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): June 8 , 2015 (June 2, 2015)
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
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001-11331 |
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43-1698480 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
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(Commission |
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(I.R.S. Employer |
of incorporation) |
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File Number) |
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Identification No.) |
7500 College Blvd., Suite 1000,
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66210 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
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(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: 913-661-1500
n/a
Former name or former address, if changed since last report
Ferrellgas Partners Finance Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
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333-06693 |
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43-1742520 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
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(Commission |
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(I.R.S. Employer |
of incorporation) |
|
File Number) |
|
Identification No.) |
7500 College Blvd., Suite 1000,
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66210 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: 913-661-1500
n/a
Former name or former address, if changed since last report
Ferrellgas, L.P.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
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000-50182 |
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43-1698481 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
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(Commission |
|
(I.R.S. Employer |
of incorporation) |
|
File Number) |
|
Identification No.) |
7500 College Blvd., Suite 1000,
|
|
66210 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: 913-661-1500
n/a
Former name or former address, if changed since last report
Ferrellgas Finance Corp.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
Delaware |
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000-50183 |
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14-1866671 |
(State or other jurisdiction |
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(Commission |
|
(I.R.S. Employer |
of incorporation) |
|
File Number) |
|
Identification No.) |
7500 College Blvd., Suite 1000,
|
|
66210 |
(Address of principal executive offices) |
|
(Zip Code) |
Registrants telephone number, including area code: 913-661-1500
n/a
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.
Notes OfferingPurchase Agreement
On June 2, 2015, Ferrellgas, L.P. (the Operating Partnership ) and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. ( Finance Corp. and, together with the Operating Partnership, the Notes Issuers ) entered into a purchase agreement (the Purchase Agreement ), by and among the Operating Partnership, Finance Corp., the subsidiary guarantors named therein (the Guarantors ) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., BMO Capital Markets Corp., Capital One Securities, Inc., PNC Capital Markets LLC, and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc. (collectively, the Initial Purchasers ), providing for the offer and sale of $500,000,000 in aggregate principal amount of the Notes Issuers 6.75% senior notes due 2023 (the Notes ) (the Notes Offering ), guaranteed by the Guarantors (the Guarantees ). The Notes Offering closed on June 8, 2015.
The Notes Issuers received net proceeds of approximately $491.3 million, after deducting the Initial Purchasers discounts and commissions, but before estimated offering expenses. The Notes Issuers intend to use the net proceeds of the Notes Offering to fund a portion of the cash portion of the consideration for the pending acquisition of Bridger Logistics, LLC and its subsidiaries (the Bridger Logistics Acquisition ). Prior to closing the Bridger Logistics Acquisition, the Notes Issuers may use the net proceeds from the Notes Offering to make short-term liquid investments at their discretion. If the purchase and sale agreement for the Bridger Logistics Acquisition is terminated, or the Bridger Logistics Acquisition otherwise does not close, at any time on or prior to October 1, 2015, the notes will be subject to a special mandatory redemption at a price equal to 100% of the initial issue price of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest from the issue date of the notes up to, but not including, the payment date of such mandatory redemption.
The Notes were offered and sold to the Initial Purchasers in a private placement exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ). The Notes were resold by the Initial Purchasers to qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act.
The Purchase Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of the parties and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The Notes Issuers and Guarantors have agreed to indemnify the Initial Purchasers against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the Initial Purchasers may be required to make because of any of those liabilities. The Purchase Agreement contains representations, warranties and other provisions that were made or agreed to, among other things, to provide the parties thereto with specified rights and obligations and to allocate risk among them. Accordingly, the Purchase Agreement should not be relied upon as constituting a description of the state of affairs of any of the parties thereto or their affiliates at the time it was entered into or otherwise.
Notes OfferingIndenture and Notes
The terms of the Notes are governed by an Indenture (the Indenture ) among the Notes Issuers, the Guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ), dated June 8, 2015. The Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Notes Issuers and rank equal in right of payment with all of the Notes Issuers other existing and future senior indebtedness, including the Operating Partnerships secured credit facility, $500 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes Issuers 6.50% senior notes due 2021 and $475 million aggregate principal amount of the Notes Issuers 6.75% senior notes due 2022. The Guarantees are senior unsecured obligations of the Guarantors and rank equal in right of payment with the existing and future senior indebtedness of the Guarantors, including its guarantee of indebtedness under the Operating Partnerships secured credit facility. Interest on the Notes will accrue at a rate of 6.75% per annum and is payable on June 15 and December 15 of each year, beginning on December 15, 2015. The Notes mature on June 15, 2023.
The Notes Issuers will have the option to redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after June 15, 2019, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount) of 103.375% for the twelve-month period beginning on June 15, 2019, 101.688% for the twelve-month period beginning on June 15, 2020 and
100.000% beginning on June 15, 2021 and at any time thereafter, together with any accrued and unpaid interest to the applicable redemption date. Before June 15, 2019, the Notes Issuers may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus a make-whole premium at the redemption date, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the applicable redemption date. Before June 15, 2018, the Notes Issuers may on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes with the net proceeds of certain equity offerings at a redemption price of 106.750% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus any accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the applicable redemption date.
The foregoing description of the Indenture is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full texts of the Indenture, a copy of which is filed as Exhibits 4.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.
Notes OfferingRegistration Rights Agreement
In connection with the Notes Offering, on June 8, 2015, the Notes Issuers entered into a registration rights agreement (the Registration Rights Agreement ) with J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the Initial Purchasers. Under the Registration Rights Agreement, the Notes Issuers have agreed to file and use their reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective a registration statement with respect to an offer to exchange the Notes for substantially identical notes that are registered under the Securities Act so as to permit the exchange offer to be consummated no later than 300 days from the date of the Registration Rights Agreement. Under specified circumstances, the Notes Issuers have also agreed to use their reasonable best efforts to cause to become effective a shelf registration statement relating to resales of the Notes. The Notes Issuers are required to pay additional interest (up to a maximum of 1.00% per annum) if they fail to comply with their obligations to consummate the exchange offer or to cause a shelf registration statement relating to resales of the Notes to become effective within the time periods specified in the Registration Rights Agreement.
The foregoing description of the Registration Rights Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Registration Rights Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 1.01 by reference.
Common Units OfferingUnderwriting Agreement
On June 2, 2015, Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (the Partnership ) entered into an underwriting agreement (the Underwriting Agreement ), by and among the Partnership, the Operating Partnership, Ferrellgas, Inc. (the General Partner and, together with the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, the Ferrellgas Parties ) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, UBS Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Capital One Securities, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., and Simmons & Company International (collectively, the Underwriters ), providing for the offer and sale by the Partnership (the Common Units Offering ), and purchase by the Underwriters, of 6,325,000 common units representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the Common Units ) at a price to the public of $23.00 per Common Unit. Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Partnership also granted the Underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 948,750 Common Units on the same terms. The Common Units Offering closed on June 8, 2015. The net proceeds of the Common Units Offering and the General Partners proportionate capital contribution, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions, but before estimated expenses, were approximately $141.1 million. The Partnership intends to use the net proceeds to fund a portion of the cash portion of the consideration for the Bridger Logistics Acquisition. Prior to closing the Bridger Logistics Acquisition, the Partnership may use the net proceeds from the Common Units Offering to make short-term liquid investments at its discretion. If the Bridger Logistics Acquisition is not completed, the Partnership intends to use the net proceeds from the Common Units Offering for working capital and other general partnership purposes.
The Common Units Offering was registered under the Securities Act, pursuant to the Partnerships effective Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-204620) (the Registration Statement ). The material terms of the Common Units Offering are described in the prospectus supplement dated June 3, 2015 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (the Prospectus
Supplement ) and the accompanying prospectus dated June 1, 2015 constituting a part of the Registration Statement.
The Underwriting Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and agreements of each of the Ferrellgas Parties and customary conditions to closing, obligations of the parties and termination provisions. The Ferrellgas Parties have agreed to indemnify the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act, or to contribute to payments the Underwriters may be required to make because of any of those liabilities. The Underwriting Agreement contains representations, warranties and other provisions that were made or agreed to, among other things, to provide the parties thereto with specified rights and obligations and to allocate risk among them. Accordingly, the Underwriting Agreement should not be relied upon as constituting a description of the state of affairs of any of the parties thereto or their affiliates at the time it was entered into or otherwise.
The Underwriters and their affiliates may provide in the future investment banking, financial advisory or other financial services for the Partnership and its affiliates, for which they may receive advisory or transaction fees, as applicable, plus out-of-pocket expenses, of the nature and in amounts customary in the industry for these financial services.
The foregoing description of the Underwriting Agreement is not complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated in this Item 1.01 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 included, or incorporated by reference, in Item 1.01 is incorporated in this Item 2.03 by reference.
