, the form of Notes, the Trustee’s “Certificate of Authentication” to be borne by each Note, the form of “Option of Holder to Elect Purchase” and the “Assignment Form” to be borne by the Notes are to be substantially in the forms hereinafter provided for;

 

1



 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent, as in the Base Indenture provided, and to make the Guarantees of each of the Guarantors as set forth herein, when the Notes have been so executed, authenticated and delivered, the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company and the Guarantors, respectively, have been done; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Supplemental Indenture a valid and legally binding agreement according to its terms, and a valid and legally binding amendment of, and supplement to, the Base Indenture, have been done.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Company, the Initial Guarantors and the Trustee agree as follows for the benefit of each other and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders (as defined below) of the Notes:

 

ARTICLE ONE
Issue and Description of Notes

 

Section 1.01                              Designation and Amount; Ranking Payments; Denomination.

 

The Notes shall be designated as the “6¼% Senior Notes due 2023.” The Notes are hereby established as a series of Securities under the Base Indenture.  The aggregate principal amount of Notes that may be authenticated and delivered under this Supplemental Indenture is not limited.  The aggregate principal amount of Notes initially authorized for authentication and delivery pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture (the “ Initial Notes ”) is limited to $350,000,000 (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of other Notes pursuant to Section 3.06 , Section 4.11(h) , Section 4.17(c)  and Section 8.05 hereof and Section 304, Section 305 and Section 306 of the Base Indenture).  The Company may, and shall be entitled to, from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Notes, in accordance with Section 1.03 below increase the principal amount of Notes and issue such increased principal amount (or any portion thereof) of Notes as “ Additional Notes ” under this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Payments of the principal of and interest on the Notes shall be made in U.S. Dollars, and the Notes shall be denominated in Dollars and in amounts of at least $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 thereafter.  The Place of Payment where the principal of and any other payments due on the Notes are payable shall initially be at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in New York, New York in accordance with Section 4.02 of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Initially, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. will act as Paying Agent and Registrar.  The Company may appoint and change any Paying Agent or Registrar or co-registrar without notice.  The Company or any of its domestically organized Wholly-Owned Restricted Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar or co-registrar.

 

The Company shall pay interest (a) on any Definitive Notes by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as it appears in the Security Register (or upon written

 

2



 

application by such Person to the Paying Agent not later than five Business Days before the relevant Interest Payment Date, by wire transfer in immediately available funds to such Person’s account at a bank in New York, New York, if such Person is entitled to interest on an aggregate principal amount in excess of $1,000,000, which application shall remain in effect until the Holder notifies the Paying Agent to the contrary) or (b) on any Global Note by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the account of the Depositary or its nominee.

 

The Notes shall be guaranteed by each of the Initial Guarantors and, in accordance with Section 4.12 hereof, any additional Subsidiary Guarantors in accordance with Section 4.12 and Article Nine of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

No Guarantee nor any notation thereof shall be, or shall be required to be, endorsed on, or attached to, or otherwise physically made part of any Note.

 

Section 1.02                              Form of Notes.

 

The Notes shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto, which is incorporated in and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Any of the Notes may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such notations, legends or endorsements as the officers executing the same may approve (execution thereof to be conclusive evidence of such approval) and as are not inconsistent with the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture or the Base Indenture or as may be required to comply with any law or with any rule or regulation made pursuant thereto or with any rule or regulation of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which the Notes may be listed or designated for issuance, or to conform to usage or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular Notes are subject.

 

The terms and provisions contained in the form of Note attached as Exhibit A hereto shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Supplemental Indenture and the Company, any Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.  However, to the extent any provision of any Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.

 

Notes issued in global form shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (including the Global Note Legend thereon and the “ Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note ” attached thereto).  Each Global Note shall represent such of the outstanding Notes as shall be specified therein and each shall provide that it shall represent the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes from time to time endorsed thereon and that the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby may from time to time be reduced or increased, as appropriate, to reflect exchanges and redemptions on the records of the Trustee and the Depositary or its nominee.

 

Definitive Notes shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto (but without the Global Note Legend thereon and without the “ Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note ” attached thereto).

 

3



 

The registration, registration of transfers and exchanges of Notes shall be effected in accordance with Section 305 of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 1.03                              Additional Notes .

 

(a)          The Company shall be entitled, subject to its compliance with Article Four , to issue Additional Notes under this Supplemental Indenture.  Any Additional Notes shall be part of the same series as the Initial Notes issued on the Issue Date, rank equally with the Initial Notes and have identical terms and conditions to the Initial Notes in all respects other than (a) the date of issuance, (b) the issue price, and (c) at the option of the Company, (i) as to the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such Additional Notes, and (ii) the first payment of interest following the issue date of such Additional Notes.

 

(b)          With respect to any Additional Notes, there shall be (a) established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution and (b) (i) set forth or determined in the manner provided in an Officers’ Certificate or (ii) established in one or more indentures supplemental to the Indenture, prior to the issuance of such Additional Notes:

 

(i)              the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to the Indenture;

 

(ii)           the issue price, the issue date (and the corresponding date from which interest shall accrue thereon and the first interest payment date therefor) and the CUSIP or ISIN number of such Additional Notes;

 

(iii)        if applicable, that such Additional Notes shall be issuable in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Notes and, in such case, the respective depositaries for such Global Notes, the form of any legend or legends which shall be borne by such Global Notes in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in Exhibit A hereto and any circumstances in addition to or in lieu of those set forth in Exhibit A in which any such Global Notes may be exchanged in whole or in part for Additional Notes registered, or any transfer of such Global Note in whole or in part may be registered, in the name or names of Persons other than the depositary for such Global Note or a nominee thereof.

 

(c)           If any of the terms of any Additional Notes are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy thereof shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate or the indenture supplemental to the Indenture setting forth the terms of the Additional Notes.

 

(d)          The Initial Notes and any Additional Notes subsequently issued upon original issue under this Indenture shall be considered collectively as a single class for all purposes of the Indenture, including directions, waivers, amendments, consents, redemptions and offers to purchase.  Holders of the Initial Notes and any Additional Notes therefor will vote and consent together on all matters to which such Holders are entitled to vote or consent as one class, and none of the Holders of the Initial Notes or any Additional Notes shall have the

 

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right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter to which such Holders are entitled to vote or consent.

 

(e)           Notwithstanding anything else herein, with respect to any Additional Notes issued subsequent to the Issue Date, when the context requires, all provisions of this Supplemental Indenture shall be construed and interpreted to permit the issuance of such Additional Notes and to allow such Additional Notes to become fungible and interchangeable with the Initial Notes originally issued under the Supplemental Indenture.  Indebtedness represented by Additional Notes shall be subject to the covenants contained in this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 1.04                              Execution and Authentication .

 

(a)                                  One Officer shall sign the Notes for the Company by manual or facsimile signature.

 

(b)                                  The Initial Notes shall be issued upon original issue as Global Notes. The Initial Notes may forthwith be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication and delivery by the Trustee for original issue upon a Company Order in accordance with the provisions of Section 303 of the Base Indenture.

 

(c)                                   At any time and from time to time after the issuance of the Initial Notes, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver any Additional Notes for original issue without limit as to the aggregate principal amount thereof, subject to compliance with Section 4.07 , in accordance with the provisions of Section 103 and Section 303 of the Base Indenture in an aggregate principal amount determined at the time of issuance and specified in a Company Order.  Such Company Order shall specify the principal amount of the Additional Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the original issue of such Additional Notes is to be authenticated.

 

(d)                                  If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is authenticated, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.

 

(e)                                   A Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee.  Such signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Supplemental Indenture.  A Note shall be dated the date of its authentication.

 

(f)                                    The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Notes.  An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so.  Each reference in the Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent.  An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with Holders or an Affiliate of the Company.

 

(g)                                   The Trustee shall also authenticate and deliver Notes at the times and in the manner specified in Section 3.06 , Section 4.11(h) , Section 4.17(c)  and Section 8.05 hereof and Section 305 and Section 306 of the Base Indenture.

 

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Section 1.05                              Non-Business Day Payments.

 

If any Interest Payment Date, the Stated Maturity, any Redemption Date, any Asset Sale Purchase Date or any Change of Control Purchase Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, then the required payment or delivery will be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the date that the payment or delivery was due, and no additional interest will accrue on that required payment or delivery for the period from and after the Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Redemption Date, Asset Sale Purchase Date or Change of Control Purchase Date, as the case may be, to that next succeeding Business Day.

 

Section 1.06                              Methods of Receiving Payments on the Notes .

 

The principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 4.02 ; provided, however , that (i) payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depositary with respect thereto; and (ii) payments in respect of the Notes represented by any Definitive Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made (subject (in the case of payments of principal or premium, if any) to surrender of such Note at such office or agency): (a) if the Holder thereof has specified by written notice to the Trustee a U.S. dollar account maintained by such Holder with a bank located in the United States for such purpose no later than 15 days immediately preceding the relevant payment date (or such later date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion), by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account so specified or (b) otherwise, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to the Holder of such Note at its address set forth in the Securities Register.

 

Section 1.07                              Registrar and Paying Agent .

 

(a)                                  The Company shall maintain in the continental United States an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (“ Registrar ”) and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (“ Paying Agent ”).  The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange (the “ Securities Register ”).  The Company may appoint one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents.  The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent.  The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without prior notice to any Holder.  The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Supplemental Indenture.  If the Company fails to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such.  The Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.

 

(b)                                  The Company initially appoints The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.

 

(c)                                   The Company initially appoints the Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.

 

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Section 1.08                              Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust .

 

By no later than 12:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient in immediately available funds to pay such principal, premium or interest when due.  The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, and shall notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment.  While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee.  The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee.  Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries) shall have no further liability for the money.  If the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of the Holders all money held by it as Paying Agent.  Upon any bankruptcy or reorganization proceedings relating to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.

 

Section 1.09                              Holder Lists .

 

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of all Holders and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a).  If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least five Business Days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders and the Company shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a).

 

Section 1.10                              Outstanding Notes .

 

(a)                                  The Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 1.10 as not outstanding.  The aggregate principal amount of any outstanding Global Note that is outstanding at any time shall be such aggregate principal amount of Notes that is endorsed thereon as being represented thereby at such time.  Except as set forth in Section 1.11 , a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note.

 

(b)                                  If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 306 of the Base Indenture, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a “protected purchaser” within the meaning of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

 

(c)                                   If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 , it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.

 

(d)                                  If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of any of the foregoing) holds, on a redemption date or other Maturity,

 

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money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes shall be deemed to be no longer outstanding and shall cease to accrue interest.

 

Section 1.11                              Treasury Notes .

 

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Company, or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company, shall be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that any of its Responsible Officers knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

 

ARTICLE TWO
Definitions and Incorporation
by Reference

 

All capitalized terms contained in this Supplemental Indenture shall, except as specifically provided for herein and except as the context may otherwise require, have the meanings given to such terms in the Base Indenture.  In the event of any inconsistency between the Base Indenture (insofar as it relates to the Notes) and this Supplemental Indenture, this Supplemental Indenture shall govern.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Section 2.01                              Definitions .

 

Acquired Debt ” means Indebtedness of a Person (1) existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) assumed in connection with the acquisition of assets from such Person, in each case, other than Indebtedness incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such acquisition, as the case may be. Acquired Debt shall be deemed to be incurred on the date of the related acquisition of assets from any Person or the date the acquired Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

 

Additional Assets ” means (i) any assets or property (other than cash, Cash Equivalents or securities) used in the Oil and Gas Business or any business ancillary thereto, (ii) Investments in any other Person engaged in the Oil and Gas Business or any business ancillary thereto (including the acquisition from third parties of Capital Stock of such Person) as a result of which such other Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) the acquisition from third parties of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary, (iv) Permitted Business Investments, (v) capital expenditures by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the Oil and Gas Business or (vi) Capital Stock constituting a Minority Interest in any Person that at such time is a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however, that, in the case of clauses (ii) and (vi), such Restricted Subsidiary is primarily engaged in the Oil and Gas Business.

 

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Additional Notes ” means any further Notes (other than the Initial Notes issued on the Issue Date) issued upon original issue under this Supplemental Indenture in accordance with the terms of this Supplemental Indenture, including Sections 1.03 and 4.07 .

 

Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets ” means (without duplication), as of the date of determination, the remainder of:

 

(a)                                  the sum of

 

(i)                                      discounted future net revenues from proved oil and gas reserves of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with Commission guidelines before any state or federal income taxes, as estimated by the Company in a reserve report prepared as of the end of the Company’s most recently completed fiscal year for which audited financial statements are available, as increased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from (1) estimated proved oil and gas reserves acquired since such year-end, which reserves were not reflected in such year-end reserve report, and (2) estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to extensions, discoveries and other additions and upward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year-end due to exploration, development or exploitation, production or other activities, which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions (including the impact to proved reserves and future net revenues from estimated development costs incurred and the accretion of discount since such year-end), and decreased by, as of the date of determination, the estimated discounted future net revenues from (3) estimated proved oil and gas reserves produced or disposed of since such year-end and (4) estimated oil and gas reserves attributable to downward revisions of estimates of proved oil and gas reserves since such year-end due to changes in geological conditions or other factors which would, in accordance with standard industry practice, cause such revisions, in each case calculated on a pre-tax basis in accordance with Commission guidelines, in the case of the foregoing clauses (1) through (4) utilizing the prices and costs calculated in accordance with Commission guidelines as if the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of determination for which such information is available to the Company were year-end; provided, however , that, in the case of each of the determinations made pursuant to the foregoing clauses (1) through (4), such increases and decreases shall be as estimated by the Company’s petroleum engineers,

 

(ii)                                   the capitalized costs that are attributable to Oil and Gas Properties of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to which no proved oil and gas reserves are attributable, based on the Company’s books and records as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest available annual or quarterly financial statements,

 

(iii)                                the Net Working Capital of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements, and

 

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(iv)                               the greater of (1) the net book value of other tangible assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest annual or quarterly financial statements and (2) the appraised value, as estimated by independent appraisers, of other tangible assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, as of a date no earlier than the date of the Company’s latest audited financial statements; provided that, if no such appraisal has been obtained, the Company shall not be required to obtain such an appraisal and only clause (a)(iv)(1) of this definition shall apply,

 

minus (b) the sum of

 

(i)                                      Minority Interests,

 

(ii)                                   any net gas balancing liabilities of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, as reflected in the Company’s latest annual or quarterly balance sheet, to the extent not deducted in calculating Net Working Capital of the Company in accordance with clause (a)(iii) of this definition,

 

(iii)                                to the extent included in (a)(i) above, the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with Commission guidelines (but utilizing prices and costs calculated in accordance with Commission guidelines as if the end of the most recent fiscal quarter preceding the date of determination for which such information is available to the Company were year-end), attributable to reserves which are required to be delivered to third parties to fully satisfy the obligations of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Volumetric Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto); and

 

(iv)                               the discounted future net revenues, calculated in accordance with Commission guidelines, attributable to reserves subject to Dollar Denominated Production Payments which, based on the estimates of production and price assumptions included in determining the discounted future net revenues specified in (a)(i) above, would be necessary to fully satisfy the payment obligations of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries with respect to Dollar Denominated Production Payments (determined, if applicable, using the schedules specified with respect thereto).

 

If the Company changes its method of accounting from the full cost method to the successful efforts method or a similar method of accounting, Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets will continue to be calculated as if the Company were still using the full cost method of accounting.

 

Agent ” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or co-registrar.

 

Applicable Premium ” means, with respect to any Note on any applicable redemption date, the greater of: (1) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Note; and (2) the excess, if any, of: (a) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of

 

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such Note at March 15, 2018 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing in Section 3.07(a) ) plus (ii) all required interest payments (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date) due on such Note through March 15, 2018, computed using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate as of such redemption date plus 50 basis points; over (b) the principal amount of such Note.

 

Asset Sale ” means any sale, issuance, conveyance, transfer, lease (other than operating leases entered into in the ordinary course of business) or other disposition (including by way of merger or consolidation or sale and leaseback transaction) (collectively, a “ transfer ”), directly or indirectly, in one or a series of related transactions, of:

 

(1)                      any Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors qualifying shares or shares required by law to be held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary);

 

(2)                      all or substantially all of the properties and assets of any division or line of business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(3)                      any other properties and assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than in the ordinary course of business.

 

For the purposes of this definition, the term Asset Sale shall not include:

 

(A)                                any disposition (including by way of a merger or consolidation) that is governed by the provisions described under Section 5.01 ,

 

(B)                                any disposition that is by the Company to any Restricted Subsidiary or by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with the terms of this Supplemental Indenture,

 

(C)                                any disposition that would be (i) a Restricted Payment under Section 4.08 and that would be permitted to be made as a Restricted Payment or (ii) a Permitted Investment or a Permitted Payment,

 

(D)                                the disposition of Cash Equivalents, inventory, accounts receivable, surplus or obsolete equipment or other similar property (excluding the disposition of oil and gas in place and other interests in real property unless made in connection with a Permitted Business Investment),

 

(E)                                 the abandonment, assignment, lease, sublease or farm-out of Oil and Gas Properties, or the forfeiture or other disposition of such properties, pursuant to operating agreements or other instruments or agreements that, in each case, are entered into in a manner that is customary in the Oil and Gas Business,

 

(F)                                  the disposition of Property received in settlement of debts owing to such Person as a result of foreclosure, perfection or enforcement of any Lien or debt, which debts were owing to such Person,

 

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(G)                                any Production Payments and Reserve Sales; provided that any such Production Payments and Reserve Sales (other than incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) shall have been created, incurred, issued, assumed or guaranteed in connection with the acquisition or financing of, and within 60 days after the acquisition of, the Property that is subject thereto,

 

(H)                               the licensing or sublicensing of intellectual property or other general intangibles to the extent that such license does not prohibit the licensor from using the intellectual property and licenses, leases or subleases of other property,

 

(I)                                    an Asset Swap,

 

(J)                                    the creation or incurrence of any Lien and the exercise by any Person in whose favor a Permitted Lien is granted of any of its rights in respect of that Lien,

 

(K)                               the surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind,

 

(L)                                 any disposition of assets or Capital Stock (in any Transaction) the Fair Market Value of which, when combined with the Fair Market Value at the time of disposition of all other such dispositions in the same Transaction effected pursuant to this clause (L), in the aggregate, does not exceed $5.0 million,

 

(M)                             the sale or other disposition (whether or not in the ordinary course of business) of Oil and Gas Properties; provided that, at the time of such sale or other disposition, such properties do not have attributed to them any proved reserves,

 

(N)                                any sale of equity interests in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary, or

 

(O)                                the disposition of oil and natural gas properties in connection with tax credit transactions complying with Section 29 of the Internal Revenue Code or any successor or analogous provisions of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

Asset Swap ” means any substantially contemporaneous (and in any event occurring within 120 days of each other) purchase and sale or exchange of any oil or natural gas properties or assets or interests therein between the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and another Person; provided that any cash received shall be applied in accordance with Section 4.11 as if the Asset Swap were an Asset Sale.

 

Attributable Indebtedness ” in respect of a Sale and Leaseback Transaction means, at the time of determination, the present value (discounted at the rate of interest implicit in such transaction, determined in accordance with GAAP) of the obligation of the lessee for net

 

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rental payments during the remaining term of the lease included in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction (including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended).

 

Bankruptcy Law ” means Title 11, United States Bankruptcy Code of 1978, as amended, or any similar United States federal or state law or foreign law relating to bankruptcy, insolvency, receivership, winding up, liquidation, reorganization or relief of debtors or any amendment to, succession to or change in any such law.

 

Board of Directors ” means:

 

(A)                                with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of such corporation or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such board;

 

(B)                                with respect to a partnership, the board of directors or other governing body of the general partner of such partnership;

 

(C)                                with respect to a limited liability company, the board of directors or other governing body of such limited liability company, and in the absence of the same, the manager or board of managers or managing member or members or any controlling committee thereof; and

 

(D)                                with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.

 

Board Resolution ” means, with respect to a Board of Directors, a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Person or, in the case of a Person that is a partnership that has no such officers, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of a general partner of such Person, to have been duly adopted by such Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of such certification, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Business Day ” means each day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banking institutions in New York, New York or the location of the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee are authorized or required by law to close.

 

Capital Lease Obligation ” of any Person means any obligation of such Person under any capital lease of (or other agreement conveying the right to use) real or personal property which, in accordance with GAAP, is required to be recorded as a capitalized lease obligation (other than any obligation that is required to be classified and accounted for as an operating lease for financial reporting purposes in accordance with GAAP as in effect on the Issue Date), and the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation shall be the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with GAAP; and the stated maturity thereof shall be the date of the last payment of rent or any other amount due under such lease prior to the first date upon which such lease may be terminated by the lessee without payment of a penalty. For purposes of Section 4.10 , a Capital Lease Obligation will be deemed to be secured by a Lien on the property being leased.

 

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Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all shares, units, interests, participations, rights in or other equivalents (however designated) of such Person’s capital stock, other equity interests in such Person whether now outstanding or issued after the Issue Date, partnership interests (whether general or limited), limited liability company interests in such Person (if a limited liability company), any other interest or participation that confers on any other Person the right to receive a share of the overall profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such Person, including any Preferred Stock, and any rights, warrants or options exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into such Capital Stock in any such case other than debt securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into Capital Stock.

 

Cash Equivalents ” means

 

(1)                      any evidence of Indebtedness issued or directly and fully guaranteed or insured by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof,

 

(2)                      marketable general obligations issued by any state of the United States of America or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition and, at the time of acquisition, having a credit rating of at least ‘‘A’’ (or the equivalent thereof) from either S&P or Moody’s,

 

(3)                      deposits, time deposit accounts, certificates of deposit, money market deposits, overnight bank deposits or acceptances of any financial institution having capital and surplus in excess of $100.0 million and whose senior unsecured debt either (a) is rated at least “A-2” by S&P or at least “P-2” by Moody’s, or (b) has a Thompson Bank Watch Rating of “B” or better,

 

(4)                      commercial paper with a maturity of 365 days or less issued by a corporation (other than an Affiliate or Subsidiary of the Company) organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and rated in one of the two highest ratings categories by S&P or Moody’s or carrying an equivalent rating by a nationally recognized rating agency, if both of the two named Rating Agencies cease publishing ratings of investments,

 

(5)                      repurchase agreements and reverse repurchase agreements relating to Indebtedness of a type described in clause (1), (2) or (3) above that are entered into with a financial institution described in clause (3) above and mature within 365 days from the date of acquisition,

 

(6)                      money market funds which invest substantially all of their assets in securities described in the preceding clauses (1) through (5), and

 

(7)                      marketable short-term money market and similar securities having a rating of at least P-2 or A-2 from either Moody’s or S&P, respectively, and in each case maturing within 24 months after the date of the creation thereof.

 

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Cash Management Obligations ” means, with respect to the Company or any Guarantor, any obligations of such Person to any lender in respect of treasury management arrangements, depositary or other cash management services, including any treasury management line of credit

 

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following events:

 

(1)                      any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act), other than one or more Permitted Holders, is or becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such Person has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total outstanding Voting Stock of the Company (or its successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all its assets) (measured by voting power rather than the number of shares);

 

(2)                                  during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period (or, if later, the Issue Date) constituted the Board of Directors of the Company (together with any new directors whose election to such board or whose nomination for election by the stockholders of the Company was approved by a vote of a majority of the directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period (or, if later, the Issue Date) or whose election or nomination for election was previously so approved), cease for any reason to constitute a majority of such Board of Directors then in office;

 

(3)                                  the Company sells, assigns, conveys, transfers, leases or otherwise disposes of (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to any “person” or “group” (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act); or

 

(4)                                  the Company is liquidated or dissolved or adopts a plan of liquidation or dissolution other than in a transaction which complies with Section 5.01 .

 

Notwithstanding the preceding, a conversion of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from a limited liability company, corporation, limited partnership or other form of entity to a limited liability company, corporation, limited partnership or other form of entity or an exchange of all of the outstanding Capital Stock in one form of entity for Capital Stock for another form of entity shall not constitute a Change of Control, so long as following such conversion or exchange the “persons” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) who “beneficially owned” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that a Person shall be deemed to have beneficial ownership of all securities that such Person has the right to acquire by conversion or exercise of other securities, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) the Capital Stock of the Company immediately prior to such transactions continue to “beneficially own” in the aggregate more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such entity (measured by voting power rather than the number of

 

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shares), or continue to “beneficially own” sufficient equity interests in such entity to elect a majority of its directors, managers, trustees or other Persons serving in a similar capacity for such entity, and, in either case no Person, other than one or more Permitted Holders, “beneficially owns” more than 50% of the Voting Stock of such entity (measured by voting power rather than the number of shares).

 

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

 

Commodity Agreement ” means, with respect to any Person, any futures contract, forward contract, commodity swap agreement, commodity option agreement, hedging agreements and other agreements or arrangements (including swaps, caps, floors, collars, options and similar agreements) or any combination thereof entered into by such Person in respect of Hydrocarbons purchased, used, produced, processed or sold by such Person or its Subsidiaries for the purpose of protecting, on a net basis, against price risks, basis risks or other risks encountered in the Oil and Gas Business.

 

Company ” means Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a Delaware corporation, until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Supplemental Indenture, and thereafter “Company” shall mean such successor Person.