Item 7.01. Regulation FD.
On June 2, 2015, the Notes Issuers issued a press release related to the pricing of the Notes Offering. A copy of the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
On June 2, 2015, the Partnership issued a press release related to the pricing of the Common Units Offering. A copy the press release is furnished as Exhibit 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.
Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
Exhibit Number |
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Description |
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1.1 |
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Underwriting Agreement, dated June 2, 2015, by and among Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, UBS Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Capital One Securities, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., and Simmons & Company International. |
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4.1 |
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Indenture, dated June 8, 2015, among Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas Finance Corp., the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. |
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4.2 |
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated June 8, 2015, by and among Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas Finance Corp. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the several initial purchasers. |
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5.1 |
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Opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP regarding the legality of the common units. |
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8.1 |
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Opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP regarding certain federal income tax matters. |
23.1 |
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Consent of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto). |
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23.2 |
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Consent of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1 hereto). |
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99.1 |
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Press Release of Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. related to the pricing of the notes offering dated June 2, 2015. |
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99.2 |
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Press Release of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. related to the pricing of the common units offering dated June 2, 2015. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. |
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By: Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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June 8, 2015 |
By: |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS FINANCE CORP. |
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June 8, 2015 |
By: |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: Chief Financial Officer and Sole Director |
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FERRELLGAS, L.P. |
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By: Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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June 8, 2015 |
By: |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Treasurer (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer) |
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FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP. |
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June 8, 2015 |
By: |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: Chief Financial Officer and Sole Director |
EXHIBIT INDEX
Exhibit Number |
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Description |
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1.1 |
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Underwriting Agreement, dated June 2, 2015, by and among Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas, Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, UBS Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Capital One Securities, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., and Simmons & Company International. |
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4.1 |
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Indenture, dated June 8, 2015, among Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas Finance Corp., the subsidiary guarantors party thereto, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. |
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4.2 |
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Registration Rights Agreement, dated June 8, 2015, by and among Ferrellgas, L.P., Ferrellgas Finance Corp. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the several initial purchasers. |
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5.1 |
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Opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP regarding the legality of the common units. |
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8.1 |
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Opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP regarding certain federal income tax matters. |
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23.1 |
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Consent of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1 hereto). |
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23.2 |
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Consent of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (included in Exhibit 8.1 hereto). |
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99.1 |
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Press Release of Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. related to the pricing of the notes offering dated June 2, 2015. |
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99.2 |
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Press Release of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. related to the pricing of the common units offering dated June 2, 2015. |
Exhibit 1.1
EXECUTION VERSION
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
6,325,000 Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
dated June 2, 2015
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Jefferies LLC
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
Capital One Securities, Inc.
Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.
Simmons & Company International
UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT
June 2, 2015
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
UBS SECURITIES LLC
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
JEFFERIES LLC
SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY, INC.
CAPITAL ONE SECURITIES, INC.
FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, INC.
MITSUBISHI UFJ SECURITIES (USA), INC.
SIMMONS & COMPANY INTERNATIONAL
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
Ladies and Gentlemen:
Introductory . Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ), proposes to issue and sell to the underwriters named in Schedule A annexed hereto (collectively, the Underwriters ), for whom J.P. Morgan Securities LLC ( JP Morgan ) is acting as representative (the Representative ), an aggregate of 6,325,000 Common Units (the Firm Units ) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership. In addition, the Partnership proposes to grant to the Underwriters the option to purchase from the Partnership up to an additional 948,750 Common Units (the Additional Units ). The Firm Units and the Additional Units are hereinafter collectively referred to as the Units . The Units are described in the Prospectus which is referred to below.
This agreement (the Agreement ) is to confirm the agreement among the Partnership, Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Operating Partnership ), and Ferrellgas, Inc., a Delaware corporation and the general partner of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership (the General Partner and, together with the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, the Ferrellgas Parties ), on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, concerning the purchase of the Units from the Partnership by the Underwriters.
The Units are being issued in connection with the acquisition (the Acquisition) by the Partnership of all of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Bridger Logistics, LLC (together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the Acquired Business ).
The Partnership has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the Act ), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-204620) under the Act, including a prospectus, which registration statement incorporates by reference documents which the Partnership has filed, or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the Exchange Act ). Such registration statement became effective upon its filing as an automatic shelf registration statement as defined under Rule 405 of the Act.
Except where the context otherwise requires, Registration Statement , as used herein, means the registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-204620), as amended at the time of such registration statements effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Act, as such section applies to the respective Underwriters (the Effective Time ), including (i) all documents filed as part thereof or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, (ii) any information contained or incorporated by reference in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act, to the extent such information is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Act, to be part of the registration statement at the Effective Time, and (iii) any registration statement filed to register the offer and sale of Units pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act.
The Partnership has furnished to the Underwriters, for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Units, copies of one or more preliminary prospectus supplements, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, relating to the Units. Except where the context otherwise requires, Pre-Pricing Prospectus , as used herein, means each such preliminary prospectus supplement, in the form so furnished, including any basic prospectus (whether or not in preliminary form) furnished to the Underwriters by the Partnership and attached to or used with such preliminary prospectus supplement. Except where the context otherwise requires, Basic Prospectus , as used herein, means any such basic prospectus and any basic prospectus furnished to the Underwriters by the Partnership and attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below).
Except where the context otherwise requires, Prospectus Supplement , as used herein, means the final prospectus supplement relating to the Units filed by the Partnership with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act on or before the second business day after the date hereof (or such earlier time as may be required under the Act) and in the form furnished by the Partnership to the Underwriters for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Units.
Except where the context otherwise requires, Prospectus , as used herein, means the Prospectus Supplement together with the Basic Prospectus attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement.
Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses , as used herein, means the documents listed on Schedule B-1 attached hereto and each road show (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act), if any, related to the offering of the Units contemplated hereby that is a written communication (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act). The Underwriters have not offered or sold and will not offer or sell, without the Partnerships consent, any Units by means of any free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) that is required to be filed by the Underwriters with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Act, other than a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
Covered Free Writing Prospectuses , as used herein, means (i) each issuer free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act), if any, relating to the Units that is not a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and (ii) each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
Disclosure Package , as used herein, means any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or Basic Prospectus, in either case together with any combination of one or more of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and the information set forth on Schedule B-2 attached hereto.
Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein (the Incorporated Documents ), including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms amend , amendment or supplement with respect to the Registration Statement, any Basic
Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act on or after the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, or the date of such Basic Prospectus, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.
As used in this Agreement, business day shall mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the NYSE ) is open for trading. The terms herein, hereof, hereto, hereinafter and similar terms, as used in this Agreement, shall in each case refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph, sentence or other subdivision of this Agreement.
The Ferrellgas Parties and the Underwriters agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Sale and Purchase . Upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Partnership agrees to issue and sell to the respective Underwriters, and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Partnership, the number of Firm Units set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A attached hereto, subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8 hereof, in each case at a purchase price of $22.08 per Unit. The Partnership is advised by the Underwriters that the Underwriters intend (i) to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Firm Units as soon after the effectiveness of this Agreement as in their judgment is advisable and (ii) initially to offer the Firm Units upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Underwriters may from time to time increase or decrease the public offering price after the initial public offering to such extent as they may determine.
In addition, the Partnership hereby grants to the several Underwriters the option (the Option ) to purchase, and upon the basis of the representations and warranties and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Partnership, ratably in accordance with the number of Firm Units to be purchased by each of them, all or a portion of the Additional Units, at the same purchase price per Unit to be paid by the Underwriters to the Partnership for the Firm Units; provided, however, that the amount paid by the Underwriters on any Additional Units shall be reduced by an amount per share equal to any distributions declared by the Partnership and payable on the Firm Units but not payable on such Additional Units. The Option may be exercised by the Representative, on behalf of the several Underwriters, at any time and from time to time on or before the thirtieth day following the date of the Prospectus Supplement, by written notice to the Partnership. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Units as to which the Option is being exercised and the date and time when the Additional Units are to be delivered (any such date and time being herein referred to as an additional time of purchase ); provided , however , that no additional time of purchase shall be earlier than the time of purchase (as defined below) nor (unless the Option is exercised prior to the Closing Date, in which case the additional time of purchase shall be the Closing Date) earlier than the second business day after the date on which the Option shall have been exercised nor later than the tenth business day after the date on which the Option shall have been exercised. The number of Additional Units to be sold to each Underwriter shall be the number which bears the same proportion to the aggregate number of Additional Units being purchased as the number of Firm Units set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A attached hereto bears to the total number of Firm Units, subject, in each case, to such adjustment as the Underwriters may determine to eliminate fractional Units and subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8 hereof.
SECTION 2. Payment and Delivery . Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Units shall be made to the Partnership by Federal Funds wire transfer against electronic delivery of the Firm Units in book entry form to the Underwriters through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company ( DTC ) for the respective accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M.,
New York City time, on June 8, 2015 (the Closing Date ) (unless another time shall be agreed to by the Representative and the Partnership or unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 hereof). The time at which such payment and delivery are to be made is hereinafter sometimes called the time of purchase . Electronic transfer of the Firm Units shall be made to the Representative at the time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall specify.
Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Units shall be made at the additional time of purchase in the same manner and at the same office and time of day as the payment for the Firm Units. Electronic transfer of the Additional Units shall be made to the Representative at the additional time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as the Representative shall specify.
Delivery of the documents described in Section 6 hereof with respect to the purchase of the Firm Units and any purchase of Additional Units shall be made at the offices of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, at 80 Pine Street, New York, New York, at 9:00 A.M., New York City time, on the Closing Date and the date of the closing of any purchase of Additional Units.
SECTION 3. Representations and Warranties of the Ferrellgas Parties. Each of the Ferrellgas Parties, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that (it being understood and agreed that whenever reference is made to the subsidiaries of the Ferrellgas Parties in this Agreement, such phrase will be understood to refer to and include (i) all of the subsidiaries of the Ferrellgas Parties and (ii) except as expressly stated herein, the Acquired Business and, all references to the Acquired Business are made to the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties, after reasonable inquiry):
(a) Effectiveness of the Registration Statement. The Registration Statement is an automatic shelf registration statement as defined under Rule 405 of the Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company; no stop order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or, to the Ferrellgas Parties knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission.
(b) Compliance with the Act; No Material Misstatements or Omissions. The Registration Statement complied when it became effective, complies as of the date hereof and, as amended or supplemented, at the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units, will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Units as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Units as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Act; the Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Time, and at the Closing Date will not, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; each Pre-Pricing Prospectus complied at the time it was filed with the Commission, and complies as of the date hereof, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the date such Pre-Pricing Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, or the Disclosure Package include an untrue statement of a material
fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each Basic Prospectus complied as of its date and the date it was filed with the Commission, complies as of the date hereof and, at the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units, will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such Basic Prospectus and the date such Basic Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Basic Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, or the Disclosure Package include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Basic Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, or the Disclosure Package if any, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each of the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus will comply, as of the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the date that it is filed with the Commission, the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Act (in the case of the Prospectus, including, without limitation, Section 10(a) of the Act); at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and the date the Prospectus Supplement is filed with the Commission and ends at the later of the time of purchase, the latest additional time of purchase, if any, and the end of the period during which a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units did or will the Prospectus Supplement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; at no time during the period that begins on the date of the earliest use of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus; provided, however, that the Ferrellgas Parties make no representation or warranty in this Section 3(b) with respect to any statement contained in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information concerning an Underwriter and furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Partnership expressly for use in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; and each Incorporated Document, at the time such document was filed, or will be filed, with the Commission or at the time such document became or becomes effective, as applicable, complied or will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Exchange Act and did not or will not, as applicable, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required
to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(c) Other Offering Documents . Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Partnership has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Units by means of any prospectus (within the meaning of the Act) or used any prospectus (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Units, in each case other than the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any; the Partnership has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus except in compliance with Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; assuming that any such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is so used or referred to after the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (and after such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus was, if required pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, filed with the Commission), the use of or reference to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus by any Underwriter will satisfy the provisions of Rule 164 and Rule 433 (without reliance on subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Rule 164); the conditions set forth in one or more of subclauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of Rule 433(b)(1) under the Act are satisfied, and the Registration Statement, as initially filed with the Commission, includes a prospectus that other than by reason of Rule 433 or Rule 431 under the Act, satisfies the requirements of Section 10 of the Act; neither the Partnership nor the Underwriters are disqualified, by reason of subsection (f) or (g) of Rule 164 under the Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the Units, free writing prospectuses (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Act; the Partnership is not an ineligible issuer (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Act with respect to the offering of the Units contemplated hereby, without taking into account any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 under the Act that it is not necessary under the circumstances that the Partnership be considered an ineligible issuer; and the parties hereto agree and understand that the content of any and all road shows (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act) related to the offering of the Units contemplated hereby is solely the property of the Partnership.
(d) FINRA Exemption . In accordance with FINRA Rule 5110(b)(7)(C)(i) of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ( FINRA ), the offering of the Units has been registered with the Commission on Form S-3 under the Act pursuant to the standards for such Form S-3 prior to October 21, 1992 and offered pursuant to Rule 415 adopted under the Act.
(e) Formation and Qualification of the General Partner . The General Partner has been duly incorporated and is validly existing and in good standing as a corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own or lease its properties, to conduct its business and to act as the general partner of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, in each case as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified or registered to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or conduct of business requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing, considering all such cases in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Ferrellgas Parties and all of their respective subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a Material Adverse Effect ), or (ii) subject the Partnership or the holders of Common Units to any material liability or disability.
(f) Formation and Qualification of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership . Each of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership has been duly formed and is validly existing and in good standing as a limited partnership under the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (the Delaware Act ), with full partnership power and authority to own or lease its properties and to conduct its business, in each case as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, and has been duly qualified as a foreign limited partnership in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or conduct of business requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing, considering all such cases in the aggregate, would not (i) reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or (ii) subject the Partnership or the holders of Common Units to any material liability or disability.
(g) Ownership of the General Partner . Ferrell Companies, Inc. ( FCI ) is the sole stockholder of the General Partner, holding 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the General Partner; such shares of capital stock have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable; and FCI owns such shares of capital stock free and clear of all liens, encumbrances, charges or claims ( Liens ) (except for any such Liens that are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the ownership, use or value of such shares of capital stock or as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus).
(h) General Partner Interest in the Partnership . The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Partnership, with a general partner interest in the Partnership of 1.0%, and holds all of the incentive distribution rights of the Partnership (the Incentive Distribution Rights ); such general partner interest and Incentive Distribution Rights have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Fourth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Partnership, as amended (as it may be further amended and/or restated at or prior to the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, the Partnership Agreement ) and are fully paid (to the extent required by the Partnership Agreement); and the General Partner owns such general partner interest and Incentive Distribution Rights free and clear of all Liens (except (i) for any such Liens that are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the ownership, use or value of such general partner interest, (ii) as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (iii) for restrictions on transferability contained in the Partnership Agreement).
(i) Limited Partner Interests in the Partnership . The limited partners of the Partnership hold Common Units in the Partnership representing an aggregate 99.0% limited partner interest; such limited partner interest consists of (as of April 30, 2015 and excluding the Units) (i) 55,582,894 publicly-traded Common Units (representing an approximate 67% limited partner interest), (ii) 22,529,361 Common Units (representing an approximate 28% limited partner interest) owned by FCI and (iii) 4,358,475 Common Units (representing an approximate 5% limited partner interest) beneficially owned by James E. Ferrell (such Common Units, collectively, the Existing Units ); the Existing Units are the only limited partner interests of the Partnership that are issued and outstanding; all of the Existing Units have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and are fully paid and non-assessable (except as non-assessability may be affected by certain provisions of the Delaware Act); and all of the Existing Units have been issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right.
(j) General Partner Interest in the Operating Partnership. The General Partner is the sole general partner of the Operating Partnership, with a general partner interest in the Operating Partnership of 1.0101%; such general partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of
the Operating Partnership (as it may be further amended and/or restated at or prior to the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, the Operating Partnership Agreement ) and is fully paid (to the extent required by the Operating Partnership Agreement); and the General Partner owns such general partner interest free and clear of all Liens (except (i) for any such Liens that are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the ownership, use or value of such general partner interest, (ii) as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (iii) for restrictions on transferability contained in the Operating Partnership Agreement).
(k) Limited Partner Interest in the Operating Partnership . The Partnership is the sole limited partner of the Operating Partnership, with a limited partner interest of 98.9899%; such limited partner interest has been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with the Operating Partnership Agreement and is fully paid and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by certain provisions of the Delaware Act); and the Partnership owns such limited partner interest free and clear of all Liens (except (i) for any such Liens that are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the ownership, use or value of such limited partner interest, (ii) as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or (iii) restrictions on transferability contained in the Operating Partnership Agreement). No options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or rights to convert any obligation into any equity interest in the Operating Partnership are outstanding, and there are no restrictions upon the voting or transfer of any limited partner interests in the Operating Partnership.