 

Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio ” of the Company means, for any period, the ratio of

 

(a)                                  without duplication, the sum of Consolidated Net Income (Loss) and, in each case to the extent deducted (and not added back) in computing Consolidated Net Income (Loss) for the period of the most recent four consecutive fiscal quarters ending prior to the date of such determination for which financial statements are available, Consolidated Interest Expense, Consolidated Income Tax Expense and Consolidated Non-cash Charges for such four fiscal quarters, less all non-cash items increasing Consolidated Net Income for such four fiscal quarters, in each case, of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis, all determined in accordance with GAAP, to

 

(b)                                  without duplication, Consolidated Interest Expense of the Company for such four fiscal quarters;

 

provided, however , that

 

(1)                      if the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary:

 

(A)                                has incurred any Indebtedness since the beginning of such period that remains outstanding on the relevant date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is an incurrence of Indebtedness, Consolidated Net Income (Loss) and

 

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Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof as if such Indebtedness had been incurred on the first day of such period and such proceeds had been applied as of such date (except that in making such computation, the amount of Indebtedness under any revolving Credit Facility outstanding on the date of such determination will be deemed to be (i) the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during such four fiscal quarters or such shorter period for which such Credit Facility was outstanding or (ii) if such revolving Credit Facility was created after the end of such four fiscal quarters, the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the period from the date of creation of such revolving Credit Facility to the date of such determination; provided that, in each case, such average daily balance shall take into account any repayment of Indebtedness under such revolving Credit Facility as provided in clause (B)); or

 

(B)                                has repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged any Indebtedness since the beginning of the period, including with the proceeds of such new Indebtedness, that is no longer outstanding on such date of determination or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio involves a discharge of Indebtedness (in each case other than Indebtedness incurred under any revolving Credit Facility unless such Indebtedness has been permanently repaid and the related commitment terminated), Consolidated Net Income (Loss) and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis to such discharge of such Indebtedness as if such discharge had occurred on the first day of such period;

 

(2)                      if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary has made any Asset Sale or if the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio is such an Asset Sale, the Consolidated Net Income for such period will be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated Net Income (Loss) (if positive) directly attributable to the assets which are the subject of such Asset Sale for such period or increased by an amount equal to the Consolidated Net Income (Loss) (if negative) directly attributable thereto for such period and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period shall be reduced by an amount equal to the Consolidated Interest Expense directly attributable to any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary repaid, repurchased, defeased or otherwise discharged with respect to the Company and the continuing Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with or with the proceeds from such Asset Sale for such period (or, if the Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary is sold, the Consolidated Interest Expense for such period directly attributable to the Indebtedness of such Restricted Subsidiary to the extent the Company and the continuing Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such Indebtedness after such sale);

 

(3)                      if, since the beginning of such period, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (by merger or otherwise) has made an Investment in any Restricted Subsidiary (or any Person which becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) or an acquisition (or will have received a

 

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contribution) of assets, including any acquisition or contribution of assets occurring in connection with a transaction causing a calculation to be made under this Supplemental Indenture, which constitutes all or substantially all of a company, division, operating unit, segment, business, group of related assets or line of business, Consolidated Net Income (Loss) and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto (including the incurrence of any Indebtedness) as if such Investment or acquisition or contribution had occurred on the first day of such period; and

 

(4)                      if, since the beginning of such period, any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary since the beginning of such period) made any Asset Sale or any Investment or acquisition of assets that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (2) or (3) above if made by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary during such period, Consolidated Net Income (Loss) and Consolidated Interest Expense for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such Asset Sale or Investment or acquisition of assets had occurred on the first day of such period.

 

For purposes of this definition, whenever pro forma effect is to be given to any calculation under this definition, the pro forma calculations will be determined in good faith by a responsible financial or accounting officer of the Company; provided that such officer may in his or her discretion include any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable pro forma changes to Consolidated Net Income (Loss), including any pro forma expenses and cost reductions, that have occurred or in the judgment of such officer are reasonably expected to occur within 12 months of the date of the applicable transaction (regardless of whether such expense or cost reduction or any other operating improvements could then be reflected properly in pro forma financial statements prepared in accordance with Regulation S-X under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the Commission); and provided further that

 

(5)                      in making such computation, the Consolidated Interest Expense attributable to interest on any Indebtedness computed on a pro forma basis and (A) bearing a floating interest rate shall be computed as if the average rate in effect for the period had been the applicable rate for the entire period (taking into account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness, but if the remaining term of such Interest Rate Agreement is less than 12 months, then such Interest Rate Agreement shall only be taken into account for that portion of the period equal to the remaining term thereof) and (B) bearing an interest rate (x) at the option of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, the interest rate shall be calculated by applying such optional rate chosen by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or (y) that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a Eurocurrency interbank offered rate or other rate, shall be calculated based upon the rate actually chosen, or if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen as the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary may designate, and

 

(6)                      in making such computation, the Consolidated Interest Expense of such Person attributable to interest on any Indebtedness under a revolving Credit Facility

 

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computed on a pro forma basis shall be computed based upon the average daily balance of such Indebtedness during the applicable period.

 

Consolidated Income Tax Expense ” of any Person means, for any period, the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes (including state franchise or other taxes accounted for as income taxes in accordance with GAAP) of such Person and its Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries for such period as determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense ” of the Company means, without duplication, for any period, the sum of

 

(a)                                  the interest expense, less interest income, of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, on a Consolidated basis, whether paid or accrued, including, to the extent not included in such interest expense and without duplication, with respect to such Person and its Restricted Subsidiary for such period,

 

(1)                                  amortization of debt discount (excluding amortization of capitalized debt issuance costs) ( provided that any amortization of bond premium will be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such amortization of bond premium has otherwise reduced Consolidated Interest Expense),

 

(2)                                  the net cash costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements (including amortization of fees and discounts); provided, however , that if Interest Rate Agreements result in net cash benefits rather than costs, such benefits shall be credited to reduce Consolidated Interest Expense unless, pursuant to GAAP, such net benefits are otherwise reflected in Consolidated Net Income,

 

(3)                                  the interest portion of any deferred payment obligation,

 

(4)                                  all commissions, discounts and other fees and charges owed with respect to letters of credit and bankers’ acceptance financing, and

 

(5)                                  accrued interest, plus

 

(b)                                  (1)                                  the interest component of the Capital Lease Obligations paid, accrued and/or scheduled to be paid or accrued, and

 

(2)                                  all interest expense that has been capitalized, plus

 

(c)                                   the interest expense under any Guaranteed Debt of the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary or Indebtedness secured by a Lien on assets of the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary, to the extent not included under any other clause hereof, but only to the extent such Guarantee becomes payable by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries or such Lien becomes subject to foreclosure, plus

 

(d)                                  dividend payments of the Company with respect to Disqualified Stock and of any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to Preferred Stock (except, in either case,

 

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dividends payable solely in shares of Qualified Capital Stock of such Person or payable to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary),

 

minus, to the extent included above, any interest attributable to Dollar Denominated Production Payments.

 

Consolidated Net Income (Loss) ” of the Company means, for any period, the Consolidated net income (or loss) of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a Consolidated basis as determined in accordance with GAAP, adjusted, to the extent included in calculating such net income (or loss), by excluding, without duplication,

 

(1)                      all extraordinary gains or losses (together with related provisions for taxes) (less all fees and expenses relating thereto),

 

(2)                      the portion of net income (or loss) of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis allocable to Minority Interests in unconsolidated Persons or Unrestricted Subsidiaries to the extent that, in the case of net income, cash dividends or distributions have not actually been received, or, in the case of net loss, cash has been contributed to fund such loss, by the Company or one of the Company’s Consolidated Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(3)                      any gain or loss, net of taxes, realized upon the termination of any employee pension benefit plan,

 

(4)                      gains or losses, net of taxes (less all fees and expenses relating thereto), in respect of dispositions of assets other than in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business (excluding, without limitation, from the calculation of Consolidated Net Income (Loss) dispositions pursuant to Sale and Leaseback Transactions, but not excluding from such calculation transactions such as farm-outs, sales of leasehold inventory, sales of undivided interests in drilling prospects, and sales or licenses of seismic data or other geological or geophysical data or interpretations thereof),

 

(5)                      the net income of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that the declaration of dividends or similar distributions by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary of that income is not at the time permitted, directly or indirectly, by operation of the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or governmental regulation applicable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or its stockholders,

 

(6)                      any write-downs or impairments of assets (including goodwill) on or related to Hydrocarbon properties or other non-current assets, under applicable GAAP or Commission guidelines,

 

(7)                      any cumulative effect of a change in accounting principles,

 

(8)                      any unrealized non-cash gains or losses on charges in respect of Interest Rate Agreements, Currency Agreements or Commodity Agreements, including those

 

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resulting from the application of Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,”

 

(9)                      any non-cash compensation charge arising from the grant of or issuance of stock, stock options or other equity based awards, and

 

(10)               all deferred financing costs or other financial recapitalization charges written off, and premiums or penalties paid, in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness.

 

Consolidated Net Worth ” means, with respect to any specified Person as of any date, the sum of:

 

(1)                      the Consolidated equity of the common stockholders of such Person and its Consolidated Subsidiaries as of such date; plus

 

(2)                      the respective amounts reported on such Person’s balance sheet as of such date with respect to any series of Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) that by its terms is not entitled to the payment of dividends unless such dividends may be declared and paid only out of net earnings in respect of the year of such declaration and payment, but only to the extent of any cash received by such Person upon issuance of such Preferred Stock.

 

Consolidated Non-cash Charges ” of the Company means, for any period, the aggregate depreciation, depletion, amortization, impairment and exploration and abandonment expense and other non-cash charges of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis for such period, as determined in accordance with GAAP (excluding any non-cash charge (other than a charge for future obligations with respect to the abandonment or retirement of assets) that requires an accrual or reserve for cash charges for any future period).

 

consolidation ” means, with respect to any Person, the consolidation of the accounts of such Person and each of its Subsidiaries if and to the extent the accounts of such Person and each of its Subsidiaries would be consolidated with those of such Person, in accordance with GAAP; provided, however , that “consolidation” will not include consolidation of the accounts of any Unrestricted Subsidiary of such Person with the accounts of such Person. The term “ Consolidated ” or “ consolidated ” shall have a similar meaning.

 

Credit Facility ” means, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, one or more debt facilities (including the Senior Credit Agreement) providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables or other financial assets to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables or other financial assets), letters of credit, commercial paper facilities, debt issuances or other debt obligations, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, restructured, supplemented, replaced or refinanced, in whole or in part and from time to time, including any amendment increasing the amount of Indebtedness incurred or available to be borrowed thereunder, extending the maturity of any Indebtedness incurred thereunder or contemplated thereby or deleting, adding or substituting one

 

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or more parties thereto (whether or not such added or substituted parties are banks or other institutional lenders).

 

Currency Agreement ” means, in respect of a Person, any foreign exchange contract, currency swap agreement, futures contract, option contract or other similar agreement as to which such Person is a party or a beneficiary.

 

Custodian ” means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.

 

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

 

Definitive Note ” means a certificated Note registered in the name of the Holder thereof, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto except that such Note shall not bear the Global Note Legend and shall not have the “ Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note ” attached thereto.

 

Depositary ” means, with respect to the Notes issuable or issued in whole or in part in global form, the Person specified in Section 1.07 as the Depositary with respect to the Notes, and any and all successors thereto appointed as depositary hereunder and having become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Disinterested Director ” means, with respect to any transaction or series of related transactions, a member of the Board of Directors of the Company who does not have any material direct or indirect financial interest (other than as a shareholder or employee of the Company) in or with respect to such transaction or series of related transactions.

 

Disqualified Stock ” means any Capital Stock that, either by its terms or by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or exchangeable or otherwise, is or upon the happening of an event or passage of time would be, required to be redeemed prior to the date that is the earlier of (a) the date 91 days after the date on which no Notes are outstanding and (b) the final Stated Maturity of the principal of the Notes or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof at any time prior to such date (other than, in any case, upon a change of control of or sale of assets by the Company in circumstances where the Holders would have similar rights), or is convertible into or exchangeable for debt securities at any time prior to such date at the option of the holder thereof; provided that only the portion of Capital Stock which is mandatorily redeemable is so redeemable or so convertible or exchangeable at the option of the holder thereof prior to such date will be deemed to be Disqualified Stock; provided further that any Capital Stock issued pursuant to any plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates for the benefit of one or more employees will not constitute Disqualified Stock solely because it may be required to be repurchased by the Company or any of its Affiliates in order to satisfy applicable contractual, statutory or regulatory obligations.

 

Dollar Denominated Production Payment ” means a production payment required to be recorded as a borrowing in accordance with GAAP, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

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Equity Investor ” means each of (i) Warburg Pincus Private Equity IX L.P., (ii) Warburg Pincus Private Equity X O&G, L.P. and (iii) Warburg Pincus X Partners, L.P.

 

Equity Offering ” means an underwritten public offering or nonpublic, unregistered or private placement of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company or any contribution to capital of the Company in respect of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company.

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

 

Exchanged Properties ” means Additional Assets received by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in a substantially concurrent purchase and sale, trade or exchange as a portion of the total consideration for other properties or assets.

 

“Existing Senior Notes ” means (a) the Company’s 9 1 / 2 % Senior Notes due 2019 in the aggregate principal amount of $550,000,000, (b) the Company’s 7 3 / 8 % Senior Notes due 2022 in the aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000, and (c) the Company’s 5 5 / 8 % Senior Notes due 2022 in the aggregate principal amount of $450,000,000, in each case outstanding on the Issue Date.

 

Fair Market Value ” means, with respect to any asset or property, the sale value that would be obtained in an arm’s-length free market transaction between an informed and willing seller under no compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy. Fair Market Value of an asset or property in excess of $20.0 million shall be determined by the Board of Directors of the Company acting in good faith, which determination will be conclusive for all purposes under this Supplemental Indenture, in which event it shall be evidenced by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, and any lesser Fair Market Value shall be determined by the principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company acting in good faith, which determination will be conclusive for all purposes under this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Foreign Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that (x) is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, or (y) was organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia that has no material assets other than Capital Stock of one or more foreign entities of the type described in clause (x) above.

 

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ” or “ GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, which are in effect from time to time.  All ratio computations based on GAAP contained in this Supplemental Indenture will be computed in conformity with GAAP.

 

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Global Note ” means a Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A attached hereto that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the “Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note” attached thereto, and that is deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary. Each Global Note shall constitute a “Global Security” within the meaning of the Base Indenture.

 

Global Note Legend ” means the legend set forth in Section 204 of the Base Indenture, which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Guarantee ” means the guarantee by any Guarantor of the obligations of the Company under this Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and the Notes.

 

Guaranteed Debt ” of any Person means, without duplication, all Indebtedness of any other Person guaranteed directly or indirectly in any manner by such Person, or in effect guaranteed directly or indirectly by such Person through an agreement, made primarily for the purpose of enabling the debtor to make payment of such Indebtedness or to assure the holder of such Indebtedness against loss,

 

(1)                      to pay or purchase such Indebtedness or to advance or supply funds for the payment or purchase of such Indebtedness,

 

(2)                      to purchase, sell or lease (as lessee or lessor) property, or to purchase or sell services,

 

(3)                      to supply funds to, or in any other manner invest in, the debtor (including any agreement to pay for property or services without requiring that such property be received or such services be rendered),

 

(4)                      to maintain working capital or equity capital of the debtor, or otherwise to maintain the net worth, solvency or other financial condition of the debtor or to cause such debtor to achieve certain levels of financial performance, or

 

(5)                      otherwise to assure a creditor against loss;

 

provided that the term “guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business or any obligation to the extent it is payable only in Qualified Capital Stock of the guarantor.

 

Guarantors ” means (i) the Initial Guarantors and (ii) any other Subsidiary of the Company that is a guarantor of the Notes, including any Person that is required after the Issue Date to execute a supplemental indenture providing for a full and unconditional guarantee on a senior unsecured basis of the Company’s obligations under the Notes pursuant to Section 4.12 , until a successor replaces such party pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Supplemental Indenture and, thereafter, shall mean such successor; provided, however , that any Person constituting a Guarantor as described above shall cease to constitute a Guarantor when its Guarantee is released in accordance with the terms of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

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Hedging Obligations ” of any Person means the obligations of such Person pursuant to any Interest Rate Agreement, Currency Agreement or Commodity Agreement.

 

Holder ” means the Person in whose name a Note is, at the time of determination, registered on the Securities Register.

 

Hydrocarbons ” means oil, natural gas, casing head gas, drip gasoline, natural gasoline, condensate, distillate, liquid hydrocarbons, gaseous hydrocarbons and all constituents, elements or compounds thereof and all products, by-products and all other substances (whether or not hydrocarbon in nature) produced in connection therewith or refined, separated, settled or derived therefrom or the processing thereof, and all other minerals and substances related to the foregoing, including liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, kerosene, sulphur, lignite, coal, all gas resulting from the in-situ combustion of coal or lignite, uranium, thorium, iron, geothermal steam, water, carbon dioxide, helium, and any and all other minerals, ores, or substances of value, and the products and proceeds therefrom.

 

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, without duplication,

 

(1)                      (a) all indebtedness of such Person (i) for borrowed money or (ii) for the deferred purchase price of property or services, excluding any Trade Accounts Payable and other accrued current liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business, and (b) all obligations, contingent or otherwise, of such Person in connection with any letters of credit issued under letter of credit facilities, acceptance facilities or other similar facilities (other than obligations with respect to letters of credit securing obligations (other than obligations described in clauses (1)(a), (2), (3) or (5) of this definition) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if and to the extent drawn upon, such drawing is reimbursed no later than the tenth Business Day following payment on the letter of credit),

 

(2)                      all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or other similar instruments,

 

(3)                      all indebtedness of such Person created or arising under any conditional sale or other title retention agreement with respect to property acquired by such Person (even if the rights and remedies of the seller or lender under such agreement in the event of default are limited to repossession or sale of such property), but excluding Trade Accounts Payable and other accrued current liabilities arising in the ordinary course of business,

 

(4)                      all obligations under or in respect of Currency Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements of such Person (the amount of any such obligations to be equal at any time to the net termination value of such agreement or arrangement giving rise to such obligation that would be payable by such Person at such time),

 

(5)                      all Capital Lease Obligations of such Person,

 

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(6)                      the Attributable Indebtedness related to any Sale and Leaseback Transaction,

 

(7)                      all Indebtedness referred to in clauses (1) through (6) above of other Persons, to the extent the payment of such Indebtedness is secured by any Lien, upon or with respect to property (including accounts and contract rights) owned by such Person, even though such Person has not assumed or become liable for the payment of such Indebtedness,

 

(8)                      all Guaranteed Debt of such Person,

 

(9)                      all Disqualified Stock issued by such Person valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference and its maximum fixed redemption price or repurchase price, and

 

(10)               Preferred Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary or any Guarantor, valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference and its maximum fixed redemption price or repurchase price;

 

if and to the extent (solely in the case of the obligations specified in clauses (1)(a)(ii), (3) and (5) immediately above) such obligations would appear as liabilities upon the Consolidated balance sheet of such Person in accordance with GAAP; provided, however , that the following shall in any event not constitute “ Indebtedness ”:

 

(a)                                  any indebtedness which has been defeased in accordance with GAAP or defeased pursuant to the deposit of cash or Cash Equivalents (in an amount sufficient to satisfy all such indebtedness obligations at maturity or redemption, as applicable, and all payments of interest and premium, if any) in a trust or account created or pledged for the sole benefit of the holders of such indebtedness, and subject to no other Liens, and the other applicable terms of the instrument governing such indebtedness;

 

(b)                                  accrued current liabilities and Trade Accounts Payable arising in the ordinary course of business;

 

(c)                                   any obligation of a Person in respect of a farm-in agreement or similar arrangement whereby such Person agrees to pay all or a share of the drilling, completion or other expenses of an exploratory or development well (which agreement may be subject to maximum payment obligations, after which expenses are shared in accordance with the working or participation interest therein or in accordance with the agreement of the parties) or perform the drilling, completion or other operation on such well in exchange for an ownership interest in an oil or gas property;

 

(d)                                  in connection with the acquisition or disposition of any business, assets or Capital Stock of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, any obligations arising from agreements of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary providing for indemnification, guarantees (other than guarantees of Indebtedness), adjustment of purchase price, holdbacks, contingent payment obligations (including earnouts) based on a final financial

 

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statement or performance of acquired or disposed of assets or similar obligations or from guarantees or letters of credit, surety bonds or performance bonds securing any obligation of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to such an agreement, in each case, incurred or assumed in connection with such acquisition or disposition;

 

(e)           oil or natural gas balancing obligations or liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f)            any obligation in respect of any Commodity Agreement;

 

(g)           any unrealized losses or charges in respect of Currency Agreements, Commodity Agreements or Interest Rate Agreements (including those resulting from the application of ASC 815);

 

(h)           any obligations in respect of (i) bid, performance, completion, surety, appeal and similar bonds, (ii) obligations in respect of bankers acceptances, (iii) insurance obligations or bonds and other similar bonds and obligations and (iv) any guaranties or letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations; provided, however, that such bonds or obligations mentioned in subclause (i), (ii), (iii) or (iv) of this clause (h), are incurred in the ordinary course of the business of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries and do not relate to obligations for borrowed money;

 

(i)            any obligations in respect of completion bonds, performance bonds, bid bonds, appeal bonds, surety bonds, bankers’ acceptances, letters of credit, insurance obligations or bonds and other similar bonds and obligations incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and any guarantees and obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to or letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations;

 

(j)            any obligations under Currency Agreements and Interest Rate Agreements; provided that such agreements are entered into for bona fide hedging purposes of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries (as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors or senior management of the Company, whether or not accounted for as a hedge in accordance with GAAP) and, in the case of Currency Agreements, such Currency Agreements are related to business transactions of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and, in the case of Interest Rate Agreements, such Interest Rate Agreements are not entered into for speculative purposes;

 

(k)           any obligation arising from the honoring by a bank or other financial institution of a check, draft or similar instrument (including daylight overdrafts) drawn against insufficient funds in the ordinary course of business; provided that such Indebtedness is extinguished within five Business Days of incurrence;

 

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(l)            all contracts and other obligations, agreements, instruments or arrangements described in clauses (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi) of the definition of “Oil and Gas Liens” and clause (j) of the definition of “Permitted Lien”; and

 

(m)          Production Payments and Reserve Sales.

 

For purposes hereof, the “ maximum fixed repurchase price ” of any Disqualified Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of such Disqualified Stock as if such Disqualified Stock were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture, and if such price is based upon, or measured by, the Fair Market Value of such Disqualified Stock, such Fair Market Value to be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the issuer of such Disqualified Stock.

 

Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (whether by merger, consolidation, acquisition of Capital Stock or otherwise) or is merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or which is secured by a Lien on an asset acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by the acquiring Person) shall be deemed incurred at the time the Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or at the time of the merger or asset acquisition, as the case may be.

 

The “amount” or “principal amount” of Indebtedness at any time of determination as used herein shall, except as set forth below, be determined in accordance with GAAP:

 

(1)       the “amount” or “principal amount” of any Capitalized Lease Obligation shall be the amount determined in accordance with the definition thereof;

 

(2)       the “amount” or “principal amount” of any Preferred Stock shall be the greater of its voluntary or involuntary liquidation preference and its maximum fixed redemption price or repurchase price;

 

(3)       the “amount” or “principal amount” of all other unconditional obligations shall be the amount of the liability thereof determined in accordance with GAAP; and

 

(4)       the “amount” or “principal amount” of all other contingent obligations shall be the maximum liability at such date of such Person.

 

Indenture ” means the Base Indenture, as supplemented and modified by this Supplemental Indenture, as either may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof, including the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part hereof.

 

Initial Guarantors ” means Laredo Midstream Services, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, and Garden City Minerals, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company.

 

Initial Notes ” means the $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of Notes issued upon original issue on the Issue Date.  The Initial Notes comprise all Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture other than any Additional Notes.

 

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Interest Rate Agreements ” means one or more of the following agreements which shall be entered into by one or more financial institutions: interest rate protection agreements (including interest rate swaps, caps, floors, collars and similar agreements) and/or other types of interest rate hedging agreements from time to time.

 

Investment ” means, with respect to any Person, directly or indirectly, any advance, loan (including guarantees), or other extension of credit or capital contribution to any other Person (by means of any transfer of cash or other property to such Person or any payment for property or services for the account or use of such Person), or any purchase, acquisition or ownership by such Person of any Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other securities issued or owned by any other Person and all other items that would be classified as investments on a balance sheet of such Person prepared in accordance with GAAP.  “Investment” shall exclude, as to any Person, direct or indirect advances or payments to customers or suppliers in the ordinary course of business that are, in conformity with GAAP, recorded as accounts receivable, prepaid expenses or deposits on such Person’s balance sheet, endorsements for collection or deposit arising in the ordinary course of business, any debt or extension of credit represented by a bank deposit other than a time deposit, any interest in an oil or gas leasehold to the extent constituting a security under applicable law and extensions of trade credit on commercially reasonable terms in accordance with normal trade practices.  If the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary sells or otherwise disposes of any Capital Stock of any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary such that, after giving effect to any such sale or disposition, such Person is no longer a Subsidiary of the Company (other than the sale of all of the outstanding Capital Stock of such Subsidiary), the Company will be deemed to have made an Investment on the date of such sale or disposition equal to the Fair Market Value of the Company’s Investments in such Restricted Subsidiary that were not sold or disposed of in an amount determined as provided in Section 4.08(a) .  The amount of the investment shall be its Fair Market Value at the time the investment is made and shall not be adjusted for increases or decreases in value, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs with respect to such Investment.

 

Investment Grade Rating ” means at least BBB-, in the case of S&P (or at least its equivalent under any successor rating categories of S&P), at least Baa3, in the case of Moody’s (or at least its equivalent under any successor rating categories of Moody’s), or, if either such entity ceases to make its rating on the Notes publicly available for reasons outside the Company’s control, at least the equivalent in respect of the rating categories of any Rating Agency substituted for S&P or Moody’s in accordance with the definition of “Rating Agencies.”

 

Issue Date ” means March 18, 2015, the original issue date of the Initial Notes under this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Lien ” means any mortgage or deed of trust, charge, pledge, lien (statutory or otherwise), privilege, security interest, assignment, deposit, arrangement, hypothecation, claim, preference, priority or other encumbrance for security purposes upon or with respect to any property of any kind (including any conditional sale, capital lease or other title retention agreement, any leases in the nature thereof, and any agreement to give any security interest), real or personal, movable or immovable, now owned or hereafter acquired.  A Person will be deemed to own subject to a Lien any property which it has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, Capital Lease Obligation or other title

 

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retention agreement.  Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Supplemental Indenture, references herein to Liens permitted to exist upon any particular item of Property shall also be deemed (whether or not stated specifically) to permit Liens to exist upon any improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof).