(l) Subsidiaries . None of the Ferrellgas Parties has any subsidiaries (other than the Partnership and the Operating Partnership) that, individually or considered as a whole, would be deemed to be a significant subsidiary (as defined in Rule 405 under the Act). The entities listed on Schedule C hereto are the only subsidiaries, direct or indirect, of the Ferrellgas Parties. Each subsidiary of the Ferrellgas Parties has been duly incorporated or formed, as the case may be, and is an existing corporation or limited liability company, as the case maybe, in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation, as the case maybe, with power and authority (corporate or limited liability company, as the case may be) to own its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; and each subsidiary of the Ferrellgas Parties is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation or limited liability company, as the case may be, in good standing in all other jurisdictions in which its ownership or lease of property or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or to be in good standing, considering all such cases in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or limited liability company interests, as the case may be, of each subsidiary is owned, directly or indirectly, by the Ferrellgas Parties and has been duly authorized and validly issued and is fully paid and non-assessable (except as non-assessability may be affected by certain provisions of the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act); and the capital stock or limited liability company interests, as the case may be, of each subsidiary owned by the Ferrellgas Parties, directly or through subsidiaries, is owned free from Liens (except for such Liens (i) as are not, individually or in the aggregate, material to the ownership, use or value thereof, (ii) as are granted in connection with the Operating Partnerships credit agreement, dated as of November 2, 2009, as amended, or (iii) as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus).
(m) NYSE Listing . As of the Closing Date, the Units will be duly listed and admitted and authorized for trading, subject to official notice of issuance, on the NYSE; and the Ferrellgas Parties have not received any notice from the NYSE regarding the delisting of the Common Units from the NYSE.
(n) Valid Issuance of the Units. The Units and the limited partner interests represented thereby have been duly authorized in accordance with the Partnership Agreement and, when issued and delivered to the Underwriters against payment therefor as provided herein, will be validly issued, fully paid (to the extent required by the Partnership Agreement) and non-assessable (except as such non-assessability may be affected by certain provisions of the Delaware Act); other than the Existing Units and any Common Units that may be issued pursuant to Section 4(p) hereof, the Units will be the only limited partner interests of the Partnership issued and outstanding at the time of purchase and each additional time of purchase; the issuance and delivery of the Units against payment therefor as provided herein will not violate any restriction upon the transfer thereof or any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right existing pursuant to or under the Delaware Act, the Partnerships certificate of limited partnership, the Partnership Agreement or any agreement or other instrument to which any of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their affiliates is a party or by which any of them may be bound or affected; and the Units, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will be free of any restriction upon the voting or transfer thereof existing pursuant to or under the Delaware Act, the Partnerships certificate of limited partnership, the Partnership Agreement or any agreement or other instrument to which any of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their affiliates is a party or by which any of them may be bound or affected.
(o) Conformity of Units to Description; Unit Certificates . The Units, when issued and delivered against payment therefor as provided herein, will conform in all material respects to the description thereof contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus and any Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses; and the certificates for the Units are in due and proper form.
(p) Authority and Authorization . Each of the Ferrellgas Parties has full power and authority (corporate or partnership, as the case may be) to execute and deliver this Agreement and perform their obligations hereunder; the Partnership has all requisite power and authority under the Partnership Agreement and the Delaware Act to issue, sell and deliver the Units in accordance with and upon the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement, the Partnership Agreement, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus; and at the time of purchase and each additional time of purchase, all partnership or corporate action, as the case may be, required to be taken by the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their partners or securityholders for the authorization, issuance, sale and delivery of the Units and the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement shall have been validly taken.
(q) Authorization, Execution and Delivery of this Agreement . This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by each of the Ferrellgas Parties.
(r) Operating Agreements . The Partnership Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner for itself and as attorney-in-fact for each of the limited partners of the Partnership pursuant to the powers of attorney granted by the Partnership Agreement and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner and the Partnership, enforceable against the General Partner and the Partnership in accordance with its 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 the Operating Partnership Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the General Partner and the Partnership and is a valid and legally binding agreement of the General Partner and the Partnership, enforceable against the General Partner and the Partnership in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, reorganization, moratorium and other laws now or hereafter in effect
relating to or affecting creditors rights generally, (ii) limitations under Federal or state securities laws with respect to the rights of indemnification or contribution thereunder, if any, and (iii) general principles of equity (clauses (i) through (iii) collectively, the Enforceability Exceptions ) .
(s) Defaults . None of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holders behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (i) its formation, governing or other organizational documents, (ii) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or any of its properties or assets may be bound or affected, (iii) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, (iv) any rule or regulation of any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NYSE), or (v) any decree, judgment or order applicable to it or any of its properties, except in the case of clauses (ii) through (v) for any such breaches, violations or defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, affect the validity of the Units or prevent or materially interfere with the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement.
(t) Conflicts . The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Units and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby do not and will not (A) conflict with or result in a violation of any of the provisions of the certificate of incorporation, certificate or agreement of limited partnership, articles of formation or by-laws, as the case may be, of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries, (B) conflict with or violate any law, rule, regulation, order, judgment or decree applicable to any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries, or by which any property or asset of any of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, is or may be bound or (C) result in a breach of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default (with or without due notice and/or lapse of time) under, any loan or credit agreement, indenture, mortgage, note or other agreement or instrument to which any of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties or assets is or may be bound, except, in the case of clause (B) or (C) where such conflict, violation, breach or default will not prevent or materially delay the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement and would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(u) Consents . No approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency or court, or of or with any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NYSE), or approval of the securityholders of the Ferrellgas Parties (each, a Consent ), is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Units or the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, except (i) registration of the Units under the Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed hereunder pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act, will be effected in accordance herewith), (ii) any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Units are being offered by the Underwriters, (iii) approval of the Supplemental Listing Application filed by the Partnership with the NYSE in connection with the offering of the Units and delivery of official notice of issuance of the Units to the NYSE, (iv) Consents that have been, or prior to the time of purchase will be, obtained or (v) as the failure to obtain or make would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a material
adverse effect on the ability of any of the Ferrellgas Parties to execute, deliver and perform the transactions contemplated by this Agreement in accordance with its terms.
(v) Preemptive Rights, Registration Rights, Options or Other Rights . All equity interests in the Ferrellgas Parties were issued in compliance with all applicable securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right; except as described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, and except for the Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 17, 1999, by and between the Partnership and Williams Natural Gas Liquids, Inc., as amended (the Registration Rights Agreement ), (i) no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Partnership to issue or sell to it any Common Units or other equity interests in the Partnership, (ii) no person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase any Common Units or other equity interests in the Partnership, (iii) no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Partnership in connection with the offer and sale of the Units, (iv) there are no restrictions upon the voting or transfer of any limited partner interest in the Partnership and (v) other than pursuant to the Partnership Agreement, no person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Partnership to register under the Act any Common Units or other equity interests in the Partnership, or to include any such Common Units or interests in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby; and any rights existing pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement to cause the Partnership to register under the Act any Common Units or other equity interests in the Partnership, or to include any such Common Units or interests in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, have been waived.
(w) Permits . Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries possess adequate certificates, authorities or permits issued by appropriate governmental agencies or bodies necessary to conduct the business now operated by it, except for those which the failure to possess or obtain would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and have not received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or modification of any such certificate, authority or permit that, if determined adversely to any of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(x) Litigation . Except as described in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending or to the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries knowledge, threatened or contemplated to which the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries are or would be a party or of which any of their respective properties is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or before or by any self-regulatory organization or other non-governmental regulatory authority (including, without limitation, the NYSE), except for any such actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings that, if resolved adversely to any Ferrellgas Party or their respective subsidiaries would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or prevent or materially interfere with consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby.
(y) Disclosure Regarding Certain Matters . There are no legal or governmental proceedings, affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions, contracts, licenses, agreements, properties, leases or documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement
or any Incorporated Document that have not been so described or filed as required; and the statements included in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (i) under the headings Description of Common Units, Senior Units and Deferred Participation Units, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the terms of the Common Units, and (ii) under the heading Tax Consequences, Investment in Us by Employee Benefit Plans and Summary of Certain Tax Consequences, insofar as they purport to constitute a summary of the consequences to holders of Common Units under United States federal tax laws and ERISA (as defined below), are fair and accurate summaries thereof in all material respects.