 

Liquid Securities ” means securities that are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange or the Nasdaq Stock Market and as to which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary is not subject to any restrictions on sale or transfer (including any volume restrictions under Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other restrictions imposed by the Securities Act) or as to which a registration statement under the Securities Act covering the resale thereof is in effect for as long as the securities are held; provided that securities meeting the foregoing requirements shall be treated as Liquid Securities from the date of receipt thereof until and only until the earlier of (a) the date on which such securities are sold or exchanged for cash or Cash Equivalents and (b) 180 days following the date of receipt of such securities. If such securities are not sold or exchanged for cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days of receipt thereof, for purposes of determining whether the transaction pursuant to which the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary received the securities was in compliance with Section 4.11 , such securities shall be deemed not to have been Liquid Securities at any time.

 

Maturity ” means, when used with respect to the Notes, the date on which the principal of the Notes becomes due and payable as therein provided or as provided in this Supplemental Indenture, whether at Stated Maturity, the Asset Sale Purchase Date, the Change of Control Purchase Date or the redemption date and whether by declaration of acceleration, Prepayment Offer in respect of Excess Proceeds, Change of Control Offer in respect of a Change of Control, call for redemption or otherwise.

 

Measurement Date ” means January 20, 2011, the original issue date of the series of Existing Senior Notes first issued in January 2011.

 

Minority Interest ” means the percentage interest represented by any class of Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary that are not owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (or any successor to the rating agency business thereof).

 

Net Available Cash ” from an Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction means cash proceeds received therefrom (including any (i) cash proceeds received by way of deferred payment of principal pursuant to a note or installment receivable or otherwise and (ii) net proceeds from the sale or disposition of any Liquid Securities, in each case, only as and when received and excluding (x) any other consideration received in the form of assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and (y) except to the extent subsequently converted to cash or Cash Equivalents, Liquid Securities, consideration constituting Exchanged Properties or consideration other than as identified in the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii)), in each case net of:

 

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(1)       all legal, title and recording expenses, commissions and other fees and expenses incurred, and all federal, state, foreign and local taxes required to be paid or accrued as a liability under GAAP as a consequence of such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

(2)       all payments made on any Indebtedness, Currency Agreement, Commodity Agreement or Interest Rate Agreement which is secured by any assets subject to such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction, in accordance with the terms of any Lien upon such assets, or which must by its terms, or in order to obtain a necessary consent to such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction or by applicable law, be repaid out of the proceeds from such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction; provided that such payments are made in a manner that results in the permanent reduction in the balance of such Indebtedness and, if applicable, a permanent reduction in any outstanding commitment for future incurrences of Indebtedness thereunder;

 

(3)       all distributions and other payments required to be made to Minority Interest holders in Subsidiaries or joint ventures as a result of such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

(4)       the deduction of appropriate amounts to be provided by the seller as a reserve, in accordance with GAAP, against any liabilities associated with the assets disposed of in such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary after such Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction; and

 

(5)       all relocation expenses as a result thereof and all related severance and associated costs, expenses and charges of personnel related to assets and related operations disposed of;

 

provided that, if any consideration for an Asset Sale or Sale and Leaseback Transaction (which would otherwise constitute Net Available Cash) is required to be held in escrow pending determination of whether a purchase price adjustment will be made, or as a reserve in accordance with GAAP, such consideration (or any portion thereof) shall become Net Available Cash only at such time as it is released to the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries from escrow or is released from such reserve.

 

Net Cash Proceeds ” means with respect to any issuance or sale of Capital Stock or options, warrants or rights to purchase Capital Stock, or debt securities or Capital Stock that have been converted into or exchanged for Capital Stock as provided under Section 4.08 , the  aggregate proceeds of such issuance or sale in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents including payments in respect of deferred payment obligations when received in the form of, or stock or other assets when disposed of for, cash or Cash Equivalents (except to the extent that such obligations are financed or sold with recourse to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), net of (a) attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees and brokerage, consultation, underwriting and other fees and expenses actually incurred in connection with such issuance or sale or (b) taxes paid or payable or required to be accrued as a liability under GAAP as a result thereof.

 

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Net Working Capital ” means (i) all current assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, less (ii) all current liabilities of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries, except current liabilities included in Indebtedness, in each case as set forth in Consolidated financial statements of the Company prepared in accordance with GAAP; provided that all of the following shall be excluded in the calculation of Net Working Capital: (a) current assets or liabilities relating to the mark-to-market value of Interest Rate Agreements and hedging arrangements constituting Permitted Debt or commodity price risk management activities arising in the ordinary course of the Oil and Gas Business; (b) any current assets or liabilities relating to non-cash charges arising from any grant of Capital Stock, options to acquire Capital Stock or other equity based awards; and (c) any current assets or liabilities relating to non-cash charges or accruals for future abandonment or asset retirement liabilities.

 

Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary and is designated by the Company as a Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiary, as evidenced by a Board Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

Non-U.S. Person ” means a Person who is not a U.S. Person.

 

Notes ” has the meaning stated in the third recital of this Supplemental Indenture and more particularly means any Notes authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Supplemental Indenture.  For all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture:

 

(a)           the term “Notes” shall include all Additional Notes issued hereunder, and

 

(b)           (i) all Additional Notes issued hereunder and (ii) all Initial Notes shall be treated as a single class for purposes of this Supplemental Indenture as specified in Section 1.03 .

 

Oil and Gas Business ” means the business of exploiting, exploring for, developing, acquiring, operating, servicing, producing, processing, gathering, marketing, storing, selling, hedging, treating, swapping, refining and transporting Hydrocarbons, Hydrocarbon properties or Hydrocarbon assets and other related energy businesses and activities arising from, relating to or necessary, ancillary, complementary or incidental to the foregoing.

 

Oil and Gas Liens ” means (i) Liens on any specific property or any interest therein, construction thereon or improvement thereto to secure all or any part of the costs incurred for surveying, exploration, drilling, extraction, development, operation, production, construction, alteration, repair or improvement of, in, under or on such property and the plugging and abandonment of wells located thereon (it being understood that, in the case of oil and gas producing properties, or any interest therein, costs incurred for development shall include costs incurred for all facilities relating to such properties or to projects, ventures or other arrangements of which such properties form a part or which relate to such properties or interests); (ii) Liens on an oil or gas producing property to secure obligations incurred or guarantees of obligations incurred in connection with or necessarily incidental to commitments for the purchase or sale of, or the transportation or distribution of, the products derived from such property; (iii) Liens arising under partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, overriding royalty agreements, net

 

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profits agreements, production payment agreements, royalty trust agreements, incentive compensation programs for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, master limited partnership agreements, farm-out agreements, farm-in agreements, division orders, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, gathering or processing of oil, gas or other hydrocarbons, unitizations and pooling designations, declarations, orders and agreements, development agreements, operating agreements, production sales contracts, area of mutual interest agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or geophysical permits or agreements, and other agreements which are customary in the Oil and Gas Business; provided in all instances that such Liens are limited to the assets that are the subject of the relevant agreement, program, order or contract; (iv) Liens arising in connection with Production Payments and Reserve Sales; (v) Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law; and (vi) Liens on, or related to, properties and assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries to secure all or a part of the costs incurred in the ordinary course of business of exploration, drilling, development, production, processing, gas gathering, marketing, refining or storage, abandonment or operation thereof.

 

Oil and Gas Properties ” means all properties, including equity or other ownership interests therein, owned by a Person which contain or are believed to contain oil and gas reserves.

 

Pari Passu Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or a Guarantor that is pari passu in right of payment to the Notes or a Guarantee, as the case may be.

 

Pari Passu Offer ” means an offer by the Company or a Guarantor to purchase all or a portion of Pari Passu Indebtedness to the extent required by the indenture or other agreement or instrument pursuant to which such Pari Passu Indebtedness was issued.

 

Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness (including Disqualified Stock) of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent such Indebtedness was Indebtedness:

 

(1)       of an acquired Person prior to the date on which such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of having been acquired and not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition; or

 

(2)       of a Person that was merged or consolidated with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that was not incurred in contemplation of such merger or consolidation;

 

provided that on the date such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or the date such Person was merged or consolidated with or into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis (on the assumption that the transaction occurred on the first day of the four-quarter period for which financial statements are available ending immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction with the appropriate adjustments with respect to the transaction being included in such pro forma calculation),

 

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(a)           the Restricted Subsidiary or the Company, as applicable, would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness pursuant to the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test under Section 4.07(a) , or

 

(b)           the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company would be no smaller than the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company immediately prior to such transaction.

 

Permitted Business Investments ” means Investments and expenditures made in the ordinary course of, or of a nature that is or shall have become customary in, the Oil and Gas Business as a means of engaging therein through agreements, transactions, properties, interests or arrangements that permit one to share or transfer risks or costs, comply with regulatory requirements regarding local ownership or otherwise or satisfy other objectives customarily achieved through the conduct of the Oil and Gas Business jointly with third parties, including (i) ownership interests in Hydrocarbon properties and interests therein, liquid natural gas facilities, drilling operations, processing facilities, refineries, gathering systems, pipelines, storage facilities, related systems or facilities, ancillary real property interests and interests therein; (ii) entry into and Investments and expenditures in the form of or pursuant to operating agreements, processing agreements, farm-in agreements, farm-out agreements, development agreements, area of mutual interest agreements, unitization agreements, pooling arrangements, joint bidding agreements, service contracts, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements (whether general or limited) and other similar agreements (including for limited liability companies), working interests, royalty interests, mineral leases, production sharing agreements, production sales and marketing agreements, subscription agreements, stock purchase agreements, stockholder agreements, oil or gas leases, overriding royalty agreements, net profits agreements, production payment agreements, royalty trust agreements, incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists and other providers of technical services to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, division orders, participation agreements, master limited partnership agreements, contracts for the sale, purchase, exchange, transportation, gathering, processing, marketing or storage of Hydrocarbons, communitizations, declarations, orders and agreements, gas balancing or deferred production agreements, injection, repressuring and recycling agreements, salt water or other disposal agreements, seismic or geophysical permits or agreements, or other similar or customary agreements, transactions, properties, interests or arrangements, Asset Swaps, and exchanges of properties of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries for other properties that, together with any cash and Cash Equivalents in connection therewith, are of at least equivalent value as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company with third parties, excluding, however , Investments in corporations or Unrestricted Subsidiaries that are Permitted Investments; (iii) capital expenditures, including acquisitions of properties that are related or incidental to, or used or useful in connection with, the Oil and Gas Business or other business activities that are not prohibited by the terms of this Supplemental Indenture, and interests therein; and (iv) Investments of operating funds on behalf of co-owners of properties used in the Oil and Gas Business of the Company or the Subsidiaries of the Company pursuant to joint operating agreements.

 

Permitted Holder ” means the Equity Investors and Related Parties. Any person or group whose acquisition of beneficial ownership constitutes a Change of Control in respect of

 

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which a Change of Control Offer is (or pursuant to Section 4.17(g)  is not required to be) made in accordance with the requirements of this Supplemental Indenture will thereafter, together with its Affiliates, constitute an additional Permitted Holder.

 

Permitted Investment ” means:

 

(1)       Investments by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in (i) the Company, (ii) any Restricted Subsidiary or (iii) any Person which, as a result of such Investment, (a) becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or (b) is merged or consolidated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(2)       Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary described under clauses (4) and (5) of the definition of “Permitted Debt”;

 

(3)       repurchases of or other Investments in any of the Notes or Guarantees;

 

(4)       cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(5)       Investments in property, plants and equipment used in the ordinary course of business and Permitted Business Investments;

 

(6)       Investments acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an Asset Sale permitted under Section 4.11 to the extent such Investments are non-cash proceeds as permitted under such Section;

 

(7)       Investments in existence on the Issue Date, and any extension, modification or renewal of any such Investments, but only to the extent not involving additional advances, contributions or other transfers of cash or other assets in respect of such Investments;

 

(8)       Investments acquired in exchange for the issuance of, or out of the Net Cash Proceeds of the substantially concurrent (a) contribution (other than from a Restricted Subsidiary) to the equity capital of the Company in respect of, or (b) sale (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary) of, Qualified Capital Stock of the Company;

 

(9)       Investments in prepaid expenses, negotiable instruments held for collection and lease, utility and workers’ compensation, performance and other similar deposits provided to third parties in the ordinary course of business;

 

(10)     relocation allowances for, and loans or advances to, officers, directors or employees of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business for bona fide business purposes of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries (including travel, entertainment and relocation expenses) in the aggregate amount outstanding at any one time of not more than $2.0 million;

 

(11)     receivables owing to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or acquired in the ordinary course of business and payable or dischargeable in accordance

 

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with customary trade terms; provided, however , that such trade terms may include such concessionary trade terms as the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary deems reasonable under the circumstances;

 

(12)     payroll, commission, travel and similar advances to cover matters that are expected at the time of such advances ultimately to be treated as expenses for accounting purposes and that are made in the ordinary course of business;

 

(13)     any Investments received in good faith in settlement of litigation, arbitration or other disputes (including pursuant to any workout, restructuring, recapitalization or bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings) with Persons who are not Affiliates, or compromise or resolution of, or upon satisfaction of judgments with respect to receivables or other obligations that were obtained in the ordinary course of business, including pursuant to any plan of reorganization or similar arrangement upon the bankruptcy or insolvency of any trade creditor or customer or as a result of a foreclosure or title transfer by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to a secured Investment in default;

 

(14)     any Person to the extent such Investments consist of Commodity Agreements, Interest Rate Agreements or Currency Agreements otherwise permitted under Section 4.07 ;

 

(15)     Investments in a Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Issue Date or of any entity merged into or consolidated with the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in accordance with Section 5.01 , to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;

 

(16)     Investments in any units of any oil and gas royalty trust;

 

(17)     Guarantees of Indebtedness permitted under Section 4.07 ;

 

(18)     Guarantees of performance or other obligations (other than Indebtedness) arising in the ordinary course in the Oil and Gas Business, including obligations under oil and natural gas exploration, development, joint operating, and related agreements and licenses, concessions or operating leases related to the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(19)     advances and prepayments for asset purchases in the ordinary course of business in the Oil and Gas Business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(20)     any other Investment the amount of which, when combined with the aggregate amount of all other outstanding Investments made pursuant to this clause (20), does not exceed the greater of (x) $20.0 million and (y) 1.0% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined at the time the Investment is made; provided that, if any Investment is made in a Person that is not a Restricted Subsidiary at the date of the making of such Investment and such Person later becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, such Investment shall be deemed to have been made pursuant to clause (1) of this definition

 

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and shall cease to have been made pursuant to this clause (20) for so long as such Person continues to be a Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

(21)               guarantees received with respect to any Permitted Investment listed above.

 

In connection with any assets or property contributed or transferred to any Person as an Investment, such property and assets shall be equal to the Fair Market Value at the time of Investment, without regard to subsequent changes in value or writeups, writedowns or writeoffs.

 

With respect to any Investment, the Company may, in its sole discretion, allocate all or any portion of any Investment to one or more of the above clauses so that the entire Investment is a Permitted Investment.

 

Permitted Lien ” means:

 

(a)                                  any Lien existing as of the Issue Date to the extent and in the manner such Liens are securing Indebtedness or obligations existing on the Issue Date;

 

(b)                                  any Lien securing Indebtedness under the Senior Credit Facility or any other Credit Facility permitted to be incurred under Section 4.07 ;

 

(c)                                   any Lien securing the Notes, the Guarantees and other obligations arising under this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(d)                                  Liens securing Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness which is incurred to Refinance any Indebtedness which has been secured by a Lien permitted under this Supplemental Indenture and which has been incurred in accordance with the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture; provided, however , that such Liens (1) are no less favorable to the Holders and are not more favorable to the lienholders with respect to such Liens than the Liens in respect of the Indebtedness being Refinanced and (2) do not extend to or cover any property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary not securing the Indebtedness so Refinanced;

 

(e)                                   any Lien arising by reason of:

 

(1)                                  any judgment, decree or order of any court, so long as such Lien is adequately bonded and any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment, decree or order shall not have been finally terminated or the period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired;

 

(2)                                  taxes, assessments or governmental charges or claims that are not yet delinquent or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted; provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as will be required in conformity with GAAP will have been made therefor;

 

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(3)                                  security made in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance or other types of social security or similar legislation;

 

(4)                                  good faith deposits in connection with tenders, leases and contracts (other than contracts for the payment of Indebtedness);

 

(5)                                  survey exceptions, zoning restrictions, easements, licenses, reservations, title defects, rights of others for rights of way, utilities, sewers, electric lines, telephone or telegraph lines, and other similar purposes, provisions, covenants, conditions, waivers, restrictions on the use of property or minor irregularities of title (and with respect to leasehold interests, mortgages, obligations, Liens and other encumbrances incurred, created, assumed or permitted to exist and arising by, through or under a landlord or owner of the leased property, with or without consent of the lessee), none of which materially impairs the use of any parcel of property material to the operation of the business of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries or the value of such property for the purpose of such business;

 

(6)                                  deposits to secure public or statutory obligations, or in lieu of surety or appeal bonds;

 

(7)                                  operation of law or contract in favor of mechanics, carriers, warehousemen, landlords, materialmen, laborers, employees, suppliers and similar persons, incurred in the ordinary course of business, to the extent such Liens relate only to the tangible property of the lessee which is located on such property, for sums which are not yet delinquent or are being contested in good faith by negotiations or by appropriate proceedings which suspend the collection thereof; if such reserve or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required by GAAP shall have been made in respect thereof;

 

(8)                                  Indebtedness or other obligations of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; or

 

(9)                                  normal depository or cash-management arrangements with banks;

 

(f)                                    any Lien securing Acquired Debt created prior to (and not created in connection with, or in contemplation of) the incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries; provided that such Lien only secures the assets acquired in connection with the transaction pursuant to which the Acquired Debt became an obligation of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(g)                                   any Lien to secure performance bids, leases (including statutory and common law landlord’s liens), statutory obligations, letters of credit and other obligations of a like nature and incurred in the ordinary course of business of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries and not securing or supporting Indebtedness, and any Lien to secure statutory or appeal bonds;

 

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(h)                                  any Lien securing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (7) of the definition of “Permitted Debt,” so long as none of such Indebtedness constitutes debt for borrowed money;

 

(i)                                      any Lien securing Capital Lease Obligations or Purchase Money Obligations incurred or assumed in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture solely in connection with the acquisition, construction, improvement or development of real or personal, moveable or immovable property; provided that such Liens only extend to such property so acquired, constructed, improved or developed (together with improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof)), such Indebtedness  secured by such Lien shall either (x) be in an amount not in excess of the original purchase price or the original cost of such property so acquired, constructed, improved or developed or (y) be with recourse solely to such assets, in the case of clause (x) or (y), together with improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and  all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof), the incurrence of such Indebtedness is permitted by Section 4.07 and such Lien is incurred not more than 360 days after the later of the acquisition or completion of construction, improvement or development of the property subject to such Lien;

 

(j)                                     leases and subleases of real property which do not materially interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(k)                                  (1) Liens on property, assets or shares of stock of a Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary or is merged with or into or consolidated with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens are not created, incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such other Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary or such merger or consolidation; provided further that any such Lien may not extend to any other property owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and assets fixed or appurtenant thereto; and (2) Liens on property, assets or shares of Capital Stock existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such Liens are not created, incurred or assumed in connection with, or in contemplation of, such acquisition and do not extend to any property other than the property so acquired;

 

(l)                                      Oil and Gas Liens, in each case which are not incurred in connection with the borrowing of money;

 

(m)                              Liens on the Capital Stock of any Unrestricted Subsidiary owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent securing Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(n)                                  Liens arising from Uniform Commercial Code financing statement filings regarding operating leases entered into by the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;

 

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(o)                                  Liens upon specific items of inventory, receivables or other goods or proceeds of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary securing such Person’s obligations in respect of bankers’ acceptances or receivables securitizations issued or created for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory, receivables or other goods or proceeds and permitted by Section 4.07 ;

 

(p)                                  Liens securing any insurance premium financing under customary terms and conditions; provided that no such Lien may extend to or cover any assets or property other than the insurance being acquired with such financing, the proceeds thereof and any unearned or refunded insurance premiums related thereto;

 

(q)                                  Liens in favor of collecting or payor banks having a right of setoff, revocation, refund or chargeback with respect to money or instruments of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary on deposit with or in possession of any such bank;

 

(r)                                     Liens arising under this Supplemental Indenture in favor of the Trustee for its own benefit and similar Liens in favor of other trustees, agents and representatives arising under instruments governing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Supplemental Indenture, including the indentures governing the Existing Senior Notes; provided, however , that such Liens are solely for the benefit of the trustees, agents or representatives in their capacities as such and not for the benefit of the holders of such Indebtedness;

 

(s)                                    Liens arising from the deposit of funds or securities in trust for the purpose of decreasing or defeasing Indebtedness so long as such deposit of funds or securities and such decreasing or defeasing of Indebtedness are permitted under Section 4.08 ;

 

(t)                                     any extension, renewal, refinancing or replacement, in whole or in part, of any Lien described in the foregoing clauses (a) through (s) so long as no additional collateral is granted as security thereby; and

 

(u)                                  in addition to the items referred to in clauses (a) through (t) above, any Lien of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to secure Indebtedness the amount of which, when combined with the outstanding amount of all other Indebtedness secured by Liens incurred pursuant to this clause (u), does not exceed $15.0 million.

 

In each case set forth above, notwithstanding any stated limitation on the assets that may be subject to such Lien, a Permitted Lien on a specified asset or group or type of assets may include Liens on all improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof).

 

Notwithstanding anything in clauses (a) through (u) of this definition, the term “Permitted Liens” does not include any Liens resulting from the creation, incurrence, issuance, assumption or guarantee of any Production Payments other than (i) Production Payments that are created, incurred, issued, assumed or guaranteed in connection with the financing of, and within

 

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90 days after, the acquisition of the properties or assets that are subject thereto and (ii) Volumetric Production Payments that constitute Asset Sales.

 

Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness ” means any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary issued in a Refinancing of other Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than intercompany Indebtedness); provided that:

 

(1)                      the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness being Refinanced (plus all accrued interest on the Indebtedness and the amount of all fees and expenses, including premiums, incurred in connection therewith);

 

(2)                      such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a final maturity date no earlier than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being Refinanced; and

 

(3)                      if the Indebtedness being Refinanced is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or a Guarantee, such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or such Guarantee, as the case may be, on terms at least as favorable to the Holders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being Refinanced or shall be Capital Stock of the obligor on the Indebtedness being Refinanced.

 

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

 

Predecessor Note ” of any particular Note means every previous Note evidencing all or a portion of the same Indebtedness as that evidenced by such particular Note; and any Note authenticated and delivered under Section 306 of the Base Indenture in lieu of a lost, destroyed or stolen Note shall be deemed to evidence the same Indebtedness as the lost, destroyed or stolen Note.

 

Preferred Stock ” means, with respect to any Person, any Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated) which is preferred as to the payment of dividends or distributions, or as to the distribution of assets upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over the Capital Stock of any other class in such Person.

 

Production Payments ” means, collectively, Dollar Denominated Production Payments and Volumetric Production Payments.

 

Production Payments and Reserve Sales ” means the grant or transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to any Person of a bonus, rental payment, royalty, overriding royalty, net profits interest, production payment (whether volumetric or dollar denominated), partnership or other interest in Oil and Gas Properties, reserves or the right to

 

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receive all or a portion of the production or the proceeds from the sale of production attributable to such properties where the holder of such interest has recourse solely to such production or proceeds of production, subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to operate and maintain, or cause the subject interests to be operated and maintained, in a reasonably prudent manner or other customary standard or subject to the obligation of the grantor or transferor to indemnify for environmental, title or other matters customary in the Oil and Gas Business, including any such grants or transfers pursuant to incentive compensation programs on terms that are reasonably customary in the Oil and Gas Business for geologists, geophysicists or other providers of technical services to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

Property ” means, with respect to any Person, any interest of such Person in any kind of property or asset, whether real, personal or mixed, or tangible or intangible, including Capital Stock and other securities issued by any other Person (but excluding Capital Stock or other securities issued by such first mentioned Person).

 

Prospectus Supplement ” means the Company’s prospectus supplement dated March 4, 2015 to the base prospectus dated March 22, 2013 filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) on March 6, 2015, relating to the Initial Notes.

 

Purchase Money Obligation ” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien on assets related to the business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that are acquired, constructed, improved or developed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary at any time after the Issue Date; provided that

 

(1)                      the security agreement or conditional sales or other title retention contract pursuant to which the Lien on such assets is created (collectively, a “ Purchase Money Security Agreement ”) shall be entered into no later than 360 days after the acquisition or completion of the construction, improvements or development of such assets and shall at all times be confined solely to the assets so acquired, constructed, improved or developed (together with improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof)),

 

(2)                      at no time shall the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Indebtedness secured thereby be increased, except in connection with the purchase of improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and except in respect of fees and other obligations in respect of such Indebtedness, and

 

(3)                      either (A) the aggregate outstanding principal amount of Indebtedness secured thereby (determined on a per asset basis in the case of any additions and accessions) shall not at the time such Purchase Money Security Agreement is entered into (except as specified in clause (2)) exceed 100% of the purchase price to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, of the assets subject thereto or (B) the Indebtedness secured thereby shall be with recourse solely to the assets so purchased or acquired (together with, in the case of clause (A) or (B), any improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof)).

 

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Qualified Capital Stock ” of any Person means any and all Capital Stock of such Person other than Disqualified Stock.

 

Rating Agencies ” means (a) S&P and Moody’s or (b) if S&P or Moody’s or both of them are not making ratings of the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized U.S. rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company, which will be substituted for S&P or Moody’s or both, as the case may be.

 

Refinance ” means, in respect of any Indebtedness, to refinance, extend, renew, refund, repay, prepay, redeem, effect a change by amendment or modification, defease or retire, or to issue an Indebtedness in exchange or replacement for (or the net proceeds of which are used to Refinance), such Indebtedness in whole or in part. “Refinanced” and “Refinancing” shall have correlative meanings.

 

Regulation S-X ” means Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act.

 

Related Party ” means:

 

(1)                      any controlling stockholder, partner, member, 51% (or more) owned Subsidiary or immediate family member (in the case of an individual) of any Equity Investor; or

 

(2)                      any trust, corporation, partnership, limited liability company or other Person (other than any individual), the beneficiaries, stockholders, partners, members, owners or Persons beneficially holding (directly or through one or more Subsidiaries) a 51% or more controlling interest of which consist of any one or more Equity Investors or such other Persons referred to in the immediately preceding clause (1) or this clause (2).

 

Restricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Company that has not been designated by the Board of Directors of the Company by a Board Resolution delivered to the Trustee as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to a Designation (not subject to a subsequent Revocation) in compliance with Section 4.15 .

 

S&P ” means Standard and Poor’s Ratings Services (or any successor to the rating agency business thereof).

 

Sale and Leaseback Transaction ” means, with respect to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, any arrangement with any Person providing for the leasing by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any principal property, acquired or placed into service more than 180 days prior to such arrangement, whereby such property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to such Person.

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor statute, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission thereunder.

 

Senior Credit Agreement ” means the Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of December 31, 2013, by and among the Company, as Borrower, the financial institutions listed therein, as banks, Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Administrative Agent,

 

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Bank of America, N.A. and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Co-Syndication Agents, Societe Generale, Union Bank, N.A. and BMO Harris Financing, Inc., as Co-Documentation Agents, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as Joint Lead Arrangers, as such agreement, in whole or in part, in one or more instances, may be amended, renewed, extended, substituted, refinanced, restructured, replaced, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (including any successive renewals, extensions, substitutions, refinancings, restructurings, replacements (whether by the same or any other agent, lender or group of lenders), supplementations or other modifications of the foregoing) together with the related documents thereto (including any guarantee agreements and security documents).

 

Significant Subsidiary ” means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a “significant subsidiary” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 1-02 under Regulation S-X promulgated by the Commission as in effect on the Issue Date.

 

Stated Maturity ” means, when used with respect to any Indebtedness or any installment of interest thereon, the dates specified in such Indebtedness as the fixed date on which the principal of such Indebtedness or such installment of interest, as the case may be, is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision, but shall not include any contingent obligations to repay, redeem or repurchase any such principal prior to the date originally scheduled for the payment thereof.

 

Subordinated Indebtedness ” means Indebtedness of the Company or a Guarantor subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or a Guarantee, as the case may be.

 

Subsidiary ” with respect to any Person means any (i) corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership) of which the outstanding Capital Stock having a majority of the votes entitled to be cast in the election of directors, managers or trustees of such entity under ordinary circumstances shall at the time be owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person or any other Person of which a majority of the Voting Stock under ordinary circumstances is at the time, directly or indirectly, owned by such Person or (ii) any partnership (a) the sole general partner or the managing general partner of which is such Person or a Subsidiary of such Person or (b) the only general partners of which are that Person or one or more Subsidiaries of that Person (or any combination thereof).

 

Trade Accounts Payable ” means (a) accounts payable or other obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary created or assumed by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business in connection with the obtaining of goods or services and (b) obligations arising under contracts for the exploration, development, drilling, completion and plugging and abandonment of wells or for the construction, repair or maintenance of related infrastructure or facilities.

 

Transaction ” means any transaction; provided that, if such transaction is part of a series of related transactions, “Transaction” refers to such related transactions as a whole.

 

Treasury Rate ” means, as of any redemption date, the weekly average yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity

 

44



 

(as compiled and published in the most recent Federal Reserve Statistical Release H.15(519) which has become publicly available at least two Business Days prior to the redemption date (or, if such Statistical Release is no longer published, any publicly available source of similar market data)) equal to the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2018; provided, however , that if the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2018 is not equal to the constant maturity of a United States Treasury security for which a weekly average yield is given, the Treasury Rate shall be obtained by linear interpolation (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth of a year) from the weekly average yields of United States Treasury securities that have a constant maturity closest to and greater than the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2018 and the United States Treasury securities that have a constant maturity closest to and less than the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2018 for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to March 15, 2018 is less than one year, the weekly average yield on actually traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to a constant maturity of one year shall be used. The Company will (1) calculate the Treasury Rate on the third Business Day preceding the applicable redemption date and (2) prior to such redemption date, deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate setting forth the Applicable Premium and the Treasury Rate and showing the calculation of each in reasonable detail.

 

Trust Indenture Act ” or “ TIA ” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, or any successor statute.

 

Uniform Commercial Code ” means the New York Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time.

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary ” means any Subsidiary of the Company designated (or deemed designated) as such pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.15 .

 

Unrestricted Subsidiary Indebtedness ” of any Unrestricted Subsidiary means Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary

 

(1)                      as to which none of the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary is directly or indirectly liable (by virtue of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary being the primary obligor on, guarantor of, or otherwise liable in any respect to, such Indebtedness), except to the extent of Capital Stock of such Unrestricted Subsidiary pledged as contemplated by clause (m) of the definition of “Permitted Lien” and for Guaranteed Debt of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to any Affiliate of the Company, in which case (unless the incurrence of such Guaranteed Debt resulted in a Restricted Payment at the time of incurrence) the Company shall be deemed to have made a Restricted Payment equal to the principal amount of any such Indebtedness to the extent guaranteed at the time such Affiliate is designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary, and

 

(2)                      which, upon the occurrence of a default with respect thereto, does not result in, or permit any holder of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to declare, a default on such Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or cause the payment thereof to be accelerated or payable prior to its Stated Maturity;

 

45



 

provided that notwithstanding the foregoing, any Unrestricted Subsidiary may guarantee the Notes.

 

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

 

U.S. Person ” means a U.S. person as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities Act.

 

Volumetric Production Payment ” means a production payment that is recorded as a sale in accordance with GAAP, whether or not the sale price must be recorded as deferred revenue, together with all undertakings and obligations in connection therewith.

 

Voting Stock ” of a Person means Capital Stock of such Person of the class or classes pursuant to which the holders thereof have the general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect the members of the Board of Directors, managers or trustees of such Person (irrespective of whether or not at the time Capital Stock of any other class or classes shall have or might have voting power by reason of the happening of any contingency).

 

Weighted Average Life to Maturity ” means, when applied to any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing (1) the then outstanding aggregate principal amount of such Indebtedness or Preferred Stock into (2) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payment of principal or (with respect to Preferred Stock) redemption or similar payment, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (b) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) which will elapse between such date and the making of such payment.

 

Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary ” means a Restricted Subsidiary all the Capital Stock of which is owned by the Company or another Wholly Owned Restricted Subsidiary (other than directors’ qualifying shares).

 

46



 

Section 2.02                              Other Definitions .

 

 

 

DEFINED

 

 

 

IN

 

TERM

 

SECTION

 

“Asset Sale Purchase Date”

 

4.11

 

“Change of Control Offer”

 

4.17

 

“Change of Control Purchase Date”

 

4.17

 

“Change of Control Purchase Notice”

 

4.17

 

“Change of Control Purchase Price”

 

4.17

 

“Company Website”

 

4.03

 

“Covenant Defeasance”

 

7.03

 

“Defeasance Redemption Date”

 

7.04

 

“Designation”

 

4.15

 

“Designation Amount”

 

4.15

 

“DTC”

 

1.07

 

“Event of Default”

 

6.01

 

“Excess Proceeds”

 

4.11

 

“Funds in Trust”

 

7.04

 

“incur”

 

4.07

 

“Legal Defeasance”

 

7.02

 

“Paying Agent”

 

1.07

 

“Permitted Consideration”

 

4.11

 

“Permitted Debt”

 

4.07

 

“Permitted Payment”

 

4.08

 

“Prepayment Offer”

 

4.11

 

“Prepayment Offer Notice”

 

4.11

 

“Prepayment Offer Price”

 

4.11

 

“Purchase Money Security Agreement”

 

2.01

 

“Registrar”

 

1.07

 

“Restricted Payments”

 

4.08

 

“Reversion Date”

 

4.19

 

“Revocation”

 

4.15

 

“Satisfaction and Discharge”

 

10.01

 

“Securities Register”

 

1.07

 

“Surviving Entity”

 

5.01

 

“Surviving Guarantor Entity”

 

5.01

 

“Suspended Covenants”

 

4.19

 

“Suspension Period”

 

4.19

 

 

Section 2.03                              Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act .

 

Whenever this Supplemental Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

All terms used in this Supplemental Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by Commission rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them.

 

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Section 2.04                              Rules of Construction .

 

Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(i)                                      a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

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

 

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

 

(iv)                               references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act shall be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the Commission from time to time;

 

(v)                                  when the words “includes” or “including” are used herein, they shall be deemed to be followed by the words “without limitation”;

 

(vi)                               all references to Sections or Articles refer to Sections or Articles of this Supplemental Indenture;

 

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

 

(viii)                         “or” is not exclusive.

 

ARTICLE THREE
Redemption and Prepayment

 

Article XI of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Three .

 

Section 3.01                              Notices to Trustee .

 

If the Company elects to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07 , it shall furnish to the Trustee, at least five Business Days (unless a shorter period shall be agreeable to the Trustee) before the date of giving of notice of redemption pursuant to Section 3.03 , an Officers’ Certificate setting forth (i) the clause of this Supplemental Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur, (ii) the redemption date, (iii) the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, (iv) the redemption price and (v) whether the Company requests the Trustee to give notice of such redemption; provided that, for a redemption being effected pursuant to Section 3.07(d) , the Company will notify the Trustee of the Applicable Premium with respect to any redemption promptly after the calculation, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for such calculation.

 

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Section 3.02                              Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed .

 

(a)                                  If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Notes to be redeemed among the Holders not more than 60 days prior to the redemption date, or otherwise in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed or, if the Notes are not so listed, on a pro rata basis (or, in the case of Global Notes, on as nearly a pro rata basis as is practicable, subject to the procedures of DTC or any other Depositary), by lot or in accordance with any other method the Trustee considers fair and reasonable.  In the event of partial redemption by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed shall be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than three Business Days (unless a shorter period shall be agreeable to the Trustee) prior to the giving of notice of redemption pursuant to Section 3.03 by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes.

 

(b)                                  The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the Notes selected for redemption and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.  No Notes in amounts of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.  The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Notes that have denominations larger than $2,000.  Notes and portions of Notes selected shall be in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.  Redemptions pursuant to Section 3.07(b)  shall be made on a pro rata basis or on as nearly a pro rata basis as practicable (subject to the provisions of DTC or other depositary).

 

Section 3.03                              Notice of Redemption .

 

(a)                                  At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail or cause to be mailed, by first class mail, a notice of redemption to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address (or, in the case of Global Notes, with respect to notices given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sent in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary) and send a copy to the Trustee at the same time, except that optional redemption notices may be mailed (or, in the case of Global Notes, with respect to notices given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sent in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary) more than 60 days prior to a redemption date in connection with a Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance of the Notes or a Satisfaction and Discharge.  Any redemption or notice of redemption may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent and, in the case of redemption pursuant to Section 3.07(b) , be given prior to the completion of the related Equity Offering.

 

The notice shall identify the Notes (including CUSIP and/or ISIN number(s)) to be redeemed and shall state:

 

(i)                                      the redemption date;

 

(ii)                                   the redemption price; provided that, for a redemption being effected pursuant to Section 3.07(d) , the notice need not set forth the Applicable Premium but only the manner of calculation thereof;

 

(iii)                                if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the redemption date upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the

 

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unredeemed portion of the original Note shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note;

 

(iv)                               the name and address of the Paying Agent;

 

(v)                                  that Notes called for redemption shall be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price and become due on the date fixed for redemption;

 

(vi)                               that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest, if any, on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date and the only remaining right of Holders of such Notes is to receive payment of the redemption price upon surrender to the Paying Agent of the Notes redeemed;

 

(vii)                            the paragraph of the Notes and/or section of this Supplemental Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed;

 

(viii)                         that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes; and

 

(ix)                               any conditions precedent to the redemption.

 

(b)                                  At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense; provided, however , that the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee, as provided in Section 3.01 , an Officers’ Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in Section 3.03(a) .  The notice, if mailed (or, in the case of Global Notes, with respect to notices given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sent) in the manner provided herein, shall be presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice.  Failure to give timely notice or any defect in the notice shall not affect the validity of the redemption.

 

Section 3.04                              Effect of Notice of Redemption .

 

Once notice of redemption is mailed (or, in the case of Global Notes, with respect to notices given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sent in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary) in accordance with Section 3.03 , Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price, subject only to any conditions precedent set forth therein.

 

Section 3.05                              Deposit of Redemption Price .

 

(a)                                  Not later than 12:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company or a Subsidiary thereof is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1.08 ) money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that date.  The Trustee or the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Company any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Company in excess

 

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of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest on, all Notes to be redeemed.

 

(b)                                  If the Company complies with the provisions of Section 3.05(a) , on and after the redemption date, interest shall cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption, unless the redemption is not effective due to the failure of conditions precedent described in the notice of redemption to be fulfilled.  If a Note is redeemed on or after an interest record date but on or prior to the related interest payment date, then any accrued and unpaid interest shall be paid to the Holder in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date.  If any Note called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender for redemption because of the failure of the Company to comply with Section 3.05(a) , interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption date until such principal is paid, and to the extent lawful on any interest not paid on such unpaid principal, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 .

 

Section 3.06                              Notes Redeemed in Part .

 

Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Company a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered.  No Notes in denominations of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.  For all purposes of this Article Three , unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the redemption of Notes shall relate, in the case of any Notes redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Notes which has been or is to be redeemed.

 

Section 3.07                              Optional Redemption .

 

(a)                                  On or after March 15, 2018, the Company may redeem all or a portion of the Notes, on not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on March 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Year

 

Redemption Price

 

 

 

 

 

2018

 

104.688

%

2019

 

103.125

%

2020

 

101.563

%

2021 and thereafter

 

100.000

%

 

(b)                                  In addition, at any time and from time to time prior to March 15, 2018, the Company may use funds in an amount not exceeding the amount of the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings to redeem up to an aggregate of 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture (including the principal amount of any Additional Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture) at a redemption price equal to

 

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106.25% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).  At least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes (including the principal amount of any Additional Notes issued under this Supplemental Indenture) shall remain outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption.  In order to effect this redemption, the Company shall complete such redemption no later than 180 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering.  Notice of any redemption pursuant to this clause (b) may be given prior to the completion of the applicable Equity Offering, and any such redemption or notice may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including completion of such Equity Offering.  If any such conditions do not occur, the Company will provide prompt written notice to the Trustee rescinding such redemption, and such redemption and notice of redemption shall be rescinded and of no force or effect.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Trustee will promptly send a copy of such notice to the Holders of the Notes to be redeemed in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given.

 

(c)                                   The Notes may also be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time prior to March 15, 2018 at the option of the Company at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

 

(d)                                  If a Change of Control occurs at any time prior to March 15, 2016, the Company may, at its option, redeem all, but not less than all, of the Notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, at a redemption price equal to 110.0% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).  If the Company elects to exercise this redemption right, the Company must do so by mailing a redemption notice to each Holder at its registered address (or, in the case of Global Notes, with respect to notices given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sending in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary)  with a copy to the Trustee within 60 days following the Change of Control (or, at the Company’s option, prior to such Change of Control but after the transaction giving rise to such Change of Control is publicly announced).  Any such redemption may be conditioned upon the Change of Control occurring if the notice is mailed (or, in the case of Global Notes, with respect to notices given by the trustee on behalf of the Company, sent) prior to the Change of Control.  If the Change of Control does not occur, the Company will provide prompt written notice to the Trustee rescinding such redemption, and such redemption and notice of redemption shall be rescinded and of no force or effect.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Trustee will promptly send a copy of such notice to the Holders in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given.  If the Company exercises the Change of Control redemption right set forth in this Section 3.07(d) , the Company will not be required to make the Change of Control Offer described under Section 4.17 unless or until there is a default in payment of the redemption price.

 

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(e)                                   Pursuant to Section 4.17(h) , the Company may also redeem all, but not less than all, of the outstanding Notes, at the redemption price and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.17(h) .

 

(f)                                    Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.07 (other than as expressly provided otherwise in this Section 3.07 ) shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 .

 

Section 3.08                              Mandatory Redemption .

 

The Company is not required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.

 

Section 3.09                              Application of Trust Money .

 

All money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 3.05 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Supplemental Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal (and premium, if any) and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with the Trustee; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

Section 3.10                              No Limit on Other Purchases .

 

Nothing in this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes shall prohibit or limit the right of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company from time to time to repurchase the Notes at any price in open market purchases or negotiated transactions or by tender offer or otherwise without any notice to or consent by Holders.  Any Notes purchased by the Company may, to the extent permitted by law, be held or resold or may, at the Company’s option, be delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.  Any Notes delivered to the Trustee for cancellation may not be reissued or resold and will be promptly cancelled.

 

ARTICLE FOUR
Covenants

 

Section 1001, Section 1002, Section 1004 and Section 1005 of the Base Indenture shall not apply to, and the covenants therein shall be deemed included in this Supplemental Indenture solely for the benefit of a different series of Securities than, the Notes.

 

Section 4.01                              Payment of Notes .

 

(a)                                  The Company shall pay or cause to be paid the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes.  Principal, premium, if any, and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Company or one of its Subsidiaries, holds as of 12:30 p.m. New York City time on the due date money deposited by the Company or a Guarantor in immediately available funds

 

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and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes then due.

 

(b)                                  The Company shall pay or cause to be paid interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace period) at the same rate to the extent lawful.

 

(c)                                   The Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining Satisfaction and Discharge with respect to the Notes or for any other purpose, pay, or direct any Paying Agent to pay, to the Trustee all sums held in trust by the Company or such Paying Agent, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the same terms as those upon which such sums were held by the Company or such Paying Agent; and, upon such payment by any Paying Agent to the Trustee, such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such money.

 

(d)                                  Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on its request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall, at the expense of the Company, cause to be published once, in The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

Section 4.02                              Maintenance of Office or Agency .

 

(a)                                  The Company shall maintain an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an agent of the Trustee, Registrar or co-Registrar) where Notes may be surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes and this Supplemental Indenture may be served.  The Company shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency.  If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

(b)                                  The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations.  The Company shall give prompt written

 

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notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

(c)                                   The Company hereby designates the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Company in accordance with Section 1.07 .

 

(d)                                  With respect to any Global Notes, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall be the office or agency where such Global Notes may be presented or surrendered for payment or for registration of transfer or exchange, or where successor Notes may be delivered in exchange therefor; provided, however , that any such presentation, surrender or delivery effected pursuant to the Applicable Procedures of the Depositary shall be deemed to have been effected at such office or agency in accordance with the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 4.03                              Reports .

 

(a)                                  Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the Commission, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company will furnish to Holders or cause the Trustee to furnish to the Holders or file with the Commission for public availability:

 

(i)                                      all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required to be filed with the Commission on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Company were required to file such reports, including a “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and, with respect to the annual information only, a report thereon by the Company’s independent auditors, which financial information shall be filed within (or prior to effectiveness of an exchange offer registration statement within 15 days after) the time period for such reports specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations; and

 

(ii)                                   after effectiveness of an exchange offer registration statement, within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and regulations, the information that would be required to be filed with the Commission in current reports on Form 8-K if the Company were required to file such reports;

 

provided, however , that, in the case of clause (i) or (ii), if the last day of any such time period is not a Business Day, such information will be due on the next succeeding Business Day. All such information will be prepared in all material respects in accordance with all of the rules and regulations of the Commission applicable to such information.

 

(b)                                  If the Company has designated any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries (other than Unrestricted Subsidiaries that, when taken together with all other Unrestricted Subsidiaries, are “minor” within the meaning of Rule 3-10 of Regulation S-X, substituting 5% for 3% where applicable), then the quarterly and annual financial information required by paragraph (a) of this Section 4.03 will include a reasonably detailed presentation, either on the face of the financial statements or in the footnotes thereto, or in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, of the financial

 

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condition and results of operations of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries separate from the financial condition and results of operations of the Unrestricted Subsidiaries.

 

(c)                                   This Section 4.03 will not impose any duty on the Company under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the related Commission rules that would not otherwise be applicable.

 

(d)                                  The Company will be deemed to have furnished to the Holders and to prospective investors the information referred to in subclauses (i) and (ii) of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.03 or the information referred to in paragraph (b) of this Section 4.03 if the Company has posted such reports or information on the Company Website with access to current and prospective investors. For purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, the term “ Company Website ” means the collection of web pages that may be accessed on the World Wide Web using the URL address http://www.laredopetro.com or such other address as the Company may from time to time designate in writing to the Trustee.

 

(e)                                   Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only, and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officers’ Certificates).

 

Section 4.04                              Compliance Certificate .

 

(a)                                  The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year ending after the Issue Date, an Officers’ Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled their respective obligations under the Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of his or her actual knowledge, the Company has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled its obligations under the Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and is not in default in the performance or observance of any of the material terms, provisions and conditions of the Indenture with respect to the Notes, in each case, so as not to result in any Default or Event of Default (or, if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Company is taking or propose to take with respect thereto).

 

(b)                                  The Company shall, so long as any of the Notes are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, on or before the 30th day after it becomes aware of the occurrence and continuance of any Default or Event of Default, unless such Default or Event of Default has been cured before the end of the 30-day period, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

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Section 4.05                              Taxes .

 

The Company shall pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon the Company or any Subsidiary or upon the income, profits or property of the Company or any Subsidiary; provided, however , that the Company shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment or charge the amount, applicability or validity of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly instituted and diligently conducted; provided that any reserve or other appropriate provision as will be required in conformity with GAAP will have been made therefor.

 

Section 4.06                              Stay, Extension and Usury Laws .

 

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

 

Section 4.07                              Incurrence of Indebtedness and Issuance of Disqualified Stock .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, create, issue, incur, assume, guarantee or otherwise in any manner become directly or indirectly liable for the payment of or otherwise incur, contingently or otherwise (collectively, “ incur ”), any Indebtedness (including any Acquired Debt and the issuance of Disqualified Stock or the issuance of Preferred Stock by a Restricted Subsidiary), unless such Indebtedness is incurred by the Company or any Guarantor and, in each case, after giving pro forma effect to such incurrence and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Company’s Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the most recent four full fiscal quarters for which financial statements are available immediately preceding the incurrence of such Indebtedness taken as one period would be equal to or greater than 2.25 to 1.0.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company and, to the extent specifically set forth below, the Restricted Subsidiaries may incur each and all of the following (collectively, “ Permitted Debt ”):

 

(1)                                  Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor (whether as borrowers or guarantors) under one or more Credit Facilities in an aggregate principal amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the greater of (x) $250.0 million and (y) the sum of $100.0 million and 30% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the incurrence of such Indebtedness;

 

(2)                                  Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor pursuant to the Existing Senior Notes or the Notes (excluding any Additional Notes) and any Guarantee of the Existing Senior Notes or the Notes (excluding any Guarantee of Additional Notes);

 

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(3)                                  Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor outstanding on the Issue Date, and not otherwise referred to in this definition of “Permitted Debt”;

 

(4)                                  intercompany Indebtedness between or among the Company and any Restricted Subsidiary; provided, however , that:

 

(a)                                  if the Company or any Guarantor is the obligor on such Indebtedness and such Indebtedness is owed to a Restricted Subsidiary other than a Guarantor, such Indebtedness shall be either (x) expressly subordinated to the prior payment in full in cash of all obligations with respect to the Notes, in the case of the Company, or the Guarantees, in the case of a Guarantor, or (y) Capital Stock; and

 

(b)                                  any subsequent issuance or transfer of Capital Stock that results in any such Indebtedness being held by a Person other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than pursuant to a Credit Facility) and any sale or other transfer of any such Indebtedness to a Person that is not either the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, shall be deemed, in each case, to constitute an incurrence of such Indebtedness by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, that was not permitted by this clause (4);

 

(5)                                  guarantees by the Company or any Guarantor of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary that is permitted to be incurred under the Indenture;

 

(6)                                  Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary represented by Capital Lease Obligations (whether or not incurred pursuant to sale and leaseback transactions) or Purchase Money Obligations or other Indebtedness incurred or assumed in connection with the acquisition, construction, improvement or development of real or personal, movable or immovable, property, in each case incurred for the purpose of financing or Refinancing all or any part of the purchase price or cost of acquisition, construction, improvement or development of property used in the business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (together with improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto), in an aggregate principal amount outstanding at any time pursuant to this clause (6) not to exceed the greater of (x) $25.0 million and (y) 2.0% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the incurrence of such Indebtedness;

 

(7)                                  Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with (a) one or more standby letters of credit issued by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business and (b) other self-insurance obligations, letters of credit, surety, bid, performance, appeal or similar bonds, bankers’ acceptances, completion guarantees or similar instruments and any guarantees or letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing instruments; provided that, in each case contemplated by this clause (7), upon the drawing of such letters of credit or other instrument, such obligations are reimbursed within 30 days following such drawing;

 

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provided further that with respect to clauses (a) and (b), such Indebtedness is not in connection with the borrowing of money;

 

(8)                                  Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor; provided that sufficient net proceeds thereof are promptly deposited to effect a Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance with respect to all of the Notes pursuant to Article Seven or a Satisfaction and Discharge with respect to all of the Notes pursuant to Article Ten ;

 

(9)                                  Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness of the Company or any Guarantor issued to Refinance any Indebtedness, including any Disqualified Stock, incurred pursuant to Section 4.07(a)  or clause (2), (3), (11) or this clause (9) of this paragraph (b) of this Section 4.07 ;

 

(10)                           Indebtedness consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in customary amounts consistent with the operations and business of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(11)                           Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness;

 

(12)                           Cash Management Obligations of the Company or any Guarantor in an aggregate amount not to exceed $7.5 million outstanding at any one time;

 

(13)                           Preferred Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

(14)                           Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in addition to that described in clauses (1) through (13) above, so long as the aggregate principal amount of all such Indebtedness incurred pursuant to this clause (14) outstanding at any one time in the aggregate shall not exceed the greater of (x) $35.0 million and (y) 2.5% of Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined as of the date of the incurrence of such Indebtedness.