(z) Independent Registered Public Accountants . Grant Thornton LLP, the accountants who certified the financial statements and any supporting schedules thereto of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal years ended July 31, 2014 and 2013 incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. Deloitte & Touche LLP, the accountants who certified the financial statements and any supporting schedules thereto of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2012 incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, were as of October 1, 2012, and during the period covered by such financial statements, independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. KPMG LLP, the accountants who certified the financial statements and any supporting schedules thereto of the Acquired Business for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 included or incorporated by reference into the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. James, Hardy & Haley LLP, the accountants who certified the financial statements and any supporting schedules thereto of the Acquired Business for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 included or incorporated by reference into the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and the published rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and the rules and regulations of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
(aa) Financial Statements . The financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, together with the related notes and schedules, present fairly the consolidated financial position of the entities referenced thereby as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations, cash flows and changes in stockholders equity or partners capital, as the case may be, of the entities referenced thereby for the periods specified; such financial statements have been prepared in compliance with the requirements of the Act and Exchange Act and in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved, except to the extent disclosed therein; any pro forma financial statements or data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package comply with the requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act, the assumptions used in the preparation of such pro forma financial statements and data are reasonable, the pro forma adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions or circumstances described therein and the pro forma adjustments have been properly applied to the historical amounts in the compilation of those statements and data; the other financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses and the Disclosure
Package, if any, are accurately and fairly presented and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Ferrellgas Parties and their affiliates, except to the extent disclosed therein; there are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package that are not so included or incorporated by reference as required; the Ferrellgas Parties do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package; and all disclosures included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses and the Disclosure Package, if any, regarding non-GAAP financial measures (as such term is defined by the rules and regulations of the Commission) comply with Regulation G of the Exchange Act and Item 10 of Regulation S-K under the Act, to the extent applicable. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus, the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses and the Disclosure Package, if any, fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(bb) Unit Options . Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each stock or unit option granted under the Partnerships Unit Option Plan or FCIs Incentive Compensation Plan (each, an Option Plan ) was granted with a per share or per unit exercise price no less than the fair market value per share or Common Unit on the grant date of such option, and no such grant involved any back-dating, forward-dating or similar practice with respect to the effective date of such grant; and except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, each such option (i) was granted in compliance with applicable law and with the applicable Option Plan, (ii) was duly approved by the board of directors (or a duly authorized committee thereof) of the General Partner or FCI, as applicable, and (iii) has been properly accounted for in the financial statements of the Ferrellgas Parties in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and disclosed in the their respective filings with the Commission.
(cc) Material Adverse Changes . Since the date of the latest audited financial statements of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package, there has been no material adverse change, nor any development or event involving a prospective material adverse change, in the condition (financial or other), business, properties or results of operations of the Issuers and their subsidiaries taken as a whole; and, except as disclosed in or contemplated by the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package , or for the regular quarterly distributions on the general partner and limited partner interests of the Partnership, there has been no dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by either of the Issuers on any class of their respective equity interests.
(dd) Lock-Up Agreements . Each of the Ferrellgas Parties has obtained for the benefit of the Underwriters the agreement (a Lock-Up Agreement ), in the form set forth as Exhibit A attached hereto, of each of its directors, officers (within the meaning of Rule 16a-1(f) under the Exchange Act) and securityholders named in Exhibit A-1 attached hereto.
(ee) Investment Company . None of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds
thereof, will be an open-end investment company, unit investment trust or face-amount certificate company that is or is required to be registered under Section 8 of the United States Investment Company Act of 1940 (as amended, the Investment Company Act ). Each of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Units and the application of the proceeds thereof will be exempt from regulation as an investment company as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.
(ff) Title . Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, each of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries has good and valid title to all real properties and good title to all personal properties and assets described in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, as being owned by them, in each case free from liens, claims, security interests or other encumbrances that would reasonably be expected to materially affect the value thereof or materially interfere with the use made or to be made thereof by them, taken as a whole, including liens, claims, security interests and other encumbrances pursuant to mortgage and/or security agreements given as security for certain non-compete agreements with the prior owners of certain businesses previously acquired by the Issuers and their respective subsidiaries; and except as publicly disclosed prior to the date hereof, each of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries hold any leased real property or buildings under valid and enforceable leases with no exceptions that would reasonably be expected to materially interfere with the use made by them, taken as a whole.
(gg) Intellectual Property . Each of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries owns, possesses or can acquire on reasonable terms all inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), tradenames, service names, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary information described in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, as being owned or licensed by it or which are necessary for the conduct of, or material to, its businesses (collectively, the Intellectual Property ), except for any such failures to own or license such Intellectual Property that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; and the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries have not received any claims to the contrary or any challenges by any other person to the rights of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries with respect to the Intellectual Property, or any notices of any infringement of the rights of others with respect to the Intellectual Property, that, if resolved adversely to any Ferrellgas Party or any of their respective subsidiaries, individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(hh) Labor and Employment Matters . Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and except for matters that would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) none of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practice, (ii) there is (A) no unfair labor practice complaint pending or, to the best of the Ferrellgas Parties and their subsidiaries knowledge, threatened against any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries before the National Labor Relations Board, and no grievance or arbitration proceeding arising out of or under collective bargaining agreements is pending or, to the best of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries knowledge, threatened, (B) no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or stoppage pending or, to the best of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries knowledge, threatened against any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries and (C) no union representation dispute currently existing concerning the employees of any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries, (ii) to the best of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries knowledge, no union organizing activities are currently taking place
concerning the employees of any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries and (iii) there has been no violation of any federal, state, local or foreign law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended, or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries.
(ii) Environmental Compliance . Except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, none of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries (i) is in violation of any statute, rule, regulation, decision or order of any governmental agency or body or any court, domestic or foreign, relating to the use, disposal or release of hazardous or toxic substances or relating to the protection or restoration of the environment or human exposure to hazardous or toxic substances (collectively, environmental laws ), (ii) owns or operates any real property contaminated such that the clean-up or remediation is required by applicable environmental laws, (iii) is liable for any off-site disposal or contamination pursuant to any environmental laws, or (iv) is subject to any claim relating to any environmental laws, which violation, contamination, liability or claim would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(jj) Taxes . Each of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries have filed all federal, state and local income and franchise tax returns required to be filed through the date of this Agreement and have timely paid all taxes required to be paid by any of them, due thereon, other than those (i) that are being contested in good faith and for which adequate reserves have been established in accordance with GAAP (as defined below) or (ii) that, if not paid, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(kk) ERISA Compliance . None of the following events has occurred or exists with respect to any of the Ferrellgas Parties: (i) a failure to fulfill the obligations, if any, under the minimum funding standards of Section 302 of the United States Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended ( ERISA ), and the regulations and published interpretations thereunder with respect to any Plan (as defined below), determined without regard to any waiver of such obligations or extension of any amortization period, that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (ii) an audit or investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation or any other federal or state governmental agency or any foreign regulatory agency with respect to the employment or compensation of employees of the Ferrellgas Parties that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; or (iii) any breach of any contractual obligation, or any violation of law or applicable qualification standards, with respect to the employment or compensation of employees of any of the Ferrellgas Parties by such Ferrellgas Party that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. For purposes of this paragraph, the term Plan means a plan (within the meaning of Section 3(3) of ERISA) subject to Title IV of ERISA with respect to which any of the Ferrellgas Parties may have any liability.
(ll) Insurance . The Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries maintain insurance covering their respective properties, operations, personnel and businesses as they reasonably deem adequate; such insurance insures against such losses and risks to an extent which is adequate in accordance with customary industry practice to protect the Ferrellgas Parties, their respective subsidiaries and their respective businesses; none of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries has received notice from any insurer or agent of such insurer that substantial capital improvements (relating to the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries on a consolidated basis) or other substantial expenditures will have to be made in order to continue such
insurance, and all such insurance is outstanding and duly in force on the date hereof and will be outstanding and duly in force at the Closing Date.
(mm) Non-Renewal of Contracts; Third Party Defaults . None of the Ferrellgas Parties has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the contracts or agreements referred to or described in any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, the Registration Statement or any Incorporated Document, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Ferrellgas Parties or, to the Ferrellgas Parties knowledge, any other party to any such contract or agreement. To the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties, no third party to any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to or by which any of the Ferrellgas Parties is a party or bound or to which their respective properties are subject is in breach, default or violation under any such agreement (and no event has occurred that, with notice or lapse of time or both, would constitute such an event), which breach, default or violation would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.
(nn) Internal and Disclosure Controls . The Partnership and the Operating Partnership maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Partnership and the Operating Partnership in reports that they file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commissions rules and forms, including controls and procedures designed to ensure that such information is accumulated and communicated to the General Partners management as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure; the Partnership and the Operating Partnership maintain systems of internal control over financial reporting as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) and Rule 15d-15 of the Exchange Act; the Partnership and the Operating Partnership have carried out evaluations of the effectiveness of their disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting as required by Rule 13a-15 of the Exchange Act; and since the date of the most recent balance sheet of the Partnership reviewed or audited by Grant Thornton LLP and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the General Partner, (i) the Ferrellgas Parties have not been advised of (A) any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses (as such terms are defined in Rule 1-02(a)(4) of Regulation S-X under the Act) in the design or operation of the internal control over financial reporting of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the ability of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership to record, process, summarize and report financial data or (B) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the Ferrellgas Parties internal controls and (ii) there has been no change in internal control over financial reporting that materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the internal control over financial reporting of the Partnership or the Operating Partnership, including any corrective action with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses. The Partnership and the Operating Partnership maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Exchange Act) that is designed to ensure that: (i) transactions are executed in accordance with managements general or specific authorization; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with its managements general or specific authorization; (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences; and (v) the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Disclosure
Package and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commissions rules and guidelines applicable thereto.