 

(c)                                   For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.07 , in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of “Permitted Debt” or is permitted to be incurred pursuant to paragraph (a) of this Section 4.07 , the Company in its sole discretion may classify or reclassify (or later classify or reclassify) in whole or in part such item of Indebtedness in any manner (including by dividing and classifying such item of Indebtedness in more than one type of Indebtedness permitted under this Section 4.07 ) that complies with this Section 4.07 ; provided that Indebtedness under the Senior Credit Agreement, if any, which is in existence on the Issue Date shall be considered incurred under clause (1) of paragraph (b) of this Section 4.07 , subject to any subsequent classification or reclassification or division permitted pursuant to this paragraph (c).

 

(d)                                  Indebtedness permitted by this Section 4.07 need not be permitted solely by reference to one provision permitting such Indebtedness but may be permitted in part by one such provision and in part by one or more other provisions of this Section 4.07 permitting such Indebtedness.

 

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(e)                                   Accrual of interest, accretion or amortization of original issue discount or accretion of principal as to a security issued at a discount and the payment of interest on any Indebtedness in the form of additional Indebtedness with the same terms, the accretion or payment of dividends on any Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock in the form of additional shares of the same class of Disqualified Stock or Preferred Stock, the obligation to pay a premium in respect of Indebtedness arising in connection with the issuance of a notice of redemption or making of a mandatory offer to purchase such Indebtedness, and unrealized losses or charges in respect of Hedging Obligations (including those resulting from the application of SFAS 133), each will not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 4.07 ; provided , in each such case, that the amount thereof as accrued shall be included as required in the calculation of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company.

 

(f)                                    For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, the U.S. dollar equivalent principal amount of such Indebtedness incurred pursuant thereto shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date that such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness; provided that if such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced. Notwithstanding any other provision of this covenant, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries may incur pursuant to this Section 4.07 shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

 

(g)                                   For purposes of determining any particular amount of Indebtedness under this Section 4.07 , (i) guarantees of, or obligations in respect of letters of credit relating to, Indebtedness otherwise included in the determination of such amount shall not also be included and (ii) if obligations in respect of letters of credit are incurred pursuant to a Credit Facility and are being treated as incurred pursuant to clause (1) of the definition of “Permitted Debt” and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then such other Indebtedness shall not be included.  If Indebtedness is secured by a letter of credit that serves only to secure such Indebtedness, then the total amount deemed incurred shall be equal to the greater of (x) the principal of such Indebtedness and (y) the amount that may be drawn under such letter of credit.

 

(h)                                  For purposes of the Indenture, no Indebtedness will be deemed to be subordinate or junior in right of payment to other Indebtedness solely by virtue of not having the benefit of a Lien on assets, or guarantee of a Person, that benefits the other Indebtedness or having the benefit of such a Lien or guarantee ranking subordinate or junior to a Lien or guarantee benefiting the other Indebtedness.

 

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Section 4.08                              Restricted Payments .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly:

 

(i)                                      pay any dividend on, or make any distribution to holders of, any shares of the Company’s Capital Stock (other than dividends or distributions payable solely to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or in shares of the Company’s Qualified Capital Stock or in options, warrants or other rights to acquire shares of such Qualified Capital Stock);

 

(ii)                                   purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value, directly or indirectly, the Company’s Capital Stock or options, warrants or other rights to acquire such Capital Stock other than through the exchange therefor solely of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company and other than any acquisition or retirement for value from, or payment to, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(iii)                                make any principal payment on, or repurchase, redeem, defease, retire or otherwise acquire for value, prior to any scheduled principal payment, sinking fund payment or maturity, any Subordinated Indebtedness, other than (x) Subordinated Indebtedness permitted under clause (4) of Section 4.07(b)  or (y) Subordinated Indebtedness acquired for value in anticipation of satisfying a sinking fund obligation, principal installment or final maturity, in each case due within one year of the date of acquisition for value;

 

(iv)                               pay any dividend or distribution on any Capital Stock of any Restricted Subsidiary to any Person (other than (a) to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or any Guarantor or (b) dividends or distributions made by a Restricted Subsidiary on a pro rata basis to all stockholders of such Restricted Subsidiary); or

 

(v)                                  make any Investment in any Person (other than any Permitted Investments);

 

(any of the foregoing actions described in clauses (i) through (v) above, other than any such action that is a Permitted Payment (as defined below), collectively, “ Restricted Payments ”) (the amount of any such Restricted Payment, if other than cash, shall be the Fair Market Value of the assets proposed to be transferred) as determined by the Board of Directors of the Company, whose determination shall be conclusive and evidenced by a Board Resolution, unless

 

(1)                                  immediately after giving effect to such proposed Restricted Payment on a pro forma basis, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing;

 

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(2)                                  immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment on a pro forma basis, the Company could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Debt) under Section 4.07(a) ; and

 

(3)                                  after giving effect to the proposed Restricted Payment, the aggregate amount of all such Restricted Payments (including any Designation Amounts (as defined in Section 4.15(a)(2) ) not effected as Permitted Investments or Permitted Payments) declared or made after the Measurement Date does not exceed the sum of:

 

(A)                                50% of the aggregate Consolidated Net Income of the Company accrued on a cumulative basis during the period beginning on the first day of the Company’s fiscal quarter beginning on or immediately prior to the Measurement Date and ending on the last day of the Company’s last fiscal quarter ending prior to the date of the Restricted Payment (or, if such aggregate cumulative Consolidated Net Income shall be a loss, minus 100% of such loss);

 

(B)                                the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds, or the Fair Market Value of property (including any property received in any asset or other acquisition) other than cash, received after the Measurement Date by the Company either (1) as capital contributions in the form of common equity or other Qualified Capital Stock to the Company or (2) from the issuance or sale (other than to any Restricted Subsidiary) of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company or any options, warrants or rights to purchase such Qualified Capital Stock of the Company (except, in each case, to the extent such proceeds are used to purchase, redeem or otherwise retire Capital Stock or Subordinated Indebtedness as set forth below in clause (2) or (3) of paragraph (b) of this Section 4.08 ) (and excluding the Net Cash Proceeds from the issuance of Qualified Capital Stock financed, directly or indirectly, using funds borrowed from the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary until and to the extent such borrowing is repaid);

 

(C)                                the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds, or the Fair Market Value of property other than cash, received after the Measurement Date by the Company (other than from any Restricted Subsidiary) upon the exercise of any options, warrants or rights to purchase Qualified Capital Stock of the Company (and excluding the Net Cash Proceeds from the exercise of any options, warrants or rights to purchase Qualified Capital Stock financed, directly or indirectly, using funds borrowed from the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary until and to the extent such borrowing is repaid);

 

(D)                                the aggregate Net Cash Proceeds, or the Fair Market Value of property other than cash, received after the Measurement Date by the Company from the conversion or exchange, if any, of debt securities or Disqualified Stock or other Indebtedness of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries into or for Qualified Capital Stock of the Company plus, to

 

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the extent such debt securities or Disqualified Stock were issued after the Measurement Date, the aggregate of Net Cash Proceeds, or the Fair Market Value of property other than cash, received from their original issuance (and excluding the Net Cash Proceeds from the conversion or exchange of debt securities or Disqualified Stock financed, directly or indirectly, using funds borrowed from the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary until and to the extent such borrowing is repaid);

 

(E)                                 (a)                                  in the case of a net reduction in any Investment constituting a Restricted Payment (including any Investment in an Unrestricted Subsidiary) made after the Measurement Date resulting from dividends, distributions, redemptions or repurchases, proceeds of sales or other dispositions thereof, interest payments, repayments of loans or advances, or other transfers of cash or properties (including transfers as a result of merger or liquidation), in each case to the Company or to any Restricted Subsidiary from any Person (other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), an amount (in each such case to the extent not included in Consolidated Net Income) equal to the amount received with respect to such Investment, less the cost of the disposition of such Investment and net of taxes, and

 

(b)                                  in the case of the redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary (as long as the designation of such Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary was deemed a Restricted Payment), the Fair Market Value of the Company’s interest in such Subsidiary at the time of such redesignation; and

 

(F)                                  any amount which previously qualified as a Restricted Payment on account of any guarantee entered into by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such guarantee has not been called upon and the obligation arising under such guarantee no longer exists.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, and in the case of clauses (2) through (9) and (11) through (14) below, so long as no Default or Event of Default is continuing or would arise therefrom, the foregoing provisions shall not prohibit the following actions (each of clauses (1) through (14), together with the transactions expressly excluded from clauses (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 , being referred to as a “ Permitted Payment ”):

 

(1)                                  the payment of any dividend within 60 days after the date of declaration thereof, if at such date of declaration such payment was permitted by the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 , in which event such payment shall have been deemed to have been paid on such date of declaration and shall not have been deemed a “Permitted Payment” for purposes of the calculation required by paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 ;

 

(2)                                  the purchase, repurchase, redemption, or other acquisition or retirement for value of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of the Company in

 

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exchange for (including any such exchange pursuant to the exercise of a conversion right or privilege in connection with which cash is paid in lieu of the issuance of fractional shares or scrip), or in an amount not in excess of the Net Cash Proceeds of a substantially concurrent (i) contribution (other than from a Restricted Subsidiary) to the equity capital of the Company in respect of or (ii) issuance and sale for cash (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary) of, other shares of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company; provided that the Net Cash Proceeds from such contribution or such issuance of such shares of Qualified Capital Stock shall be excluded from clause (3)(B) of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 ;

 

(3)                                  the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge, or other acquisition or retirement for value or payment of principal of any Subordinated Indebtedness in exchange for, or in an amount not in excess of the Net Cash Proceeds of a substantially concurrent (i) contribution (other than from a Restricted Subsidiary) to the equity capital of the Company in respect of, or (ii) issuance and sale for cash (other than to a Restricted Subsidiary) of, any Qualified Capital Stock of the Company; provided that the Net Cash Proceeds from such contribution or such issuance of such shares of Qualified Capital Stock shall be excluded from clause (3)(B) of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 ;

 

(4)                                  the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge, refinancing, acquisition or retirement for value or payment of principal of any Subordinated Indebtedness (other than Disqualified Stock) through the substantially concurrent issuance of Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

(5)                                  the purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or other acquisition or retirement for value of Disqualified Stock of the Company in exchange for, or out of the Net Cash Proceeds of a substantially concurrent sale of, Disqualified Stock of the Company that, in each case, is permitted to be incurred pursuant to Section 4.07 ;

 

(6)                                  the repurchase, redemption, retirement or other acquisition for value of any Capital Stock of the Company held by any current or former officers, directors or employees of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (or permitted transferees of such current or former officers, directors or employees) pursuant to the terms of agreements (including employment agreements) or plans approved by the Company’s Board of Directors; provided that the aggregate amount of such repurchases, redemptions, retirements and acquisitions pursuant to this clause (6) will not, in the aggregate, exceed $2.0 million per fiscal year (with unused amounts to be carried over to succeeding fiscal years); provided such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed (a) the cash proceeds received after the Issue Date by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary from the sale of Capital Stock of the Company (other than Disqualified Stock) to any such officers, directors or employees (provided such amounts are not included in clause (3)(B) of the definition of “Restricted Payments”) plus (b) the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received after the Issue Date by the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries less (c) the amount of Permitted Payments previously effected by using amounts specified in the foregoing clauses (a) and (b);

 

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(7)                                  loans and advances made to officers, directors or employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case, as permitted by Section 402 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (to the extent applicable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary) and approved by the Board of Directors of the Company in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2.0 million outstanding at any one time, the proceeds of which are used solely (A) to purchase Qualified Capital Stock of the Company in connection with a restricted stock or employee stock purchase plan, or to exercise stock options received pursuant to an employee or director stock option plan or other incentive plan, in a principal amount not to exceed the exercise price of such stock options or (B) to refinance loans or advances, together with accrued interest thereon, made pursuant to item (A) of this clause (7);

 

(8)                                  the purchase by the Company of fractional shares arising out of stock dividends, splits or combinations or business combinations or conversion of convertible or exchangeable securities of debt or equity issued by the Company or otherwise;

 

(9)                                  dividends on Disqualified Stock issued after the Issue Date in accordance with Section 4.07 if such dividends are included in the calculation of Consolidated Interest Expense;

 

(10)                           the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness that is subordinated or junior in right of payment to the notes or a Guarantee at a purchase price not greater than (i) 101% of the principal amount of such subordinated or junior Indebtedness and accrued and unpaid interest thereon in the event of a Change of Control or (ii) 100% of the principal amount of such subordinated or junior Indebtedness and accrued and unpaid interest thereon in the event of an Asset Sale, in each case plus accrued interest, in connection with any change of control offer or prepayment offer required by the terms of such Indebtedness, but only if:

 

(A)                                in the case of a Change of Control, the Company has first complied with and fully satisfied its obligations under Section 4.17 ; or

 

(B)                                in the case of an Asset Sale, the Company has complied with and fully satisfied its obligations in accordance with Section 4.11 ;

 

(11)                           the purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Capital Stock deemed to occur upon the exercise, conversion or exchange of stock options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to acquire Capital Stock (including any such rights to acquire Capital Stock held by any current or former officers, directors or employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (or permitted transferees thereof)) if such Capital Stock represents a portion of the exercise, conversion or exchange price thereof and any purchase, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Capital Stock made in satisfaction of withholding tax obligations in connection with any exercise, conversion or exchange of stock options, warrants, convertible securities or other rights to acquire Capital Stock;

 

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(12)                           any payments to dissenting equityholders not to exceed $5.0 million in the aggregate after the Issue Date (x) pursuant to applicable law or (y) in connection with the settlement or other satisfaction of claims made pursuant to or in connection with a consolidation, merger or transfer of assets in connection with a transaction that is not prohibited by this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(13)                           any redemption of share purchase rights at a redemption price not to exceed $0.01 per right; and

 

(14)                           any payment or other transaction otherwise constituting a Restricted Payment that when combined with all other outstanding payments or other transactions pursuant to this clause (14) since the Issue Date are in an aggregate outstanding amount not exceeding $20.0 million.

 

(c)                                   In determining whether any Restricted Payment (or payment or other transaction that, except for being a Permitted Payment, would constitute a Restricted Payment) is permitted by this Section 4.08 , the Company may allocate or re-allocate all or any portion of such Restricted Payment or other such transaction among clauses (1) through (14) of paragraph (b) of this Section 4.08 or among such clauses and paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 , including clauses (1), (2) and (3) of paragraph (a) of this Section 4.08 ; provided that at the time of such allocation or re-allocation all such Restricted Payments and such other transactions or allocated portions thereof, all outstanding prior Restricted Payments and such other transactions, would be permitted under the various provisions of this Section 4.08 . The amount of all Restricted Payments and other such transactions (other than cash) shall be the Fair Market Value on the date of the transfer, incurrence or issuance of such non-cash Restricted Payment or other such transaction.

 

(d)                                  A contribution or sale will be deemed to be “substantially concurrent” if the related purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge, retirement or other acquisition for value or payment of principal occurs within 90 days before or after such contribution or sale.

 

Section 4.09                              Transactions with Affiliates .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, enter into any Transaction (including the sale, purchase, exchange or lease of assets, property or services) with or for the benefit of any Affiliate of the Company (other than the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary) involving aggregate consideration in excess of $2.0 million, unless such Transaction is entered into in good faith and

 

(1)                                  such Transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that would be available in a comparable Transaction in arm’s-length dealings with a party that is not an Affiliate of the Company,

 

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(2)                                  with respect to any Transaction involving aggregate value in excess of $10.0 million, the Company delivers an Officers’ Certificate to the Trustee certifying that such Transaction complies with clause (1) above, and

 

(3)                                  with respect to any Transaction involving aggregate value in excess of $25.0 million, such Transaction is approved by a majority of the Disinterested Directors of the Board of Directors of the Company;

 

(b)                                  However, Section 4.09(a)  shall not apply to:

 

(1)                                  employee benefit arrangements with any officer or director of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and payments, issuances of securities or other transactions pursuant thereto, including under any employment or severance agreement, stock option or stock incentive plans, long term incentive plans, other compensation arrangements and customary insurance or indemnification arrangements with officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, in each case either entered into in the ordinary course of business or approved by the Disinterested Directors of the Board of Directors of the Company,

 

(2)                                  transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Supplemental Indenture; provided that in the reasonable determination of the Board of Directors of the Company or the senior management of the Company, such transactions are on terms not materially less favorable to the Company or the relevant Restricted Subsidiary than those that could reasonably be expected to be obtained in a comparable transaction at such time on an arm’s-length basis from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the Company,

 

(3)                                  the payment of reasonable and customary compensation and fees to officers or directors of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary who are not employees of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company,

 

(4)                                  loans or advances to officers, directors and employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary made in the ordinary course of business in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2.0 million outstanding at any one time,

 

(5)                                  any Restricted Payments or Permitted Payments made in compliance with Section 4.08 or any Permitted Investments (other than Permitted Investments permitted pursuant to clauses (1)(iii) and (15) of the definition thereof (to the extent involving, prior to the making of such Permitted Investment, any Person other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company)),

 

(6)                                  any Transaction undertaken pursuant to (a) any contracts or agreements in existence on the Issue Date (as in effect on the Issue Date) (b) any amendment or replacement of any such agreements or (c) any agreements entered into hereafter that are similar to any such agreements, so long as, in the case of clause (b) or (c), the terms of any such amendment or replacement agreement or future agreement are,

 

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on the whole, no less advantageous to the Company or no less favorable to the Holders in any material respect than the agreement so amended or replaced or the similar agreement referred to in the preceding clause (a) or (b), respectively,

 

(7)                                  in the case of (1) contracts for (A) drilling or other oil-field services or supplies, (B) the sale, storage, gathering or transport of Hydrocarbons or (C) the lease or rental of office or storage space or (2) other operation-type contracts, any such contracts that are entered into in the ordinary course of business on terms substantially similar to those contained in similar contracts entered into by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and third parties or, if none of the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has entered into a similar contract with a third party, on terms no less favorable than those available from third parties on an arm’s-length basis, as determined (i) in the case of contracts involving aggregate value of $50.0 million or less, by the Board of Directors of the Company or the senior management of the Company or (ii) in the case of contracts involving aggregate value in excess of $50.0 million, by the Disinterested Directors of the Board of Directors of the Company,

 

(8)                                  any Transaction with a Person that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Subsidiary, an equity interest in, or controls, such Person,

 

(9)                                  any sale or other issuance of Qualified Capital Stock of the Company to, or receipt of a capital contribution from, an Affiliate (or a Person that becomes an Affiliate) of the Company,

 

(10)                           any Transaction between the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary on the one hand and any Person deemed to be an Affiliate solely because one or more directors of such Person is also a director of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, on the other hand; provided that such director or directors abstain from voting as a director of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable, in connection with the approval of the Transaction,

 

(11)                           indemnities of officers, directors and employees of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary permitted by law, statutory provision or employment agreement or other arrangement entered into in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary,

 

(12)                           (a) guarantees by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of performance of obligations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business, except for guarantees of Indebtedness in respect of borrowed money, and (b) pledges by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Capital Stock in Unrestricted Subsidiaries for the benefit of lenders or other creditors of Unrestricted Subsidiaries, and

 

(13)                           any transaction in which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, delivers to the Trustee a letter from an independent advisor stating that such transaction is fair to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary

 

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from a financial point of view or that such transaction meets the requirements of clause (1) of Section 4.09(a) .

 

Section 4.10                              Liens .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or incur, in order to secure any Indebtedness, any Lien of any kind, other than Permitted Liens, upon any property or assets (including any intercompany notes) of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary owned on the Issue Date or acquired after the Issue Date, or assign or convey, in order to secure any Indebtedness, any right to receive any income or profits therefrom, other than Permitted Liens, unless the Notes (or a Guarantee in the case of Liens of a Guarantor) are directly secured equally and ratably with (or, in the case of Subordinated Indebtedness, prior or senior thereto, with the same relative priority as the Notes shall have with respect to such Subordinated Indebtedness) the Indebtedness for so long as such Indebtedness is secured by such Lien.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Lien securing the Notes or a Guarantee granted pursuant to Section 4.10(a)  shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged upon: (i) the release of all other Liens that resulted in the grant of such Lien to secure the Notes or Guarantees pursuant to Section 4.10(a) , (ii) any sale, exchange or transfer to any Person not an Affiliate of the Company of the property or assets secured by such Lien, (iii) any sale, exchange or transfer to any Person not an Affiliate of the Company of all of the Capital Stock held by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in, or all or substantially all the assets of, any Restricted Subsidiary creating such Lien, or (iv) if such Lien secures a Guarantee, the release of such Guarantee in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 4.11                              Asset Sales .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, consummate any Asset Sale unless (i) the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the assets and property subject to such Asset Sale (such Fair Market Value to be determined on the date of contractually agreeing to effect such Asset Sale) and (ii) (A) at least 75% of the consideration paid to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from such Asset Sale and all other Asset Sales since the Issue Date, on a cumulative basis, is in the form of cash, Cash Equivalents, Liquid Securities, Exchanged Properties (including pursuant to Asset Swaps) or the assumption by the acquiring Person of Indebtedness or other liabilities of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (other than liabilities of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that are by their terms subordinated to the Notes) as a result of which the Company and the remaining Restricted Subsidiaries are no longer liable for such liabilities (or in lieu of such absence of liability, the acquiring Person or its parent company agrees to indemnify and hold the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary harmless from and against any loss, liability or cost in respect of such assumed liabilities accompanied by the posting of a letter of credit (issued by a commercial bank that has an Investment Grade Rating) in favor of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary for the full amount of such liabilities and for so long as such liabilities remain outstanding unless such indemnifying party (or its long term debt securities) shall have an Investment Grade Rating (with no indication of a negative outlook or credit watch with negative

 

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implications, in any case, that contemplates such indemnifying party (or its long term debt securities) failing to have an Investment Grade Rating) at the time the indemnity is entered into) (“ Permitted Consideration ”) or (B) the Fair Market Value of all forms of such consideration other than Permitted Consideration since the Issue Date does not exceed in the aggregate 5% of the Adjusted Consolidated Net Tangible Assets of the Company determined at the time such Asset Sale is made.

 

(b)                                  During the 365 days after the receipt by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of Net Available Cash from an Asset Sale, such Net Available Cash may be applied by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, to the extent the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary elects (or is required by the terms of any Pari Passu Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), to:

 

(1)                                  repay (or cash-collateralize) Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary under any Credit Facility (excluding (i) any Subordinated Indebtedness and (ii) any Indebtedness owed to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company);

 

(2)                                  reinvest in Additional Assets (including by means of an Investment in Additional Assets by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary with Net Available Cash received by the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) or make capital expenditures in the Oil and Gas Business;

 

(3)                                  purchase Notes;

 

(4)                                  purchase or repay on a permanent basis other Indebtedness (excluding (i) any Subordinated Indebtedness and (ii) any Notes or other Indebtedness owed to the Company or an Affiliate of the Company); provided that the Company shall equally and ratably redeem or purchase Notes as described under Section 3.07 , through open market purchases (to the extent such purchases are at or above 100% of the principal amount thereof) or by making an offer (in accordance with the procedures set forth below for a Prepayment Offer) to all Holders to purchase the Notes at 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus the amount of accrued but unpaid interest, if any, on the amount of Notes that would otherwise be prepaid; or

 

(5)                                  make any combination of payment, repayment, investment or reinvestment permitted by the foregoing clauses (1) through (4).

 

The requirement of clause (b)(2) above shall be deemed to be satisfied if an agreement (including a lease, whether a capital lease or an operating lease) committing to make the acquisitions or investment referred to therein is entered into by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary within the time period specified in this Section 4.11(b)  and such Net Available Cash is subsequently applied in accordance with such agreement within six months following such agreement.

 

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Pending the final application of any such Net Available Cash, the Company may temporarily reduce Indebtedness under any Credit Facility or otherwise expend or invest such Net Available Cash in any manner that is not prohibited by this Supplemental Indenture

 

(c)                                   Any Net Available Cash from an Asset Sale not applied in accordance with Section 4.11(b)  above within 365 days from the date of such Asset Sale shall constitute “ Excess Proceeds .”  When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $25.0 million, the Company will be required to make an offer to purchase Notes having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds (the “ Prepayment Offer ”) at a purchase price (the “ Prepayment Offer Price ”) equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the Asset Sale Purchase Date (as defined in Section 4.11(d) ) (subject to the rights of Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date) in accordance with the procedures (including prorating in the event of over subscription) set forth in this Supplemental Indenture, but, if the terms of any Pari Passu Indebtedness require that a Pari Passu Offer be made contemporaneously with the Prepayment Offer, then the Excess Proceeds shall be prorated between the Prepayment Offer and such Pari Passu Offer in accordance with the aggregate outstanding principal amounts of the Notes and such Pari Passu Indebtedness (based on principal amounts of Notes and Pari Passu Indebtedness (or, in the case of Pari Passu Indebtedness issued with significant original issue discount, based on the accreted value thereof) tendered), and the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be purchased pursuant to the Prepayment Offer shall be reduced accordingly.  If the aggregate principal amount of Notes tendered by Holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds available for purchase of Notes, then such amount of Excess Proceeds will be allocated pro rata according to the principal amount of the Notes tendered and the Trustee will select the Notes to be purchased in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture on a pro rata basis (or, in the case of Global Notes, on as nearly a pro rata basis as is practicable, subject to the procedures of DTC or any other Depositary), by lot or in accordance with any other method the Trustee considers fair and reasonable and in minimum principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess of $2,000.  To the extent that any portion of the amount of Excess Proceeds remains after compliance with the second sentence of this Section 4.11(c)  and provided that all Holders have been given the opportunity to tender their Notes for purchase as described in Section 4.11(d)  in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture, the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries may use such remaining amount for purposes permitted by this Supplemental Indenture and the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero.  The Company may satisfy the foregoing obligation with respect to any Excess Proceeds by making a Prepayment Offer prior to the expiration of the relevant 365 day period or with respect to Excess Proceeds of $25.0 million or less.

 

(d)                                  Within 30 days after the 365th day following the date of an Asset Sale, the Company shall, if it is obligated to make a Prepayment Offer pursuant to Section 4.11(c) , send a written Prepayment Offer notice, by first-class mail (or, in the case of Global Notes, if such notice is given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sent in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary), to the Holders (the “ Prepayment Offer Notice ”), with a copy to the Trustee, accompanied by such information regarding the Company and its Subsidiaries as the Company believes will enable such Holders to make an informed decision with respect to the Prepayment Offer.  The Prepayment Offer Notice will state, among other things:

 

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(1)                                  that the Company is offering to purchase Notes pursuant to the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(2)                                  that any Note (or any portion thereof) accepted for payment (and duly paid on the Asset Sale Purchase Date) pursuant to the Prepayment Offer shall cease to accrue interest on the Asset Sale Purchase Date;

 

(3)                                  that any Notes (or portions thereof) not properly tendered will continue to accrue interest;

 

(4)                                  the purchase price and purchase date, which shall be, subject to any contrary requirements of applicable law, no less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the date the Prepayment Offer Notice is mailed (or, in the case of Global Notes, sent) (the “ Asset Sale Purchase Date ”);

 

(5)                                  the amount of Excess Proceeds available to purchase Notes;

 

(6)                                  a description of the procedure which Holders must follow in order to tender their Notes and the procedures that Holders must follow in order to withdraw an election to tender their Notes for payment; and

 

(7)                                  all other instructions and materials necessary to enable Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Prepayment Offer.

 

If any of the Notes subject to a Prepayment Offer is in the form of a Global Note, then the Company shall modify such notice to the extent necessary to accord with the procedures of the Depositary applicable to repurchases.

 

(e)                                   The Company will comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the purchase of Notes as described above. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions relating to the Prepayment Offer, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.11 by virtue thereof.

 

(f)                                    Holders electing to have Notes purchased hereunder will be required to surrender such Notes at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Asset Sale Purchase Date.  Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election to have their Notes purchased pursuant to this Section 4.11 if the Company receives, not later than one Business Day prior to the Asset Sale Purchase Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter specifying, as applicable:

 

(1)                                  the name of the Holder,

 

(2)                                  the certificate number of the Note in respect of which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted,

 

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(3)                                  the principal amount of the Note (which shall be $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) delivered for purchase by the Holder as to which his election is to be withdrawn,

 

(4)                                  a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such principal amount of such Note purchased, and

 

(5)                                  the principal amount, if any, of such Note (which shall be $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) that remains subject to the original Prepayment Offer Notice and that has been or will be delivered for purchase by the Company.

 

(g)                                   The Company shall (i) not later than the Asset Sale Purchase Date accept for payment Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Prepayment Offer, (ii) not later than 12:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Asset Sale Purchase Date deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent an amount of money in same day funds sufficient to pay the aggregate Prepayment Offer Price, as the case may be, of all the Notes or portions thereof which are to be purchased on that date and (iii) not later than 12:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Asset Sale Purchase Date, as the case may be, deliver to the Paying Agent an Officers’ Certificate stating the Notes or portions thereof accepted for payment by the Company.  The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Prepayment Offer, as the case may be, on or as soon as practicable after the Asset Sale Purchase Date.

 

(h)                                  Upon receipt by the Company of the proper tender of any Note (or portion thereof) accepted for purchase pursuant to Section 4.11(c) , the Holder of the Note (or portion thereof) accepted for purchase pursuant to Section 4.11(c)  in respect of which such proper tender was made and which has so been accepted for purchase shall (unless the tender of such Note (or portion thereof) accepted for purchase pursuant to Section 4.11(c)  is properly withdrawn at least one Business Day prior to the Asset Sale Purchase Date) thereafter be entitled to receive solely the Prepayment Offer Price with respect to such Note (or portion thereof) accepted for purchase pursuant to Section 4.11(c) .  Notes to be purchased shall, on the Asset Sale Purchase Date, become due and payable at the Prepayment Offer Price and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Prepayment Offer Price) such Notes shall cease to bear interest.  Such Prepayment Offer Price shall be paid to such Holder promptly following the later of the Asset Sale Purchase Date and the time of delivery of such Note to the relevant Paying Agent at the office of such Paying Agent by the Holder thereof in the manner required.  Upon surrender of any such Note for purchase in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such Note shall be paid by the Company at the Prepayment Offer Price; provided, however , that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Asset Sale Purchase Date shall be payable to the Person in whose name the Notes are registered as such as of the close of business on the relevant record dates according to the terms and the provisions of Section 1.07 .  If any Note tendered for purchase shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof by deposit of funds with the Trustee or a Paying Agent in accordance with paragraph (g) of this Section 4.11 , the principal thereof (and premium, if any, thereon) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Asset Sale Purchase Date at the rate borne by such Note.  Any Note that is to be purchased only in part shall be surrendered to a Paying Agent at the office of such Paying Agent (with, if the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer

 

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in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar or the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Note, without service charge, one or more new Notes of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in an aggregate principal amount equal to, and in exchange for, the portion of the principal amount of the Note so surrendered that is not purchased.  For all purposes of this Section 4.11 , unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the purchase of Notes shall relate, in the case of any Notes purchased or to be purchased only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Notes which has been or is to be purchased.  The Paying Agent (at the Company’s expense) shall promptly mail or deliver to the Holder thereof any Note or portion thereof not to be so purchased.

 

Section 4.12                              Issuances of Guarantees by Restricted Subsidiaries .

 

(a)                                  The Company will provide to the Trustee, on or prior to the 30th day after the date that any Restricted Subsidiary (which is not a Guarantor) becomes a guarantor or obligor in respect of any Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5.0 million, a supplemental indenture to the Indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto, executed by such Restricted Subsidiary, providing for a full and unconditional guarantee on a senior unsecured basis by such Restricted Subsidiary of the Company’s obligations under the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) to the same extent as that set forth as to the Guarantors in Article Nine , subject to such Restricted Subsidiary ceasing to be a Guarantor when its Guarantee is released in accordance with the terms of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this Section 4.12 , (i) no Foreign Subsidiary shall be required to execute any such supplemental indenture unless such Foreign Subsidiary has guaranteed (or is otherwise an obligor of) other Indebtedness (including Indebtedness under a Credit Facility) of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Foreign Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount exceeding $5.0 million, and (ii) no Restricted Subsidiary shall be required to execute any such supplemental indenture if the Consolidated Net Worth of such Restricted Subsidiary, together with the Consolidated Net Worth of all other Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries, as of such date, does not exceed in the aggregate $5.0 million.  To the extent the collective Consolidated Net Worth of the Company’s Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries, as of the date of the creation of, acquisition of or Investment in a Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiary, exceeds $5.0 million, the Company shall cause, within 30 days after such date, one or more of such Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries to similarly execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture to the Indenture substantially in the form of Exhibit B attached hereto providing for a full and unconditional guarantee on a senior unsecured basis by such Restricted Subsidiary or Restricted Subsidiaries of the Company’s obligations under the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) to the same extent as that set forth as to the Guarantors in Article Nine , such that the collective Consolidated Net Worth of all remaining Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiaries does not exceed $5.0 million.

 

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Section 4.13                              Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Restricted Subsidiaries .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, directly or indirectly, create or otherwise cause to come into existence or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

(1)                                  pay dividends or make any other distribution on its Capital Stock to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the priority of any Preferred Stock in receiving dividends or liquidating distributions prior to dividends or liquidating distributions being paid on common stock shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to pay dividends or make distributions on Capital Stock),

 

(2)                                  pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of Indebtedness owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness owed by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to pay such Indebtedness),

 

(3)                                  make loans or advances to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary (it being understood that the subordination of loans or advances made by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to other Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary shall not be deemed a restriction on the ability to make loans or advances), or

 

(4)                                  transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary.

 

(b)                                  However, Section 4.13(a)  will not prohibit any encumbrance or restriction created, existing or becoming effective under or by reason of:

 

(1)                                  any agreement (including the Senior Credit Agreement, the indentures governing the Existing Senior Notes and this Supplemental Indenture) in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(2)                                  any agreement or instrument with respect to a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Restricted Subsidiary on the Issue Date, in existence at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary and not incurred in connection with, or in contemplation of, such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such encumbrances and restrictions are not applicable to, or to the properties or assets of, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary other than such Subsidiary which is becoming a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(3)                                  any agreement or instrument governing any Acquired Debt or other agreement of any entity merged into or consolidated with, or the assets of which are acquired by, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such encumbrance or restriction (A) was not entered into in contemplation of the acquisition, merger or consolidation transaction, and (B) is not applicable to any Person, or the properties or assets of any Person, other than the Person, or the property or assets or subsidiaries of the

 

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Person, so acquired, so long as the agreement containing such restriction does not violate any other provision of this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(4)                                  any applicable law or any requirement of any regulatory body;

 

(5)                                  customary restrictions and conditions contained in the security documents evidencing any Liens securing obligations or Indebtedness or agreements relating to Capital Lease Obligations ( provided that such Liens are otherwise permitted to be incurred under the provisions of Section 4.10 and such restrictions and conditions are not created for the purpose of avoiding the restrictions imposed by this Section 4.13 ) that limit the right of the debtor or lessee to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens;

 

(6)                                  provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest (including leases governing leasehold interests or farm-in agreements or farm-out agreements relating to leasehold interests in Oil and Gas Properties) of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, or restrictions in licenses (including licenses of intellectual property) relating to the property covered thereby, or other encumbrances or restrictions in agreements or instruments relating to specific assets or property that restrict generally the transfers of such assets or property; provided that such encumbrances or restrictions do not materially impact the ability of the Company to permit payments on the Notes when due as required by the terms of this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(7)                                  agreements with respect to asset sales, including the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary, permitted to be made under the provisions of Section 4.11 that limit the transfer of such assets or assets of such Restricted Subsidiary (or distribution on such Capital Stock) pending the closing of such sale;

 

(8)                                  shareholders’, partnership, joint venture and similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business; provided that such encumbrances or restrictions do not apply to any Restricted Subsidiaries other than the applicable company, partnership, joint venture or other entity;

 

(9)                                  cash, Cash Equivalents or other deposits, or net worth requirements or similar requirements, imposed by suppliers, landlords or customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(10)                           any Credit Facility or agreement governing Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary permitted to be incurred under the provisions of Section 4.07 ; provided that such encumbrances or restrictions are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, as determined by the Company in good faith, than those contained in the Senior Credit Agreement, in the indentures governing the Existing Senior Notes or in this Supplemental Indenture as in effect on the Issue Date;

 

(11)                           restrictions of the nature described in clause (4) of Section 4.13(a)  by reason of customary non-assignment provisions in Hydrocarbon purchase or sale or

 

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exchange contracts, agreements, licenses and leases entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(12)                           Commodity Agreements, Currency Agreements or Interest Rate Agreements permitted from time to time under this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(13)                           any Preferred Stock issued by a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that the issuance of such Preferred Stock is permitted pursuant to Section 4.07 and the terms of such Preferred Stock do not expressly restrict the ability of such Restricted Subsidiary to pay dividends or make any other distributions on its Capital Stock (other than requirements to pay dividends or liquidation preferences on such Preferred Stock prior to paying any dividends or making any other distributions on such other Capital Stock);

 

(14)                           Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that the restrictions contained in the agreements governing such Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness are no more restrictive, taken as a whole, than those contained in the agreements governing the Indebtedness being Refinanced;

 

(15)                           encumbrances and restrictions contained in contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, not relating to any Indebtedness, and that do not, individually or in the aggregate, detract from the value of, or from the ability of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to realize the value of, property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in any manner material to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary; and

 

(16)                           any agreement, amendment, modification, restatement, extension, renewal, supplement, refunding, replacement or Refinancing that amends, modifies, restates, extends, renews, refunds, replaces or Refinances the agreements containing the encumbrances or restrictions in the foregoing clauses (1) through (15), or in this clause (16); provided that the terms and conditions of any such encumbrances or restrictions are no more restrictive in any material respect taken as a whole, as determined by the Company in good faith, than those under or pursuant to the agreement so amended, modified, restated, extended, renewed, refunded, replaced or Refinanced.

 

Section 4.14                              Sale and Leaseback Transactions .

 

The Company will not, and will not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction; provided that the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into a Sale and Leaseback Transaction if:

 

(1)                                  the Company or such Subsidiary could have incurred Indebtedness at the time of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction on a pro forma basis (on the assumption such transaction occurred on the first day of the four-quarter period for which financial statements are available ending immediately prior to such transaction with the appropriate adjustments with respect to such transaction being included in such pro forma calculation) in an amount equal to the Attributable Indebtedness relating to such Sale and

 

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Leaseback Transaction pursuant to the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in paragraph (a) of Section 4.07 ;

 

(2)                                  the gross cash proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction are at least equal to the Fair Market Value of the property that is the subject of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction; and

 

(3)                                  the transfer of assets in such Sale and Leaseback Transaction is permitted by, and the Company applies the proceeds of such transaction in the same manner and to the same extent as Net Available Cash and Excess Proceeds from an Asset Sale in compliance with, Section 4.11 .

 

Section 4.15                              Unrestricted Subsidiaries .

 

(a)                                  The Board of Directors of the Company may designate after the Issue Date any of the Company’s Subsidiaries as an Unrestricted Subsidiary under this Supplemental Indenture (a “ Designation ”) only if:

 

(1)                                  no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or after giving effect to such Designation;

 

(2)                                  (x) the Company would be permitted to make an Investment at the time of Designation (assuming the effectiveness of such Designation) pursuant to paragraph (a) of Section 4.08 or as a Permitted Payment or Permitted Investment in an amount (the “ Designation Amount ”) equal to the greater of (1) the net book value of the Company’s interest in such Subsidiary calculated in accordance with GAAP and (2) the Fair Market Value of the Company’s interest in such Subsidiary as determined in good faith by the Company’s Board of Directors, or (y) the Designation Amount is less than $1,000;

 

(3)                                  such Unrestricted Subsidiary does not own any Capital Stock in any Restricted Subsidiary which is not simultaneously being designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(4)                                  such Unrestricted Subsidiary is not liable, directly or indirectly, with respect to any Indebtedness other than Unrestricted Subsidiary Indebtedness; provided that an Unrestricted Subsidiary may provide a Guarantee for the Notes; and

 

(5)                                  such Unrestricted Subsidiary is not a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding at such time with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary unless the terms of any such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding are no less favorable to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary than those that might be obtained at the time from Persons who are not Affiliates of the Company or, in the event such condition is not satisfied, the value of such agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding to such Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed a Restricted Payment.

 

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(b)                                  In the event of any such Designation, the Company shall be deemed, for all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture, to have made an Investment equal to the Designation Amount that, as designated by the Company, constitutes a Restricted Payment pursuant to paragraph (a) of Section 4.08 or a Permitted Payment or Permitted Investment.

 

(c)                                   The Company shall not and shall not cause or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to at any time:

 

(1)                                  provide credit support for, guarantee or subject any of its property or assets (other than the Capital Stock of any Unrestricted Subsidiary) to the satisfaction of, any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument evidencing such Indebtedness) or enter into or become a party to any agreement, contract, arrangement or understanding with any Unrestricted Subsidiary, the terms of which, together with the terms of all other agreements, contracts, arrangements and understandings with such Unrestricted Subsidiary, taken as a whole, in the good-faith judgment of the Board of Directors of the Company, are less favorable to the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries than those that would be available in a comparable transaction in arm’s-length dealings with a party that is not an Affiliate of the Company; provided that this Section 4.15 shall not be deemed to prevent Permitted Investments, Restricted Payments or Permitted Payments in Unrestricted Subsidiaries that are otherwise allowed under this Supplemental Indenture, or

 

(2)                                  be directly or indirectly liable for any Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than by pledge of the Capital Stock thereof).

 

(d)                                  For purposes of this Section 4.15 , the Designation of a Subsidiary of the Company as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be the Designation of all of the Subsidiaries of such Subsidiary as Unrestricted Subsidiaries.  Unless so designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, any Person that becomes a Subsidiary of the Company will be classified as a Restricted Subsidiary.

 

(e)                                   The Company may revoke any Designation of a Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary (a “ Revocation ”) if:

 

(1)                                  no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of and after giving effect to such Revocation;

 

(2)                                  all Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary outstanding immediately following such Revocation would, if incurred at such time, have been permitted to be incurred for all purposes of this Supplemental Indenture; and

 

(3)                                  unless such redesignated Subsidiary shall not have any Indebtedness outstanding (other than Indebtedness that would be Permitted Debt), immediately after giving effect to such proposed Revocation, and after giving pro forma effect to the incurrence of any such Indebtedness of such redesignated Subsidiary as if such Indebtedness was incurred on the date of the Revocation, the Company could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Debt) pursuant to Section 4.07 .

 

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(f)                                    All Designations and Revocations shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company delivered to the Trustee certifying compliance with the provisions of this Section 4.15 .

 

Section 4.16                              Payments for Consent .

 

Neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary shall, directly or indirectly, pay or cause to be paid any consideration, whether by way of interest, fee or otherwise, to any Holder for or as an inducement to any consent, waiver or amendment of any of the terms or provisions of this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes unless such consideration is offered to be paid or is paid to all Holders that consent, waive or agree to amend in the time frame set forth in the solicitation documents relating to such consent, waiver or agreement.

 

Section 4.17                              Offer to Repurchase upon a Change of Control .

 

(a)                                  If a Change of Control occurs, unless the Company has given (or if a Change of Control occurs prior to March 15, 2016, within 60 days thereafter will have given) notice of redemption of all the Notes pursuant to Section 3.07 , each Holder will have the right to require that the Company purchase all or any part (in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) of such Holder’s Notes pursuant to the offer described below in this Section 4.17 (the “ Change of Control Offer ”).  In the Change of Control Offer, the Company will offer to purchase all of the Notes, at a purchase price (the “ Change of Control Purchase Price ”) in cash in an amount equal to 101% of the principal amount of such Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (the “ Change of Control Purchase Date ”), subject to the rights of Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date.  Any Change of Control Offer that is made prior to the occurrence of a Change of Control may at the Company’s discretion be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including the occurrence of a Change of Control.

 

(b)                                  Within 30 days after any Change of Control or, at the Company’s option, prior to such Change of Control but after it is publicly announced , unless the Company has given (or if a Change of Control occurs prior to March 15, 2016, within 60 days thereafter will have given) notice of redemption of all the Notes pursuant to Section 3.07 , the Company shall notify the Trustee and give written notice of the Change of Control to each Holder, by first-class mail, postage prepaid, at the address appearing for such Holder in the Security Register (or, in the case of Global Notes, if such notice is given by the Trustee on behalf of the Company, sent in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary).  The notice (the “ Change of Control Purchase Notice ”) shall state, among other things:

 

(i)                                      that a Change of Control has occurred or will occur, the date of such event and the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control;

 

(ii)                                   that any Notes (or any portion thereof) accepted for payment and duly paid on the Change of Control Purchase Date pursuant to the Change of Control Offer shall cease to accrue interest on the Change of Control Purchase Date;

 

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(iii)                                that any Notes (or any portion thereof) not properly tendered will continue to accrue interest;

 

(iv)                               the Change of Control Purchase Price and the Change of Control Purchase Date, which shall be fixed by the Company on a Business Day no earlier than 30 days nor later than 60 days from the date the Change of Control Purchase Notice is mailed (or, in the case of Global Notes, sent), or such later date as is necessary to comply with requirements under the Exchange Act; provided that the Change of Control Purchase Date may not occur prior to the Change of Control;

 

(v)                                  a description of the procedures that Holders are required to follow in order to tender their Notes and the procedures that Holders are required to follow in order to withdraw an election to tender their Notes for payment; and

 

(vi)                               all other instructions and materials necessary to enable Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Change of Control Offer.

 

If any of the Notes subject to a Change of Control Offer is in the form of a Global Note, then the Company shall modify such notice to the extent necessary to accord with the procedures of the Depositary applicable to repurchases.

 

(c)                                   Upon receipt by the Company of the proper tender of Notes, the Holder of the Note in respect of which such proper tender was made shall (unless the tender of such Note is properly withdrawn at least one Business Day prior to the Change of Control Purchase Date) thereafter be entitled to receive solely the Change of Control Purchase Price with respect to such Notes.  Notes to be purchased shall, on the Change of Control Purchase Date, become due and payable at the Change of Control Purchase Price, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Change of Control Purchase Price) such Notes shall cease to bear interest.  Such Change of Control Purchase Price shall be paid to such Holder promptly following the later of the Change of Control Purchase Date and the time of delivery of such Note to the relevant Paying Agent at the office of such Paying Agent by the Holder thereof in the manner required.  Upon surrender of any such Note for purchase in accordance with the foregoing provisions, such Note shall be paid by the Company at the Change of Control Purchase Price; provided, however , that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Change of Control Purchase Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Notes, registered as such as of the close of business on the relevant record dates according to the terms and the provisions of Section 307 of the Base Indenture.  If any Note tendered for purchase in accordance with the provisions of this Section 4.17 shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof, the principal thereof (and premium, if any, thereon) shall, until paid, bear interest from the Change of Control Purchase Date at the rate borne by such Note.  Holders electing to have Notes purchased will be required to surrender such Notes to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the Change of Control Purchase Notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day prior to the Change of Control Purchase Date.  Any Note that is to be purchased only in part shall be surrendered to a Paying Agent at the office of such Paying Agent (with, if the Company, the Registrar or the Trustee so require, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Registrar or the Trustee, as the case may be, duly executed by, the Holder thereof or such Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing), and the

 

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Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Note, without service charge, one or more new Notes of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in an aggregate principal amount equal to, and in exchange for, the portion of the principal amount of the Note so surrendered that is not purchased.  For all purposes of this Section 4.17 , unless the context otherwise requires, all provisions relating to the purchase of Notes shall relate, in the case of any Notes purchased or to be purchased only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Notes which has been or is to be purchased.  The Paying Agent (at the Company’s expense) shall promptly mail or deliver to the Holder thereof any Note or portion thereof not to be so purchased.

 

(d)                                  The Company shall (i) not later than the Change of Control Purchase Date, accept for payment Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer, (ii) not later than 12:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Change of Control Purchase Date, deposit with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent an amount of money in same day funds sufficient to pay the aggregate Change of Control Purchase Price of all the Notes or portions thereof that are to be purchased on that date and (iii) not later than 12:30 p.m. (New York City time) on the Change of Control Purchase Date, deliver to the Paying Agent an Officers’ Certificate stating the Notes or portions thereof accepted for payment by the Company.  The Company shall publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Purchase Date.

 

(e)                                   A tender made in response to a Change of Control Purchase Notice may be withdrawn if the Company receives, not later than one Business Day prior to the Change of Control Purchase Date, a telegram, telex, facsimile transmission or letter, specifying, as applicable:

 

(1)                                  the name of the Holder;

 

(2)                                  the certificate number of the Note in respect of which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted;

 

(3)                                  the principal amount of the Note (which shall be $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) delivered for purchase by the Holder as to which such notice of withdrawal is being submitted;

 

(4)                                  a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such principal amount of such Note purchased; and

 

(5)                                  the principal amount, if any, of such Note (which shall be $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof) that remains subject to the original Change of Control Purchase Notice and that has been or will be delivered for purchase by the Company.

 

(f)                                    The Company shall comply with the applicable tender offer rules, including the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act, and any other applicable securities laws or regulations thereunder in connection with a Change of Control Offer.  To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions

 

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relating to the Change of Control Offer in this Section 4.17, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.17 by virtue thereof.

 

(g)                                   Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.17, the Company will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer under the following circumstances: (1) upon a Change of Control, if a third party makes the Change of Control Offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements set forth in this Supplemental Indenture applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer; or (2) if notice of redemption for 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes has been given (or, if a Change of Control occurs prior to March 15, 2016, within 60 days thereafter will have been given) pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture as described in Section 3.07 , unless and until there is a default in payment of the applicable redemption price.

 

(h)                                  In the event that upon consummation of a Change of Control Offer less than 10% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) that were originally issued are held by Holders other than the Company or Affiliates thereof, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, and given not more than 30 days following the purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Offer described above, to redeem all of the Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a redemption price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to the date of redemption, subject to the right of the Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date.

 

Section 4.18                              Corporate Existence .

 

Subject to Article Five , the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence, rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises; provided, however , that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise if it shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company.

 

Section 4.19                              Covenant Suspension .

 

(a)                                  If at any time (1) the Notes are rated at least Baa3 by Moody’s and at least BBB- by S&P (or, if either such entity ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the control of the Company, at least the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any other “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act selected by the Company as a replacement agency); and (2) at such time no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, then, beginning on that day and on each day thereafter until a Reversion Date, if any (as described in Section 4.19(c) ), the following covenants (the “ Suspended Covenants ”) will be suspended and the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall not be subject to (and shall not be required to comply with) the Suspended Covenants:

 

(i)                                      Section 4.11 ;

 

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(ii)                                   Section 4.08 ;

 

(iii)                                Section 4.07 ;

 

(iv)                               Section 4.13 ;

 

(v)                                  clauses (1) and (3) of Section 4.14 ;

 

(vi)                               clause (4) of Section 5.01(a) ;

 

(vii)                            Section 4.09 ;

 

(viii)                         Section 4.15 ; and

 

(ix)                               Section 4.12 .

 

(b)                                  During any period that the foregoing covenants have been suspended (each such period, a “ Suspension Period ”), the Company’s Board of Directors may not designate any of its Restricted Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries pursuant to Section 4.15 .

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding Sections 4.19(a)  and (b) , if the rating assigned by either Moody’s or S&P should subsequently decline to below Baa3 or BBB-, respectively, the Suspended Covenants will be reinstituted as of and from the date of such rating decline (such date, a “ Reversion Date ”) and on the Reversion Date and on each date thereafter (subject to the provisions of Section 4.19(a) ) the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall be subject to (and shall be required to comply with) the Suspended Covenants.