(oo) Sarbanes-Oxley Act . The Ferrellgas Parties and their directors and officers are each in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the NYSE promulgated thereunder.
(pp) Forward-Looking Statements . Each forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act or Section 21E of the Exchange Act) contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, has been made or reaffirmed with a reasonable basis and in good faith.
(qq) Statistical and Market Data . All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, is based on or derived from sources that the Ferrellgas Parties reasonably believe to be reliable and accurate in all material respects, and the Ferrellgas Parties have obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.
(rr) Sanctions . None of the Ferrellgas Parties, nor any subsidiary, director, employee or officer thereof, nor, to the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries, any affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries is the subject or target of Sanctions. None the Ferrellgas Parties nor any of their respective subsidiaries, is located, organized or resident in a Sanctioned Country. No part of the proceeds of the offering of the Units hereunder will be used, directly or indirectly, by the Ferrellgas Parties in violation of Sanctions. For purposes hereof: (i) Sanctions shall mean economic or financial sanctions or trade embargoes imposed, administered or enforced from time to time by (a) the U.S. government, including those administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State or other relevant sanctions authority, or (b) the Canadian Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions and (ii) Sanctioned Country shall mean, at any time, a country or territory which is itself the subject or target of any Sanctions (at the time of this Agreement, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria). For the past five years, the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in and are not now knowingly engaged in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.
(ss) Prohibition on Distributions . No subsidiary of the Partnership is currently prohibited, directly or indirectly, from paying any dividends to the Partnership, from making any other distribution on such subsidiarys capital stock or other equity interests, from repaying to the Partnership any loans or advances to such subsidiary from the Partnership or from transferring any of such subsidiarys property or assets to the Partnership or any other subsidiary of the Partnership, except as described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus.
(tt) Brokers Fees . Except pursuant to this Agreement, there are no contracts, agreements or understandings between any of the Ferrellgas Parties or their respective subsidiaries, on the one hand, and any person, on the other hand, that would give rise to a valid claim
against any of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries or any Underwriter for a brokerage commission, finders fee or other like payment.
(uu) Stabilization . None of the Ferrellgas Parties, their respective subsidiaries or, to the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries, any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action that has constituted, or that was designed or would reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units.
(vv) FINRA Affiliations . To the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties, there are no affiliations or associations between (i) any member of FINRA and (ii) the Ferrellgas Parties, any of the Ferrellgas Parties officers, directors or 5% or greater security holders or any beneficial owner of the Partnerships unregistered equity securities that were acquired at any time on or after the 180th day immediately preceding the date the Registration Statement was initially filed with the Commission, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus.
(ww) Lending Relationship . Except as described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, no Ferrellgas Party (i) has any material lending or other relationship with any bank or lending affiliate of any Underwriter or (ii) intends to use any of the proceeds of the offering contemplated hereby to repay any outstanding debt owed to any affiliate of any Underwriter.
(xx) Relationship with Directors or Officers . Except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there are no outstanding loans, advances (except advances for business expenses in the ordinary course of business) or guarantees of indebtedness by the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries or any of their respective family members.
(yy) Anti-Corruption and Anti-Bribery . None of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or to the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties and any of their respective subsidiaries, any agent, affiliate, employee or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries has: (i) used any corporate funds for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee (including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization) or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) violated or is in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made any unlawful bribe, rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful payment or benefit. The Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws.
(zz) Anti-Money Laundering . The operations of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial
recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the Anti-Money Laundering Laws ), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Ferrellgas Parties or any of their respective subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Ferrellgas Parties and their respective subsidiaries, threatened.
(aaa) Filed Reports . The Ferrellgas Parties Annual Report on Form 10-K most recently filed with the Commission and all reports for periods or dates after July 31, 2014, which have been filed by the Ferrellgas Parties pursuant to the Exchange Act, when they were filed with the Commission (or if an amendment with respect to any such document was filed, when such amendment was filed), conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.
In addition, any certificate signed by any officer of the Ferrellgas Parties and delivered to any Underwriter or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Units shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty by the Ferrellgas Parties, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.
SECTION 4. Certain Covenants of the Ferrellgas Parties .
The Ferrellgas Parties, jointly and severally, hereby agree:
(a) Blue Sky Qualification . To furnish such information as may be required and otherwise to cooperate in qualifying the Units for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such states or other jurisdictions the Underwriters may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long the Underwriters may request for the distribution of the Units; provided, however, that no Ferrellgas Party shall be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or limited partnership or to consent to the service of process under the laws of any such jurisdiction (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the Units); and to promptly advise the Underwriters of the receipt by the Ferrellgas Parties of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Units for offer or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose;
(b) Copies of Prospectus . To make available to the Underwriters in New York City, as soon as practicable after this Agreement becomes effective, and thereafter from time to time to furnish to the Underwriters, as many copies of the Prospectus (or of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented if the Partnership shall have made any amendments or supplements thereto after the effective date of the Registration Statement) as the Underwriters may request for the purposes contemplated by the Act; in case any Underwriter is required to deliver (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule), in connection with the sale of the Units, a prospectus after the nine-month period referred to in Section 10(a)(3) of the Act, or after the time a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is required pursuant to Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Act, the Partnership will prepare, at its expense, promptly upon request such amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as may be necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Act, as the case may be;
(c) Post-Effective Amendments . If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is necessary or appropriate for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or a Registration Statement under Rule 462(b) under the Act, to be filed with the Commission and become effective before the Units may be sold, to use their reasonable best efforts to cause such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement to be filed and become effective, and to pay any applicable fees in accordance with the Act, as soon as possible; and to advise the Underwriters promptly and, if requested by the Underwriters, to confirm such advice in writing, (i) when such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement has become effective, and (ii) if Rule 430A under the Act is used, when the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act (which the Partnership agrees to file in a timely manner in accordance with such Rules);
(d) New Filing or Amendment to Comply as to Form . If, at any time during the period when a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units, the Registration Statement shall cease to comply with the requirements of the Act with respect to eligibility for the use of the form on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission, to (i) promptly notify the Underwriters, (ii) promptly file with the Commission a new registration statement under the Act, relating to the Units, or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, which new registration statement or post-effective amendment shall comply with the requirements of the Act and shall be in a form satisfactory to the Underwriters, (iii) use their reasonable best efforts to cause such new registration statement or post-effective amendment to become effective under the Act as soon as practicable, (iv) promptly notify the Underwriters of such effectiveness and (v) take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Units to continue as contemplated in the Prospectus, it being understood that all references herein to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include each such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, if any;
(e) Expiration of Registration Statement . If the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(5) under the Act) shall occur at any time during the period when a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units, to file with the Commission, prior to such third anniversary, a new registration statement under the Act relating to the Units, which new registration statement shall comply with the requirements of the Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(6) under the Act) and shall be in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters; to use their reasonable best efforts to cause such new registration statement to become effective under the Act as soon as practicable, but in any event within 180 days after such third anniversary and promptly notify the Underwriters of such effectiveness; and to take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Units to continue as contemplated in the Prospectus, it being understood that all references herein to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include each such new registration statement, if any;
(f) Filing of Amendments or Supplements . To advise the Underwriters promptly, confirming such advice in writing, of any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information with respect thereto, or of notice of institution of proceedings for, or the entry of a stop order, suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement and, if the Commission should enter a stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, to use their reasonable best efforts to obtain the lifting or removal of such order as soon as possible; to advise the Underwriters promptly of any proposal to amend or
supplement the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or the Prospectus, and to provide the Underwriters and Underwriters counsel copies of any such documents for review and comment a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing; and to file no such amendment or supplement to which the Underwriters shall reasonably object in writing (unless a Ferrellgas Party is advised by legal counsel that it is required by law to make such a filing);