 

(d)                                  For purposes of calculating the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.08(a)(3) , calculations under that clause will be made with reference to the date of the Restricted Payment, as set forth in that clause. Accordingly (x) Restricted Payments made during the Suspension Period that would not otherwise be permitted pursuant to any of clauses (b)(1) through (b)(14) of Section 4.08 will reduce the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.08(a)(3) ; provided, however , that the amount available to be made as a Restricted Payment shall not be reduced to below zero solely as a result of such Restricted Payments but may be reduced to below zero as a result of negative cumulative Consolidated Net Income during the Suspension Period for purposes of Section 4.08(a)(3)(A)  and (y) the items specified in clauses (a)(3)(A) through (F) of Section 4.08 that occur during the Suspension Period will increase the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under clause (a)(3) of Section 4.08 .  For purposes of Section 4.11 , on each Reversion Date, the unutilized Excess Proceeds will be reset to zero. No Default or Event of Default will be deemed to have occurred or exist on a Reversion Date (or thereafter) under any Suspended Covenant, solely as a result of, or as a result of the continued existence on or after a Reversion Date of facts and circumstances arising from, any actions taken by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiaries thereof, or events occurring, or performance on or after a Reversion Date of any obligations arising from transactions which occurred, during a Suspension Period.

 

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ARTICLE FIVE
Successors

 

Article VIII of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Five .

 

Section 5.01                              Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets .

 

(a)                                  The Company will not, in any Transaction, (x) consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person or (y) sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person, or (in the case of clause (y)) permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to enter into any Transaction, if such Transaction, in the aggregate, would result in a sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries on a Consolidated basis to any other Person (other than the Company or one or more Restricted Subsidiaries) unless at the time and after giving effect thereto:

 

(1)                                  either (a) the Person (if other than the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which the Company is merged or the Person which acquires by sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or disposition all or substantially all of such properties and assets (the “ Surviving Entity ”) will be a corporation, limited liability company or limited partnership duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia or (b) the Company will be the Surviving Entity;

 

(2)                                  if the Company is merging into, consolidating with or disposing of assets and is not the Surviving Entity, (a) the Surviving Entity shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture (or other agreement reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee), in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and this Supplemental Indenture and (b) if the Surviving Entity is not a corporation, then a Subsidiary of the Surviving Entity that is a corporation shall execute a supplemental indenture pursuant to which it shall become a co-obligor of the Surviving Entity’s obligations under the Notes, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(3)                                  except in the case (a) a Restricted Subsidiary merges into, consolidates with or disposes of assets to the Company or (b) the Company merges into, consolidates with or disposes of assets to a Guarantor, immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis (and treating any Indebtedness not previously an obligation of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary which becomes the obligation of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been incurred at the time of such transaction), no Default or Event of Default will have occurred and be continuing;

 

(4)                                  except in the case (a) a Restricted Subsidiary merges into, consolidates with or disposes of assets to the Company or (b) the Company merges into, consolidates with or disposes of assets to a Guarantor, immediately after giving effect to

 

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such transaction on a pro forma basis (on the assumption that the transaction occurred on the first day of the four-quarter period for which financial statements are available ending immediately prior to the consummation of such transaction with the appropriate adjustments with respect to the transaction being included in such pro forma calculation), either (i) the Company (or the Surviving Entity if the Company is merging into, consolidating with or disposing of assets and is not the Surviving Entity) could on the first day following such four-quarter period incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness (other than Permitted Debt) under Section 4.07 or (ii) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio for the Company (or the Surviving Entity if the Company is merging into, consolidating with or disposing of assets and is not the Surviving Entity) would be at least as great as the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage for the Company immediately prior to such transactions;

 

(5)                                  if the Company is merging into, consolidating with or disposing of assets and is not the Surviving Entity, at the time of the transaction, each Guarantor, if any, unless it is the other party to the transactions described above, will have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Guarantee shall apply to the Surviving Entity’s obligations under this Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and the Notes;

 

(6)                                  at the time of the transaction, if any of the property or assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary would thereupon become subject to any Lien, Section 4.10 is complied with; and

 

(7)                                  at the time of the transaction, the Company or (if the Company is merging into, consolidating with or disposing of assets and is not the Surviving Entity) the Surviving Entity will have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each to the effect that such consolidation, merger, transfer, sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other transaction and the supplemental indenture in respect thereof comply with this Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes).

 

(b)                                  Except for any Guarantor whose Guarantee is to be released in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture in connection with a transaction complying with Section 9.04 , each Guarantor will not, and the Company will not permit a Guarantor to, in a Transaction, (x) consolidate with or merge with or into any other Person (other than the Company or any other Guarantor) or (y) sell, assign, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties and assets to any Person (other than the Company or any other Guarantor), unless at the time and after giving effect thereto:

 

(1)                                  one of the following is true: (a) a Guarantor or the Company will be the continuing Person in the case of a consolidation or merger involving the Guarantor; or (b) the Person (if other than a Guarantor or the Company) formed by such consolidation or into which such Guarantor is merged or the Person (if other than a Guarantor or the Company) which acquires by sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or disposition of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Guarantor (the “ Surviving Guarantor Entity ”) will be a corporation, limited liability company,

 

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limited liability partnership, partnership, trust or other entity duly organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and such Person expressly assumes, by a supplemental indenture, in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee of the Notes, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and this Supplemental Indenture, and such Guarantee of such Surviving Guarantor Entity and the Indenture will remain in full force and effect; or (c) the Transaction, at the time thereof, is an Asset Sale and is effected in compliance with Section 4.11 , to the extent applicable thereto;

 

(2)                                  immediately before and immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis, no Default or Event of Default will have occurred and be continuing; and

 

(3)                                  at the time of the transaction the Company will have delivered, or caused to be delivered, to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each to the effect that such consolidation, merger, transfer, sale, assignment, conveyance, lease or other transaction and the supplemental indenture in respect thereof comply with this Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes);

 

provided that this Section 5.01(b)  shall not apply to any Guarantor whose Guarantee of the Notes is unconditionally released and discharged in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes).

 

(c)                                   In the event of any Transaction described in and complying with the conditions listed in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 5.01 in which the Company or any Guarantor, as the case may be, is not the continuing Person, the successor Person formed or remaining or to which such transfer is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes with the same effect as if such successor had been named as the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, herein and shall be substituted for the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be (so that from and after the date of such Transaction, the provisions of the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes referring to the “Company” or “such Guarantor,” as the case may be, shall refer instead to the successor and not to the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be) and (except in the case of a lease) the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be, shall be discharged and released from all obligations and covenants under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes or its Guarantee, as the case may be.  The Trustee shall enter into a supplemental indenture to evidence the succession and substitution of such successor and such discharge and release of the Company or such Guarantor, as the case may be.

 

(d)                                  Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this Section 5.01 , the Company or any Guarantor may merge with an Affiliate incorporated or organized solely for the purpose of reincorporating or reorganizing the Company or such Guarantor in another jurisdiction to realize tax or other benefits or converting the Company or such Guarantor to an entity that is, or is taxable for federal income tax purposes as, a corporation, or a combination of the foregoing.

 

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ARTICLE SIX
Defaults and Remedies

 

Article V of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes, except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Six .

 

Section 6.01                              Events of Default .

 

An Event of Default will occur under this Supplemental Indenture (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) if:

 

(1)                                  there shall be a default in the payment of any interest on any Note when it becomes due and payable, and such default shall continue for a period of 30 days;

 

(2)                                  there shall be a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any, on) any Note at its Maturity (upon acceleration, optional or mandatory redemption, if any, required repurchase or otherwise);

 

(3)                                  (a) there shall be a default in the performance or breach of the provisions of Section 5.01(a) , only as such relate to the Company, (b) the Company shall have failed to make or consummate a Prepayment Offer in accordance with Section 4.11 after the obligation of the Company to make a Prepayment Offer with respect to an Asset Sale has arisen, or (c) the Company shall have failed to make or consummate a Change of Control Offer in accordance with Section 4.17 after the occurrence of a Change of Control, and, in the case of clause (b), after written notice has been given, by certified mail, (1) to the Company by the Trustee or (2) to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes and, in the case of clauses (b) and (c), such default or breach shall continue for a period of 30 days;

 

(4)                                  there shall be a default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or agreement of the Company or any Guarantor under this Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or any Guarantee (other than a default in the performance, or breach, of a covenant or agreement which is specifically dealt with in clause (1), (2) or (3) above) and such default or breach shall continue for a period of 60 days (or 120 days in relation to the obligations under Section 4.03 ) after written notice has been given, by certified mail, (1) to the Company by the Trustee or (2) to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes;

 

(5)                                  (a) any default in the payment of the principal, premium, if any, or interest on any Indebtedness shall have occurred under any of the agreements, indentures or instruments under which the Company, any Guarantor or any other Significant Subsidiary then has outstanding Indebtedness in excess of $20.0 million when the same shall become due and payable in full and such default shall have continued after the

 

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giving of any applicable notice and the expiration of any applicable grace period and shall not have been cured or waived and, if not already matured at its final maturity in accordance with its terms, the holder of such Indebtedness shall have the right to accelerate such Indebtedness or (b) an event of default as defined in any of the agreements, indentures or instruments described in clause (a) of this clause (5) shall have occurred and the Indebtedness thereunder, if not already matured at its final maturity in accordance with its terms, shall have been accelerated;

 

(6)                                  any Guarantee shall for any reason cease to be, or shall for any reason be asserted in writing by any Guarantor or the Company not to be, in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent contemplated by this Supplemental Indenture and any such Guarantee;

 

(7)                                  one or more judgments, orders or decrees of any court or regulatory or administrative agency for the payment of money in excess of $20.0 million (excluding amounts covered by enforceable insurance policies issued by solvent insurance carriers), either individually or in the aggregate, shall be rendered against the Company, any Guarantor or any other Significant Subsidiary or any of their respective properties and shall not be discharged and either (a) any creditor shall have commenced an enforcement proceeding in accordance with applicable law upon such judgment, order or decree or (b) there shall have been a period of 60 consecutive days during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment or order, by reason of an appeal or otherwise, shall not be in effect;

 

(8)                                  the entry of a decree or order by a court having jurisdiction in the premises adjudging the Company or any Significant Subsidiary bankrupt or insolvent, or approving as properly filed a petition seeking reorganization, arrangement, adjustments or composition of or in respect of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary under any Bankruptcy Law, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or of any substantial part of its property, or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and the continuance of any such decree or order unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

(9)                                  the institution by the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of proceedings to be adjudicated bankrupt or insolvent, or the consent by it to the institution of bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings against it, or the filing by it of a petition or answer or consent seeking reorganization or relief under any Bankruptcy Law, or the consent by it to the filing of any such petition or to the appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, trustee, sequestrator (or other similar official) of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary or of any substantial part of its property, or the making by it of an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or the admission by it in writing of its inability to pay its debts generally as they become due.

 

Any reference in this Article Six or elsewhere in this Supplemental Indenture to “Event of Default” shall be deemed to refer to and include only the Events of Default with respect to the Notes specified in this Section 6.01 .

 

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Section 6.02                              Acceleration .

 

(a)                                  If an Event of Default (other than as specified in Section 6.01(8)  or (9)  above with respect to the Company) shall occur and be continuing with respect to this Supplemental Indenture, the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare all unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on all Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders) and upon any such declaration, such principal, premium, if any, and interest shall become due and payable immediately.  If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(8)  or (9)  above with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, then all the Notes shall ipso facto become due and payable immediately in an amount equal to the principal amount of the Notes, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date the Notes become due and payable, without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder.  Thereupon, the Trustee may, at its discretion, proceed to protect and enforce the rights of the Holders by appropriate judicial proceedings.

 

(b)                                  After a declaration of acceleration, but before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if:

 

(1)                                  the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay (A) all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee under this Supplemental Indenture and the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, (B) all overdue interest on all Notes then outstanding, (C) the principal of, and premium, if any, on any Notes then outstanding which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and interest thereon at the rate borne by the Notes, and (D) to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest upon overdue interest at the rate borne by the Notes;

 

(2)                                  the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction; and

 

(3)                                  all Events of Default, other than the non-payment of principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in this Supplemental Indenture.

 

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

 

(c)                                   If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(5)  above shall have occurred and be continuing, such Event of Default and any consequential acceleration shall be automatically rescinded if (i) the Indebtedness that is the subject of such Event of Default shall have been repaid or (ii) if the default relating to such Indebtedness is waived or cured and if such Indebtedness shall have been accelerated, the Holders thereof have rescinded their declaration of acceleration in respect of such Indebtedness.

 

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Section 6.03                              Other Remedies .

 

(a)                                  If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy to collect the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or this Supplemental Indenture.

 

(b)                                  The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding.  A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon and during the continuance of an Event of Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Event of Default.  All remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

 

Section 6.04                              Waiver of Past Defaults .

 

The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes outstanding may on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Notes waive any past Default or Event of Default under this Supplemental Indenture or any other provision of the Indenture with respect to the Notes and its consequences, except a Default or Event of Default (1) in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note (which may only be waived with the consent of each Holder affected) or (2) in respect of a covenant or provision which under Section 8.02 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Note affected by such modification or amendment.  This Section 6.04 shall be in lieu of Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the TIA and such Section 316(a)(1)(B) of the TIA is hereby expressly excluded from this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes, as permitted by the TIA.  Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Supplemental Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 6.05                              Control by Majority .

 

Subject to Section 1.11 , Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for exercising any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on it.  However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or this Supplemental Indenture or that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders or that may subject the Trustee to personal liability; provided, however , that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction.  The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest.

 

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Section 6.06                              Limitation on Suits .

 

(a)                                  A Holder has a right to institute any proceeding with respect to the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes or any Guarantees, only if:

 

(1)                                  the Holder gives to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;

 

(2)                                  the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

(3)                                  such Holder or Holders offer and, if requested, provide to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against any loss, liability or expense that might be incurred by it in connection with the request or direction;

 

(4)                                  the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer and, if requested, the provision of indemnity; and

 

(5)                                  during such 60-day period the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes have not waived such Event of Default or otherwise given the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the written request.

 

(b)                                  A Holder may not use the Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder.

 

Section 6.07                              Rights of Holders to Receive Payment .

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on such Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note (including in connection with an offer to purchase), or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 6.08                              Collection Suit by Trustee .

 

If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(1)  or (2)  above occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount of overdue principal of, premium, if any, interest remaining unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal and premium, if any, and, to the extent lawful, interest and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts provided for in Section 607 of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 6.09                              Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .

 

The Trustee is authorized to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the

 

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Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any Guarantor (or any other obligor upon the Notes), its creditors or its property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other securities or property payable or deliverable on any such claims and any custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee, and in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607 of the Base Indenture.  To the extent that the payment of any such compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 607 of the Base Indenture out of the estate in any such proceeding, shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a Lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, money, securities and other properties that the Holders may be entitled to receive in such proceeding whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.  Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

 

Section 6.10                              Priorities .

 

(a)                                  If the Trustee collects any money or other property pursuant to this Article Six , it shall pay out the money and other property in the following order:

 

First:  to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 607 of the Base Indenture, including payment of all compensation, expense and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and the costs and expenses of collection;

 

Second:  to Holders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, interest ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and interest, respectively; and

 

Third:  to the Company or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct.

 

(b)                                  The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.10 .

 

Section 6.11                              Undertaking for Costs .

 

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or this Supplemental Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as a Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses,

 

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against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant.  This Section does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.07 , or a suit by Holders of more than ten percent in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes.

 

ARTICLE SEVEN
Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

Article XIII of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes, except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Seven .

 

Section 7.01                              Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

 

The Company may, at its option and at any time, elect to have either Section 7.02 or 7.03 be applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article Seven .

 

Section 7.02                              Legal Defeasance and Discharge .

 

Upon the Company’s exercise of the option applicable to this Section 7.02 , the Company shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 7.04 , be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes and all obligations of the Guarantors shall be deemed to have been discharged with respect to their obligations under the Guarantees on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Legal Defeasance ”).  For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Company and the Guarantors shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes and Guarantees, respectively, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 7.05 and the other Sections of this Supplemental Indenture referred to in clauses (a) and (b) below, and to have satisfied all of their other obligations under such Notes and this Supplemental Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:  (a) the rights of the Holders of outstanding Notes to receive solely from Funds in Trust (as defined in Section 7.04 and as more fully set forth in such Section) payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Notes when such payments are due, (b) subject to the preceding clause (a), the Company’s obligations with respect to such Notes under Article One and Section 4.02 , (c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee under the Indenture and (d) this Article Seven .  Subject to compliance with this Article Seven , the Company may exercise its option under this Section 7.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 7.03 .

 

Section 7.03                              Covenant Defeasance .

 

Upon the Company’s exercise under Section 7.01 of the option applicable to this Section 7.03 , subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 7.04 , (i) the Company shall be released from its obligations, and each Guarantor shall be released from its obligations, in each case, under the covenants contained in Article Four and Section 5.01 (except

 

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for the obligations of the Company or a Guarantor under paragraph (a) of Section 5.01 solely insofar as they relate to the Company), except as described further in clause (ii) of this sentence, and (ii) the limitations described in clause (4) of paragraph (a) of Section 5.01 with respect to the outstanding Notes shall no longer apply, on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 7.04 are satisfied (hereinafter, “ Covenant Defeasance ”), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or Act of the Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes).  For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Company and each Restricted Subsidiary may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01 , but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Supplemental Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby.  In addition, upon the Company’s exercise under Section 7.01 of the option applicable to this Section 7.03 , subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 7.04 , Sections 6.01(3)  through (7)  shall not constitute Events of Default.

 

Section 7.04                              Conditions to Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance .

 

The following shall be the conditions to the application of either Section 7.02 or 7.03 to the outstanding Notes:

 

(a)                                  the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee, in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders (x) cash in United States dollars or (y) cash in United States dollars, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof (in each case, “ Funds in Trust ”), in such amounts as, in the aggregate, will be sufficient (in the case of clause (y), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm), to pay and discharge the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the outstanding Notes on the Stated Maturity (or the applicable redemption date (such date being referred to as the “ Defeasance Redemption Date ”), if at or prior to electing either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance, the Company has delivered to the Trustee an irrevocable notice to redeem all of the outstanding Notes on the Defeasance Redemption Date);

 

(b)                                  in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel in the United States stating that (A) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (B) since the Issue Date, there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of independent counsel in the United States shall confirm that, the Holders and beneficial owners of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

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(c)                                   in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel in the United States to the effect that the Holders and beneficial owners of the outstanding Notes will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(d)                                  no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of Default resulting from the incurrence of Indebtedness or other borrowing of funds, or the grant of Liens securing such Indebtedness or other borrowing, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit);

 

(e)                                   such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a Default under, any material agreement or instrument to which the Company, any Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company, any Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary is bound (other than this Supplemental Indenture);

 

(f)                                    the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders or any Guarantee over the other creditors of the Company or any Guarantor with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding creditors of the Company or any Guarantor; and

 

(g)                                   the Company will have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an opinion of independent counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent relating to either the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance, as the case may be, have been complied with.

 

Section 7.05                              Deposited Money and U.S.  Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions .

 

(a)                                  Subject to Section 7.06 , all money and non-callable U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 7.05 , the “ Trustee ”) pursuant to Section 7.04 in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Supplemental Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

(b)                                  The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 7.04 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.

 

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(c)                                   Anything in this Article Seven to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon the request of the Company any money or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 7.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants, investment bank, or appraisal firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 7.04(a) ), are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

Section 7.06                              Repayment to the Company .

 

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company upon its request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall, at the expense of the Company, cause to be published once, in The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining shall be repaid to the Company.

 

Section 7.07                              Reinstatement .

 

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any United States dollars or non-callable U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 7.02 or Section 7.03 , as the case may be, by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s obligations to make the related payments under this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 7.02 or Section 7.03 until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 7.02 or Section 7.03 , as the case may be; provided, however , that, if the Company make any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

ARTICLE EIGHT
Amendment, Supplement and Waiver

 

Article IX of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Eight .

 

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Section 8.01                              Without Consent of Holders .

 

(a)                                  Notwithstanding Section 8.02 , the Company, any Guarantor, any other obligor under the Notes and the Trustee may modify, amend or supplement the Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture) or the Notes without the consent of any Holder:

 

(1)                                  to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company, a Guarantor or any other obligor under the Notes, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company, such Guarantor or such obligor in the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes and in any Guarantee in accordance with Section 5.01 ;

 

(2)                                  to add to the covenants of the Company, any Guarantor or any other obligor under the Notes for the benefit of the Holders, to add Events of Default or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company or any Guarantor or any other obligor under the Notes, as applicable, in this Supplemental Indenture, in the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), the Notes or any Guarantee;

 

(3)                                  to cure any ambiguity, omission or mistake, or to correct or supplement any provision in the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Guarantee which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision in the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Guarantee;

 

(4)                                  to make any provision with respect to matters or questions arising under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or any Guarantee; provided that such provisions shall not adversely affect the interest of the Holders in any material respect;

 

(5)                                  to add a Guarantor or additional obligor under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or this Supplemental Indenture or permit any Person to guarantee the Notes or obligations under this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(6)                                  to release a Guarantor as provided in this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(7)                                  to evidence and provide for the acceptance of the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Notes and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) and this Supplemental Indenture by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 611 of the Base Indenture;

 

(8)                                  to mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in favor of the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders as additional security for the payment and performance of the Company’s or any Guarantor’s obligations under the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or this Supplemental Indenture, in any property or assets, including any of which are required to be mortgaged, pledged or hypothecated, or in which a security interest is required to be granted to or for the benefit of the Trustee pursuant to this Supplemental Indenture or otherwise;

 

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(9)                                  to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes under this Supplemental Indenture in accordance with the limitations set forth in this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(10)                           to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depositary;

 

(11)                           to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes;

 

(12)                           to comply with the requirements of the Commission in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture with respect to the Notes under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(13)                           to conform the text of the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes), this Supplemental Indenture, the Notes or the Guarantees to any provision of the section entitled “Description of Notes” in the Prospectus Supplement; or

 

(14)                           to provide for the reorganization of the Company as any other form of entity in accordance with Section 5.01(d) .

 

(b)                                  Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 11.02 and Section 8.06 , the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of any amended or supplemental indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Supplemental Indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to enter into such amended or supplemental indenture that affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Supplemental Indenture or otherwise.

 

(c)                                   Any supplemental indenture, authorized by the provisions of this Section 8.01 , may be executed by the Company, the Guarantors and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Notes at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 8.02 .

 

Section 8.02                              With Consent of Holders .

 

(a)                                  Except as provided below in this Section 8.02 , the Company, each Guarantor, if any, any other obligor under the Notes and the Trustee may modify, amend or supplement the Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture) or the Notes with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes, if any) then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes), and, subject to Section 6.04 and Section 6.07 , any existing Default or Event of Default or compliance with any provision of this Supplemental Indenture, the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including Additional Notes, if any) (including consents obtained in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, Notes).  However, without the consent of the Holder of each

 

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outstanding Note affected thereby, a modification, amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 8.02 may not:

 

(1)                                  change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or any installment of interest on, or change to an earlier date any redemption date of, or waive a default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, any such Note or reduce the principal amount thereof or the rate of interest thereon or any premium payable upon the redemption thereof, or change the coin or currency in which the principal of any such Note or any premium or the interest thereon is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the redemption date);

 

(2)                                  amend, change or modify, (a) after the obligation of the Company to make a Prepayment Offer with respect to an Asset Sale has arisen, in accordance with Section 4.11 , the obligation of the Company, to make such Prepayment Offer or (b) the obligation of the Company, after the occurrence of a Change of Control, to make a Change of Control Offer in accordance with Section 4.17 ;

 

(3)                                  reduce the percentage in principal amount of such outstanding Notes, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such amendment of the Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture), or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver or compliance with certain provisions of the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) or this Supplemental Indenture;

 

(4)                                  modify any of the provisions of the Indenture requiring the consent of Holders or relating to the waiver by Holders of past defaults or relating to the waiver by Holders of certain covenants, except to increase the percentage of such outstanding Notes required for such actions or to provide that certain other provisions of the Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each such Note affected thereby;

 

(5)                                  voluntarily release, other than in accordance with this Supplemental Indenture, the Guarantee of any Guarantor; or

 

(6)                                  amend or modify any of the provisions of the Indenture in any manner which subordinates the Notes issued hereunder in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Company or which subordinates any Guarantee with respect to the Notes in right of payment to any other Indebtedness of the Guarantor issuing any such Guarantee.

 

(b)                                  Upon the request of the Company accompanied by a resolution of its Board of Directors authorizing the execution of any such amended or supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 8.06 and Section 11.02 , the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture unless such amended or supplemental indenture directly affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Supplemental Indenture

 

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or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental indenture.

 

(c)                                   It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section 8.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, supplement or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

 

(d)                                  After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 8.02 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver.  However, the failure to give such notice, or any defect in the notice, will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

(e)                                   For purposes of Article IX of the Base Indenture, a supplemental indenture which changes or eliminates any covenant or other provision of the Indenture which has been expressly included solely for the benefit of one or more particular series of Securities other than the Notes or which modifies the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series with respect to such covenant or other provision shall be deemed not to affect the rights under the Indenture of the Holders.

 

Section 8.03                              Compliance with Trust Indenture Act .

 

Every amendment or supplement to this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes shall be set forth in an amended or supplemental indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

 

Section 8.04                              Revocation and Effect of Consents .

 

Until an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Note is a continuing consent by such Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note.  However, any such Holder of a Note or subsequent Holder of a Note may revoke the consent as to its Note if the Trustee receives written notice of revocation before the date the amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective.  An amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective in accordance with its terms and thereafter binds every Holder unless it makes a change described in any of clauses (1) through (6) of Section 8.02(a) , in which case, the amendment, supplement or waiver shall bind only each Holder of a Note who has consented to such amendment, supplement or waiver and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same indebtedness as the consenting Holder’s Note.

 

Section 8.05                              Notation on or Exchange of Notes .

 

(a)                                  The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated.  The Company in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of a Company Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

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(b)                                  Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

Section 8.06                              Trustee to Sign Amendments, Etc. .

 

The Trustee shall sign any amended or supplemental indenture authorized pursuant to this Article Eight if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee.  Neither the Company nor any Guarantor may sign an amended or supplemental indenture until its Board of Directors approves it.  In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive and (subject to the provisions of Section 601 of the Base Indenture) shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 8.07                              Effect of Supplemental Indentures .

 

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

 

Nothing in this Supplemental Indenture shall limit or affect the provisions of Article IX or Section 513 of the Base Indenture insofar as relating to any amendment or waiver in respect of any series of Securities other than the Notes.