(g) Exchange Act Reports . Subject to Section 4(f) hereof, to file promptly all reports and documents and any preliminary or definitive proxy or information statement required to be filed by them with the Commission in order to comply with the Exchange Act for so long as a prospectus is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units; to provide the Underwriters, for their review and comment, with a copy of such reports and statements and other documents to be filed by them pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act during such period a reasonable amount of time prior to any proposed filing; to file no such report, statement or document to which the Underwriters shall have reasonably objected in writing (unless a Ferrellgas Party is advised by legal counsel that it is required by law to make such a filing); and to promptly notify the Underwriters of such filing;
(h) Filing Fees . To pay the fees applicable to the Registration Statement in connection with the offering of the Units within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Act (without reliance on the proviso to Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Act) and in compliance with Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Act;
(i) Misstatements or Omissions . To advise the Underwriters promptly of the happening of any event known to any of the Ferrellgas Parties within the period during which a prospectus relating to the Units is required by the Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Units, which event could require the making of any change in the Prospectus then being used so that the Prospectus would not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, and to advise the Underwriters promptly if, during such period, it shall become necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to cause the Prospectus to comply with the requirements of the Act, and, in each case, during such time, subject to Section 4(f) hereof, to prepare and furnish, at their expense, to the Underwriters promptly such amendments or supplements to such Prospectus as may be necessary to reflect any such change or to effect such compliance;
(j) Earnings Information . To make generally available to the Partnerships security holders, and to deliver to the Underwriters, an earnings statement of the Partnership (which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act) covering a period of twelve months beginning after the effective date of the Registration Statement (as defined in Rule 158(c) under the Act) as soon as is reasonably practicable after the termination of such twelve-month period;
(k) Copies of Registration Statement . To furnish to the Underwriters copies of the Registration Statement, as initially filed with the Commission, and of all amendments thereto (including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and sufficient copies of the foregoing (other than exhibits) for distribution of a copy to each of the other Underwriters;
(l) Interim Financial Statements . To furnish to the Underwriters as early as practicable prior to the time of purchase and any additional time of purchase, as the case may be, but
not later than two business days prior thereto, a copy of the latest available unaudited interim consolidated financial statements, if any, of the Ferrellgas Parties which have been read by their independent registered public accountants, as stated in their letter to be furnished pursuant to Section 6(b) hereof;
(m) Use of Proceeds . To apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Units in the manner set forth under the caption Use of Proceeds in the Prospectus Supplement;
(n) Covenant to Pay Costs . To pay all costs, expenses, fees and taxes in connection with (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, each Basic Prospectus, each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters and to dealers (including costs of mailing and shipment), (ii) the registration, issue, sale and delivery of the Units including any stock or transfer taxes and stamp or similar duties payable upon the sale, issuance or delivery of the Units to the Underwriters, (iii) the producing, word processing and/or printing of this Agreement, any agreement among Underwriters, any dealer agreements, any powers of attorney and any closing documents (including compilations thereof) and the reproduction and/or printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters and (except closing documents) to dealers (including costs of mailing and shipment), (iv) the qualification of the Units for offering and sale under state or foreign laws and the determination of their eligibility for investment under state or foreign law (including the reasonable legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters) and the preparation, printing and furnishing of copies of any blue sky surveys or legal investment surveys to the Underwriters and to dealers, (v) any listing of the Units on any securities exchange or qualification of the Units for quotation on the NYSE and any registration thereof under the Exchange Act, (vi) any filing for review of the public offering of the Units by FINRA, including the reasonable legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters relating to FINRA matters, (vii) the fees and disbursements of any transfer agent or registrar for the Units, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Ferrellgas Parties relating to presentations or meetings undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering and sale of the Units to prospective investors and the Underwriters sales forces, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road show presentations, including Internet roadshows, travel, lodging and other expenses incurred by the officers of the Ferrellgas Parties and any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in connection with the road show and (ix) the performance of the Ferrellgas Parties other obligations hereunder;
(o) Compliance with Rule 433 . To comply with Rule 433(d) under the Act (without reliance on Rule 164(b) under the Act) and with Rule 433(g) under the Act;
(p) Lock-Up Agreement . Beginning on the date hereof through and ending on, and including, the date that is 60 days after the date of the Prospectus Supplement (the Lock-Up Period ), without the prior written consent of JP Morgan, not to (i) issue, sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to, any Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership that are substantially similar to Common Units, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, (ii) file or cause to become effective a registration statement under the Act relating to the offer and sale of any Common Units or any other securities of
the Partnership that are substantially similar to Common Units, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, (iii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of Common Units or any other securities of the Partnership that are substantially similar to Common Units, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any warrants or other rights to purchase, the foregoing, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or such other securities, in cash or otherwise or (iv) publicly announce an intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i), (ii) or (iii), except, in each case, for (A) the registration of the offer and sale of the Units as contemplated by this Agreement, (B) issuances of Common Units upon the exercise of options or warrants disclosed as outstanding in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package, (C) the issuance of unit options not exercisable during the Lock-Up Period pursuant to unit option plans described in the Registration Statement (excluding the exhibits thereto), each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or the Disclosure Package and (D) issuances of Common Units in connection with the acquisition of assets or businesses by the Partnership or the Operating Partnership if the recipient(s) of such Common Units are the seller(s) of such assets or businesses and enter into a lock-up agreement substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit A for the remainder of the Lock-Up Period (for the avoidance of doubt, the issuance of the 11,200,000 common units to the sellers of the Acquired Business as consideration for the Acquisition shall be issued pursuant to this clause (D)); provided , however , that if (1) during the last seventeen (17) days of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Partnership occurs or (2) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period, the Partnership announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the sixteen (16) day period beginning on the last day of the Lock-Up Period, then the restrictions imposed by this Section 4(p) shall continue to apply until the expiration of the eighteen (18) day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless JP Morgan waives, in writing, such extension;
(q) Press Releases and Other Communications . Other than as required by law or the rules and regulations of the Commission or the NYSE, prior to the time of purchase or any additional time of purchase, as the case may be, to issue no press release or other communication directly or indirectly and hold no press conferences with respect to the Ferrellgas Parties, the financial condition, results of operations, business, properties, assets, or liabilities of the Ferrellgas Parties, or the offering of the Units, without the prior consent of the Underwriters, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld;
(r) Distribution of Prospectuses . At any time at or after the execution of this Agreement, to make, directly or indirectly, no offer or sale of any Units by means of any prospectus (within the meaning of the Act), or use any prospectus (within the meaning of the Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Units, in each case other than the Prospectus;
(s) Stabilization . To take, directly or indirectly, no action that will constitute, or that is designed or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Partnership to facilitate the sale or resale of the Units;
(t) NYSE Listing . To use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Units to be listed on the NYSE and to maintain the listing of the Common Units, including the Units; and
(u) Transfer Agent . To maintain a transfer agent and, if necessary under the jurisdiction of incorporation of the Partnership, a registrar for the Common Units.
The Underwriters may, in their sole discretion, waive in writing the performance by any Ferrellgas Party of any one or more of the foregoing covenants or extend the time for their performance.
SECTION 5. Reimbursement of the Underwriters Expenses . If, after the execution and delivery of this Agreement, the Units are not delivered for any reason other than the termination of this Agreement pursuant to clause (b)(i), (iii), (iv) or (v) of the second paragraph of Section 7 hereof or the fifth paragraph of Section 8 hereof or the default by one or more of the Underwriters in its or their respective obligations hereunder, the Ferrellgas Parties, jointly and severally, shall, in addition to paying the amounts described in Section 4(n) hereof, reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of their counsel.
SECTION 6. Conditions of the Underwriters Obligations. The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Ferrellgas Parties on the date hereof, at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at the additional time of purchase, the performance by the Ferrellgas Parties of their obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:
(a) The Partnership shall have furnished to the Underwriters at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at each additional time of purchase, an opinion of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, counsel for the Partnership, addressed to the Underwriters, and dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, with executed copies for each Underwriter, and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
(b) The Underwriters shall have received from of each of Deloitte & Touche LLP, Grant Thornton LLP, KPMG LLP and James, Hardy & Haley LLP letters dated the date of this Agreement, the time of purchase (solely in the case of Grant Thornton LLP and KPMG LLP) and, if applicable, each additional time of purchase (solely in the case of Grant Thornton LLP and KPMG LLP), and addressed to the Underwriters (with executed copies for each Underwriter) in the forms satisfactory to the Underwriters, which letters shall cover, without limitation, the various financial disclosures contained in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any.
(c) The Underwriters shall have received at the time of purchase and, if applicable, at each additional time of purchase, the favorable opinions of Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and Baker Botts L.L.P., counsel for the Underwriters, dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Underwriters.
(d) No Prospectus or amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus shall have been filed to which the Underwriters shall have objected in writing.
(e) The Registration Statement and any registration statement required to be filed, prior to the sale of the Units, under the Act pursuant to Rule 462(b) shall have been filed and shall have become effective under the Act. The Prospectus Supplement shall have been filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Act at or before 5:30 P.M., New York City time, on the second full business day after the date of this Agreement (or such earlier time as may be required under the Act).