 

ARTICLE NINE
Guarantees

 

Article XIV of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes, except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Nine .

 

Section 9.01                              Guarantee .

 

(a)                                  Subject to this Article Nine , each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally, guarantees, on a senior unsecured basis, to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company hereunder or thereunder, that: (i) the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful (subject in all cases to any applicable grace period provided herein), and all other obligations of the Company to the Holders or the Trustee under the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture or the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes) will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and (ii) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same

 

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will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration or otherwise.  Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Guarantors shall be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately.  Each Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.

 

(b)                                  The Guarantors hereby agree that, to the maximum extent permitted under applicable law, their obligations hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or the Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor.  Subject to Section 6.06 , each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenant that this Guarantee shall not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes, this Supplemental Indenture and the Base Indenture (as it relates to the Notes).

 

(c)                                   If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Company, any Guarantor or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to the Company or any Guarantor, any amount paid by the Company or any Guarantor to the Trustee or such Holder, the Guarantee hereunder of any Guarantor, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

 

(d)                                  Each Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders or the Trustee in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby.  Each Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article Six for the purposes of this Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (y) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article Six , such obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for the purpose of this Guarantee.  Each Guarantor that makes a payment or distribution under its Guarantee shall have the right to seek contribution from any non-paying Guarantor, in a pro rata amount based on the adjusted net assets of each Guarantor determined at the time of payment in accordance with GAAP, so long as the exercise of such right does not impair the rights of the Holders under the Guarantee.

 

(e)                                   The obligations of each Guarantor under its Guarantee pursuant to this Article Nine shall rank equally in right of payment with other existing and future senior Indebtedness of such Guarantor, and senior in right of payment to all existing and future Subordinated Indebtedness of such Guarantor.

 

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Section 9.02                              Limitation on Guarantor Liability .

 

Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, and the Trustee each hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Guarantee of such Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Guarantee.  To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of such Guarantor will be limited to the maximum amount which, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor, and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee or pursuant to its contribution obligations under this Article Nine , will result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law.  Until such time as the Notes are paid in full, each Guarantor hereby waives all rights of subrogation or contribution, whether arising by contract or operation of law (including any such right arising under federal Bankruptcy Law) or otherwise by reason of any payment by it pursuant to the provisions of this Article Nine .

 

Section 9.03                              Guarantee Evidenced by Indenture; No Notation of Guarantee .

 

(a)                                  The Guarantee of any Guarantor shall be evidenced solely by its execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture (or, in the case of any Guarantor that is not party to this Supplemental Indenture on the Issue Date, a supplemental indenture hereto) and not by an endorsement on, or attachment to, any Note or any Guarantee or notation thereof.

 

Each Guarantor hereby agrees that its Guarantee set forth in Section 9.01 shall be and remain in full force and effect, subject to Section 9.04 , notwithstanding any failure to endorse on any Note a notation of such Guarantee.

 

(b)                                  The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of the Guarantee set forth in this Supplemental Indenture on behalf of each of the Guarantors.

 

(c)                                   Subsequent to the Issue Date, in the event a Restricted Subsidiary is required by Section 4.12 to guarantee the Company’s obligations under the Notes and this Supplemental Indenture, the Company shall cause such Restricted Subsidiary to execute a supplemental indenture to this Supplemental Indenture substantially in the form included in Exhibit B attached hereto in accordance with Section 4.12 and this Article Nine , to the extent applicable, which supplemental indenture shall be executed and delivered on behalf of such Guarantor by an Officer of such Guarantor.

 

Section 9.04                              Releases of Guarantors .

 

(a)                                  The Guarantee of a Guarantor will be deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all of its obligations under its Guarantee without any further action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder:

 

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(1)                                  in connection with any sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor (including by way of merger or consolidation) to one or more Persons that are not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, if the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of such Guarantor complies with Section 4.11 ;

 

(2)                                  in connection with any sale of all of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor to one or more Persons that are not (either before or after giving effect to such transaction) the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary, if the sale of all such Capital Stock of such Guarantor complies with Section 4.11 ;

 

(3)                                  if the Company properly designates such Guarantor as a Non-Guarantor Restricted Subsidiary and such Restricted Subsidiary is not required at such time to issue a Guarantee of the Notes pursuant to Section 4.12 ;

 

(4)                                  if the Company properly designates such Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary;

 

(5)                                  if such Guarantor is released from its guarantee issued pursuant to the terms of any Credit Facility of the Company or any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary, and such Guarantor is not an obligor under any Indebtedness of the Company or any domestic Restricted Subsidiary (other than the Notes) in excess of $5.0 million in aggregate principal amount;

 

(6)                                  upon the liquidation or dissolution of such Guarantor; provided that no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; or

 

(7)                                  if Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance of the Notes has been effected or Satisfaction and Discharge has been effected in accordance with the procedures set forth in Article Seven or Article Ten , as applicable;

 

provided that any such release and discharge pursuant to clause (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6) or (7) above shall occur only to the extent that all obligations of such Guarantor under all of its guarantees of, and under all of its pledges of assets or other security interests which secure any, Indebtedness of the Company and the domestic Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the Notes) having an aggregate principal amount in excess of $5.0 million shall also terminate at such time.

 

(b)                                  Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Guarantee shall remain liable for the full amount of principal of and interest on the Notes and for the other obligations of any Guarantor under this Supplemental Indenture as provided in this Article Nine .

 

ARTICLE TEN
Satisfaction and Discharge

 

Article IV of the Base Indenture shall not apply to the Notes except as, and to the extent, described in this Article Ten .

 

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Section 10.01                       Satisfaction and Discharge .

 

The Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture) shall, upon the written request of the Company pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate, be discharged and cease to be of further effect as to all outstanding Notes (except for (a) the rights of the Holders of outstanding Notes to receive solely from the trust fund described in clause (b) of this Section 10.01 , and as more fully set forth in such clause (b), payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on such Notes when such payments are due, (b) the Company’s obligations with respect to such Notes under Section 1.06 , Section 1.07 , Section 1.08 and Section 4.02 and Section 305 and Section 306 of the Base Indenture and (c) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Company’s obligations in connection therewith), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture) as to all outstanding Notes (except as aforesaid) (“ Satisfaction and Discharge ”) when:

 

(a)                                  either

 

(1)                                  all such Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced or paid or Notes whose payment has been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust as provided for in this Supplemental Indenture) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, or

 

(2)                                  all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (a) have become due and payable, (b) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or (c) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving or sending of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company;

 

(b)                                  the Company or any Guarantor has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount in (x) United States dollars or (y) United States dollars, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof, sufficient (in the case of clause (y), in the opinion of a nationally recognized independent accounting firm or a nationally recognized investment banking firm) to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest at such Maturity, Stated Maturity or redemption date;

 

(c)                                   no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default of Event of Default resulting from the incurrence of Indebtedness or other borrowing of funds, or the grant of Liens securing such Indebtedness or other borrowing, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit) and such Satisfaction and Discharge will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument to which the Company, any Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary is a party or by which the Company, any Guarantor or any Restricted Subsidiary is bound (other than this Supplemental Indenture);

 

(d)                                  the Company or any Guarantor has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable under this Supplemental Indenture by the Company and any Guarantor;

 

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(e)                                   the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel of independent counsel each stating that all conditions precedent under this Supplemental Indenture relating to Satisfaction and Discharge have been complied with; and

 

(f)                                    the Company has delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee hereunder to apply any deposited money described in clause (b)  above to the payment of the Notes at Maturity, Stated Maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be.

 

Section 10.02                       Deposited Money and U.S. Government Obligations to Be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions .

 

(a)                                  Subject to Section 10.03 , all money and non-callable U.S. Government Obligations (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 10.02 , the “ Trustee ”) pursuant to Section 10.01 in respect of the outstanding Notes shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and the Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Notes of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal, premium and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the above, the Trustee shall pay to the Company from time to time upon its request any cash or U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in this Section 10.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect Satisfaction and Discharge under this Article Ten .

 

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Section 10.03                       Repayment to the Company .

 

Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, premium or interest on any Note and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal, and premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on its request or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note shall thereafter look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided, however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, shall, at the expense of the Company, cause to be published once, in The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining shall be repaid to the Company.

 

ARTICLE ELEVEN
Miscellaneous

 

Section 11.01                       No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements .

 

The Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture) insofar as relating to the Notes may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement (including the Indenture (including any other supplemental indenture thereto) insofar as relating to any series of Securities other than the Notes) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or of any other Person.  Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement (including the Indenture (including any other supplemental indenture thereto) insofar as relating to any series of Securities other than the Notes) may not be used to interpret the Indenture (including this Supplemental Indenture) insofar as relating to the Notes.

 

Section 11.02                       Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent .

 

(a)                                  Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Supplemental Indenture (except in connection with the original issuance of Notes on the Issue Date), the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

 

(i)                                      an Officers’ Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 11.03 ) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Supplemental Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and

 

(ii)                                   to the extent required under Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act, an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which shall include the statements set forth in Section 11.03 ) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel (who may rely on such Officers’ Certificate as to matters of fact), all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.

 

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Section 11.03                       Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion .

 

(a)                                  Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Supplemental Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

 

(i)                                      a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

 

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

 

(iii)                                a statement that, in the opinion of such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been satisfied; and

 

(iv)                               a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such Person, such condition or covenant has been satisfied.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

109



 

Section 11.04                       Rules by Trustee and Agents .

 

The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of the Holders.  The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

 

Section 11.05                       No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders .

 

No director, officer, employee, member, limited partner or stockholder of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries under the Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantees to which they are a party, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

 

Section 11.06                       Governing Law .

 

THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

Section 11.07                       Trust Indenture Act Controls .

 

If and to the extent that any provision of this Supplemental Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA Section 318(c), the imposed duties shall control.  If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with a provision of the TIA which is required to be a part of and govern this Supplemental Indenture, such required provision of the TIA shall control. If any provision of this Supplemental Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the TIA that may be so modified or excluded, the provision of the TIA shall be deemed to apply to this Supplemental Indenture as so modified or shall be excluded, as the case may be.

 

Section 11.08                       Successors .

 

All agreements of the Company in this Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors.  All agreements of the Trustee in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors.  All agreements of each Guarantor in this Supplemental Indenture shall bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 5.01 or Section 9.04 .

 

Section 11.09                       Severability .

 

In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture or the 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 11.10                       Counterpart Originals .

 

The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture.  Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission

 

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shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture.  Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture, but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability and binding effect of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 11.11                       Benefit of Supplemental Indenture .

 

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

 

Section 11.12                       Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. .

 

The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and Headings of the Articles and Sections of this Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Supplemental Indenture and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

Section 11.13                       Language of Notices, Etc. .

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act required or permitted under this Supplemental Indenture shall be in the English language, except that any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

 

Section 11.14                       Scope of this Supplemental Indenture .

 

The changes, modifications and supplements to the Base Indenture effected by this Supplemental Indenture shall be applicable only with respect to, and shall only govern the terms of, and shall be deemed expressly included in this Supplemental Indenture solely for the benefit of, the Notes which may be issued from time to time, and shall not apply to any other Securities that may be issued under the Base Indenture unless a supplemental indenture with respect to such other Securities specifically incorporates such changes, modifications and supplements.

 

Section 11.15                       Ratification and Incorporation of Base Indenture .

 

As supplemented hereby, the Base Indenture is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and the Base Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and construed as one and the same instrument.  This Supplemental Indenture shall form a part of the Indenture for all purposes, and every Holder of Notes shall be bound hereby.

 

Section 11.16                       Covenants not Applicable .

 

In accordance with Section 301(18), Section 901(2) and Section 901(5) of the Base Indenture, (i) except as, and to the extent, described herein, the covenants and agreements on the part of the Company in Article IV, Article V, Article VIII, Article IX, Article X, Article

 

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XI, Article XIII and Article XIV of the Base Indenture are hereby eliminated from the Base Indenture in respect of, and shall not apply to, and shall be deemed covenants included in the Supplemental Indenture solely for the benefit of a different series of Securities than, the Notes; and (ii) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes shall arise, or be deemed to exist as the result of any failure on the part of the Company duly to observe or perform any of the covenants or agreements specified in clause (i) of this Section 11.16.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

112



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the date first above written.

 

SIGNATURES

 

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC. ,

 

a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Name:

Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

LAREDO MIDSTREAM SERVICES, LLC ,

 

a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Name:

Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

GARDEN CITY MINERALS, LLC ,

 

a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Name:

Richard C. Buterbaugh

 

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture

 



 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Patrick T. Giordano

 

 

Name:

Patrick T. Giordano

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

Signature Page to Supplemental Indenture

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Face of Note]

 

[Global Note Legend](1)

 


(1)  Include only on Global Note.

 

A-1



 

CUSIP [ ](2)

 

No.           

$                  

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

6¼% Senior Notes due 2023

 

Laredo Petroleum, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “ Company ”, which term includes any successor under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, promises to pay to               , or its registered assigns, the principal sum of [Amount of Note] UNITED STATES DOLLARS ($[                ]) [or such greater or lesser amount as may be indicated on the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached hereto](1) on March 15, 2023.

 

Interest Payment Dates:  March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing September 15, 2015.

 

Regular Record Dates:  March 1 and September 1 of each year.

 

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

 


(2)  CUSIP/ISIN: 516806 AE6 / US516806AE62

 

A-2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officers.

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

A-3



 

(Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication)

 

This is one of the 6¼% Senior Notes due 2023 described in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

Dated:

 

 

A-4



 

[Reverse Side of Note]
LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

6¼% Senior Notes due 2023

 

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

 

1.                                       Interest .  The Company promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 6¼% per annum from the date hereof until maturity.  The Company shall pay interest semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year (each an “ Interest Payment Date ”).  Interest on the Notes shall accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on the Notes (or one or more Predecessor Notes) or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of original issuance; provided that if there is no existing Default in the payment of interest, and if this Note is authenticated between a record date referred to on the face hereof and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest shall accrue from such next succeeding Interest Payment Date; provided further that the first Interest Payment Date shall be September 15, 2015‡.  The Company shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand at the rate borne by the Notes; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to time on demand at the same rate to the extent lawful.  Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.  If an Interest Payment Date is not a Business Day, payment may be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the intervening period.

 

2.                                       Method of Payment .  The Company shall pay interest on the Notes (except defaulted interest) to the Persons in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the March 1 or September 1 immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 307 of the Base Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes shall be payable as to principal, premium, if any, and interest at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose; provided, however , that (i) payments in respect of the Notes represented by the Global Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Depositary with respect thereto; and (ii) payments in respect of the Notes represented by any Definitive Notes (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made (subject (in the case of payments of principal or premium, if any) to surrender of such Note to such office or agency): (a) if the Holder thereof has specified a U.S. dollar account maintained by such Holder with a bank located in the United States for such purpose no later than 15 days immediately preceding the relevant payment date (or such later date as the Trustee may accept in its discretion), by wire transfer of immediately available funds to such account so specified or (b) otherwise, at the option of the Company, by check mailed to the Holder of such Note at its address set forth in the Securities Register.

 


‡  For Additional Notes, insert the appropriate interest payment date for those Additional Notes.

 

A-5



 

3.  Paying Agent and Registrar .  Initially, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, shall act as Paying Agent and Registrar.  The Company may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder.  The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.

 

4.  Indenture .  The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of March 18, 2015 (the “ Base Indenture ”, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (including by the Supplemental Indenture referred to below) in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Indenture ”) among the Company, the Initial Guarantors and the Trustee, as supplemented by the Supplemental Indenture thereto dated as of March 18, 2015 (the “ Supplemental Indenture ”), to which reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, the Company, the Guarantors and Holders and of the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.  The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and such Act for a statement of such terms.  To the extent any provision of this Note conflicts with the express provisions of the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall govern and be controlling.  The Indenture pursuant to which this Note is issued provides that an unlimited amount of Additional Notes may be issued thereunder, subject to compliance with the covenants therein.

 

5.  Optional Redemption .  (a)  On or after March 15, 2018, the Company may redeem all or a portion of the Notes, on not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice and in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon, to the applicable redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on March 15 of the years indicated below:

 

Year

 

Redemption Price

 

 

 

 

 

2018

 

104.688

%

2019

 

103.125

%

2020

 

101.563

%

2021 and thereafter

 

100.000

%

 

(b)                                  In addition, at any time and from time to time prior to March 15, 2018, the Company may use funds in an amount not exceeding the amount of the net cash proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings to redeem up to an aggregate of 35% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under the Indenture (including the principal amount of any Additional Notes issued under the Indenture) at a redemption price equal to 106.25% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the rights of holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).  At least 65% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes (including the principal amount of any Additional Notes issued under the Indenture) must remain outstanding immediately after the occurrence of such redemption and the Company must

 

A-6



 

complete such redemption no later than 180 days after the date of the closing of the related Equity Offering.  Notice of any redemption pursuant to this clause (b) may be given prior to the completion of the applicable Equity Offering, and any such redemption or notice may, at the Company’s discretion, be subject to one or more conditions precedent, including completion of such Equity Offering.  If any such conditions do not occur, the Company will provide prompt written notice to the Trustee rescinding such redemption, and such redemption shall be rescinded and of no force or effect.  Upon receipt of such notice, the Trustee will promptly send a copy of such notice to the Holders of the Notes to be redeemed in the same manner in which the notice of redemption was given.

 

(c)                                   The Notes may also be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time or from time to time prior to March 15, 2018 at the option of the Company at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium as of, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

 

(d)                                  If a Change of Control occurs at any time prior to March 15, 2016, the Company may, at its option, redeem all, but not less than all, of the Notes upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ notice, at a redemption price equal to 110.0% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date (subject to the rights of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date).

 

(e)                                   The Notes may also be redeemed, as a whole, following certain Change of Control Offers, at the redemption price and subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.17 of the Supplemental Indenture.

 

6.  Mandatory Redemption .  The Company shall not be required to make mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes.  The Company may, at any time and from time to time, purchase Notes in open market purchases or negotiated transactions by tender offer or otherwise.

 

7.  Repurchase at Option of Holders .

 

(a)                                  Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, unless the Company has, or has caused to be, given or sent (or, if a Change of Control occurs prior to March 15, 2016, within 60 days thereafter will have, or will have caused to be, given or sent) notice of redemption of all the Notes as described in Section 3.07 of the Supplemental Indenture, each Holder may require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes in whole or in part in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof, at a purchase price in cash in an amount equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the date of purchase (subject to the rights of Holders of record on relevant record dates to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), pursuant to a Change of Control Offer in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture.

 

A-7



 

(b)                              Under certain circumstances described in the Indenture, the Company will be required to apply the proceeds of Asset Sales to the repurchase of the Notes of Holders electing repurchase thereof pursuant to a Prepayment Offer.

 

8.  Selection and Notice of Redemption .  If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time, the Notes to be redeemed shall be selected in the manner specified in the Indenture.  If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to that Note will state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.  A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of any Note surrendered for redemption will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the surrendered Note.  Notes called for redemption become due on the date fixed for redemption, unless the redemption is subject to a condition precedent set forth in the notice of redemption that is not satisfied or waived.  On and after the redemption date, interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions of them called for redemption.

 

9.  Guarantees .  The payment by the Company of the principal of and premium and interest on the Notes is fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several senior unsecured basis by each of the Guarantors to the extent set forth in the Indenture.

 

10.  Denominations, Transfer, Exchange .  The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.  The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture.  The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Company may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture.  The Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption.  Also, the Company is not required to transfer or exchange any Note for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

 

11.  Persons Deemed Owners .  The registered Holder of a Note will be treated as its owner for all purposes.

 

12.  Amendment, Supplement and Waiver .  The Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented, and compliance with the provisions thereof waived, only as provided in the Indenture.

 

13.  Defaults and Remedies .  In the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization specified in the Indenture with respect to the Company or any Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable immediately without further action or notice.  If any other Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may declare all unpaid principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on all Notes to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders) and upon any such declaration, such principal, premium, if any, and interest shall become due and payable immediately.  The Trustee may withhold from Holders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default relating to the payment of principal or interest) if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest.  The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the

 

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Notes outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all outstanding Notes waive any past Default or Event of Default under the Supplemental Indenture or any other provision of the Indenture with respect to the Notes and its consequences under the Indenture except a Default or Event of Default (1) in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note (which may only be waived with the consent of each Holder affected) or (2) in respect of a covenant or provision which under the Indenture cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Note affected by such modification or amendment.  Holders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture.  Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power conferred on it.  The Company is required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture with respect to the Notes, and, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Company is required upon certain Officers becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, to deliver to the Trustee a statement specifying such Default or Event of Default.

 

14.  Trustee Dealings with the Company .  The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Company or its Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Company or its Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.

 

15.  Defeasance and Discharge .  The Notes are subject to defeasance and discharge upon the terms and conditions specified in the Indenture.

 

16.  No Recourse Against Others .  No director, officer, employee, member, limited partner or stockholder of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, as such, will have any liability for any obligations of the Company or the Restricted Subsidiaries under the Notes, the Indenture or the Guarantees to which they are a party, or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation.  Each Holder by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability.  The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes. The waiver may not be effective to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws.

 

17.  Authentication .  This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.

 

18.  Abbreviations .  Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entireties), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).

 

19.  CUSIP Numbers .  Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused CUSIP numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders.  No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

 

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20.  Governing Law .  This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

21.  Successors .  In the event a successor assumes all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and the Indenture (except in case of a lease) pursuant to the terms thereof, the Company will be released from all such obligations.

 

The Company shall furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture unless the Company has posted a copy of the Indenture on the Company Website with access to current and prospective investors.  Requests may be made to:

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

15 West Sixth Street

Suite 900

Tulsa, OK 74119

Facsimile:  (918) 513-4571

Attention:  Chief Financial Officer

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

 

(I) or (we) assign and transfer this Note to:

 

 

(Insert assignee’s legal name)

 

 

(Insert

assignee’s soc. sec. or tax I.D. no.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Print

or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

and irrevocably appoint                                               

 

to transfer this Note on the books of the Company.  The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Signature:

 

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name

 

 

appears on the face of this Note)

 

Signature Guarantee*:

 


* Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE

 

If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.11 or Section 4.17 of the Supplemental Indenture, check the appropriate box below:

 

o Section 4.11

 

o Section 4.17

 

If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Company pursuant to Section 4.11 or Section 4.17 of the Supplemental Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:

 

$               

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your Signature:

 

 

 

(Sign exactly as your name

 

 

appears on the face of this Note)

 

 

 

 

Tax Identification No.:

 

 

Signature Guarantee*:

 


*  Signatures must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

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SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE (1)

 

 

The following exchanges of a part of this Global Note for an interest in another Global Note or for a Definitive Note, or exchanges of a part of another Global Note or Definitive Note for an interest in this Global Note, have been made:

 

Date of Exchange

 

Amount of Decrease 
in Principal Amount 
of this Global Note

 

Amount of Increase in 
Principal Amount of 
this Global Note

 

Principal Amount of this 
Global Note Following 
such Decrease (or 
Increase)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


(1)  Include only on Global Note.

 

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EXHIBIT B

 

[Form of Supplemental Indenture to add a Guarantor]

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), dated as of                , among Laredo Petroleum, Inc. (the “ Company ”), the Company’s subsidiaries listed on Schedule A hereto (each, a “ New Guarantor ”), the Company’s subsidiaries listed on Schedule B hereto (collectively the “ Existing Guarantors ”) and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee under the Indenture referred to below (the “ Trustee ”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, the Company, the Existing Guarantors and the Trustee are parties to an indenture dated March 18, 2015 (the “ Base Indenture ”), as amended, supplemented and modified by a Supplemental Indenture dated March 18, 2015 (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ” and together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”) providing for the issuance of 6¼% Senior Notes due 2023 (the “ Notes ”);

 

WHEREAS, Section 8.01 of the First Supplemental Indenture provides that, without the consent of any Holders, the Company and the Existing Guarantors, when authorized by a Board Resolution of the Company, and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may supplement or amend the Indenture to add a Guarantor or additional obligor under the Indenture with respect to the Notes or permit any Person to guarantee the Notes and/or obligations under the Indenture with respect to the Notes;

 

WHEREAS, each New Guarantor wishes to guarantee the Notes pursuant to the Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 4.12 and Article Nine of the First Supplemental Indenture, the Company, the Existing Guarantors, the New Guarantors and the Trustee have agreed to enter into this Supplemental Indenture for the purposes stated herein; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary have been done to make this Supplemental Indenture, when executed and delivered by the Company, the Existing Guarantors and each New Guarantor, the legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company, the Existing Guarantors and each New Guarantor, in accordance with its terms.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Company, each New Guarantor, the Existing Guarantors and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders as follows:

 

Section 1.  Capitalized Terms .  Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

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Section 2.  Guarantee .  Each New Guarantor hereby guarantees, on a senior unsecured basis, to each Holder and to the Trustee, the obligations of the Company under the Indenture with respect to the Notes and the Notes pursuant to the terms and conditions of Article Nine of the First Supplemental Indenture (each such guarantee, a “ Guarantee ”) and such New Guarantor agrees to be bound as a Guarantor under the Indenture as if and to the same extent as such New Guarantor had been a signatory thereto as an Initial Guarantor; provided that the New Guarantor can be released from its Guarantee to the same extent as any other Guarantor under the First Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 3.  GOVERNING LAW .  THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

Section 4.  Counterparts .  The parties may sign any number of copies of this Supplemental Indenture.  Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement.  Delivery of an executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission shall be equally as effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture.  Any party delivering an executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture by facsimile or electronic transmission also shall deliver an original executed counterpart of this Supplemental Indenture, but the failure to deliver an original executed counterpart shall not affect the validity, enforceability and binding effect of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 5.  Effect of Headings .  The section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

Section 6.  The Trustee .  The Trustee shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever for or in respect of the validity or sufficiency of this Supplemental Indenture or for or in respect of the recitals contained herein, all of which recitals are made solely by the Company, Existing Guarantors and the New Guarantors.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

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

 

 

LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

EACH GUARANTOR LISTED ON

 

SCHEDULE A HERETO

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

EACH GUARANTOR LISTED ON

 

SCHEDULE B HERETO

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

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