(f) Prior to and at the time of purchase, and, if applicable, each additional time of purchase, (i) no stop order with respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Act or proceedings initiated under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Act;
(ii) the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; (iii) none of the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses or the Prospectus, and no amendment or supplement thereto, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; (iv) the Disclosure Package shall not, and no amendment or supplement thereto shall, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; and (v) none of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.
(g) The Partnership shall have delivered, at the time of purchase and, if applicable, each additional time of purchase, to the Underwriters a certificate of the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Financial Officer of the General Partner, dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, in the form attached as Exhibit B attached hereto.
(h) The Underwriters shall have received each of the signed Lock-Up Agreements referred to in Section 3(dd) hereof, and each such Lock-Up Agreement shall be in full force and effect at the time of purchase and the additional time of purchase, as the case may be.
(i) The Ferrellgas Parties shall have furnished to the Underwriters such other documents and certificates as to the accuracy and completeness of any statement in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as of the time of purchase and, if applicable, the additional time of purchase as the Underwriters may reasonably request.
(j) The Units shall have been approved for listing on the NYSE, subject only to notice of issuance at or prior to the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be.
(k) The Underwriters shall have received on and as of the date of this Agreement, the time of purchase and, if applicable, each additional time of purchase a certificate of the chief financial officer of the Partnership in the form of Exhibit C hereto.
Each of the Ferrellgas Parties will furnish the Underwriters with such conformed copies of such opinions, certificates, letters and documents as the Underwriters reasonably request. The Underwriters may in their sole discretion waive compliance with any conditions to the obligations of the Underwriters, whether in respect of the Closing Date or otherwise.
If any condition specified in this Section 6 is not satisfied when and as required to be satisfied, this Agreement may be terminated by the Underwriters by notice to the Partnership at any time on or prior to the time of purchase, which termination shall be without liability on the part of any party to any other party, except that Sections 4(n) , 5 , and 9 hereof shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination.
SECTION 7. Effective Date of Agreement; Termination . This Agreement shall become effective when the parties hereto have executed and delivered this Agreement.
The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to termination, in the absolute discretion of the Representative, if (a) since the time of execution of this Agreement or the earlier respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, there has been any change or any development involving a prospective change in the business, assets, management, condition (financial or otherwise) or results of operations of the Ferrellgas Parties taken as a whole, the effect of which change or development is, in the sole judgment of the Representative, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Units on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, (b) since the time of execution of this Agreement, there shall have occurred (i) a suspension or material limitation in trading in securities generally on the NYSE, the American Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ, (ii) a suspension or material limitation in trading in the Partnerships securities on the NYSE, (iii) a general moratorium on commercial banking activities declared by either federal or New York State authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (iv) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or acts of terrorism involving the United States or a declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or (v) any other calamity or crisis or any change in financial, political or economic conditions in the United States or elsewhere, if the effect of any such event specified in clause (iv) or (v), in the sole judgment of the Representative, makes it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the public offering or the delivery of the Units on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or (c) since the time of execution of this Agreement, there shall have occurred any downgrading, or any notice or announcement shall have been given or made of (i) any intended or potential downgrading or (ii) any watch, review or possible change that does not indicate an affirmation or improvement in the rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed by the Ferrellgas Parties by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization, as that term is defined in Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act.
If the Underwriters elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 7 , the Ferrellgas Parties and each other Underwriter shall be notified promptly in writing.
If the sale to the Underwriters of the Units, as contemplated by this Agreement, is not carried out by the Underwriters for any reason permitted under this Agreement, or if such sale is not carried out because the Ferrellgas Parties shall be unable to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement, the Ferrellgas Parties shall not be under any obligation or liability under this Agreement (except to the extent provided in Sections 4(n) , 5 and 9 hereof), and the Underwriters shall be under no obligation or liability to the Ferrellgas Parties under this Agreement (except to the extent provided in Section 9 hereof) or to one another hereunder.
SECTION 8. Increase in Underwriters Commitments . Subject to Sections 6 and 7 hereof, if any Underwriter shall default in its obligation to take up and pay for the Firm Units to be purchased by it hereunder (otherwise than for a failure of a condition set forth in Section 6 hereof or a reason sufficient to justify the termination of this Agreement under the provisions of Section 7 hereof) and if the number of Firm Units which all Underwriters so defaulting shall have agreed but failed to take up and pay for does not exceed 10% of the total number of Firm Units, the non-defaulting Underwriters (including the Underwriters, if any, substituted in the manner set forth below) shall take up and pay for (in addition to the aggregate number of Firm Units they are obligated to purchase pursuant to Section 1 hereof) the number of Firm Units agreed to be purchased by all such defaulting Underwriters, as hereinafter provided. Such Units shall be taken up and paid for by such non-defaulting Underwriters in such amount or amounts as the Underwriters may designate with the consent of each Underwriter so designated or, in the event no such designation is made, such Units shall be taken up and paid for by all non-defaulting Underwriters
pro rata in proportion to the aggregate number of Firm Units set forth opposite the names of such non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule A attached hereto.
Without relieving any defaulting Underwriter from its obligations hereunder, the Ferrellgas Parties agree with the non-defaulting Underwriters that they will not sell any Firm Units hereunder unless all of the Firm Units are purchased by the Underwriters (or by substituted Underwriters selected by the Underwriters with the approval of the Ferrellgas Parties or selected by the Ferrellgas Parties with the Underwriters approval).
If a new Underwriter or Underwriters are substituted by the Underwriters or by the Ferrellgas Parties for a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters in accordance with the foregoing provision, the Ferrellgas Parties or the Underwriters shall have the right to postpone the time of purchase for a period not exceeding five business days in order that any necessary changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and other documents may be effected.
The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall refer to and include any Underwriter substituted under this Section 8 with like effect as if such substituted Underwriter had originally been named in Schedule A attached hereto.
If the aggregate number of Firm Units which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase exceeds 10% of the total number of Firm Units which all Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, and if neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Ferrellgas Parties shall make arrangements within the five business day period stated above for the purchase of all the Firm Units which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed to purchase hereunder, this Agreement shall terminate without further act or deed and without any liability on the part of the Ferrellgas Parties to any Underwriter and without any liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter to the Ferrellgas Parties. Nothing in this paragraph, and no action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.
SECTION 9. Indemnity and Contribution .
(a) Each of the Ferrellgas Parties, jointly and severally, agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, directors, officers and members, any person who controls such Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and any affiliate (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Act) of such Underwriter, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Partnership) or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Partnership expressly for use in, the Registration Statement or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading, or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 9 being deemed to include any Basic Prospectus,
the Disclosure Package, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus, and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing), in any Covered Free Writing Prospectus, in any issuer information (as defined in Rule 433 under the Act) of the Partnership or in any Prospectus together with any combination of one or more of the Covered Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except, with respect to such Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Partnership expressly for use in, such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(b) Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Ferrellgas Parties, their directors and officers, and any person who controls the Ferrellgas Parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons, from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Ferrellgas Parties or any such person may incur under the Act, the Exchange Act, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Partnership expressly for use in, the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Partnership), or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter to the Partnership expressly for use in, a Prospectus or a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.
(c) If any action, suit or proceeding (each, a Proceeding ) is brought against a person (an indemnified party ) in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Ferrellgas Parties or an Underwriter (as applicable, the indemnifying party ) pursuant to subsection (a) or (b), respectively, of this Section 9 , such indemnified party shall promptly notify such indemnifying party in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and such indemnifying party shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided , however , that the omission to so notify such indemnifying party shall not relieve such indemnifying party from any liability which such indemnifying party may have to any indemnified party or otherwise, unless a court of competent jurisdiction shall have issued a final judicial determination that the indemnifying party was materially prejudiced in its defense by reason of such delay. The indemnified party or parties shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such indemnified party or parties unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the indemnifying party in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or the indemnifying party shall not have, within a
reasonable period of time in light of the circumstances, employed counsel to defend such Proceeding reasonably acceptable to the indemnified party or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from, additional to or in conflict with those available to such indemnifying party or counsel to the indemnified party should be conflicted from representing the indemnifying party (in which case such indemnifying party shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by such indemnifying party and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that such indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). The indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent but, if settled with its written consent, such indemnifying party agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the indemnified party or parties from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this Section 9(c) , then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request and (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have fully reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault or culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of such indemnified party.
(d) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to an indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 9 or insufficient to hold an indemnified party harmless in respect of any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Ferrellgas Parties, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other hand, from the offering of the Units or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Ferrellgas Parties, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Ferrellgas Parties on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the total proceeds from the offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Partnership, and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the Units. The relative fault of the Ferrellgas Parties, on the one hand, and of the Underwriters, on the other, shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Ferrellgas Parties or by the Underwriters and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, damages, expenses, liabilities and claims referred to in this subsection shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any Proceeding.
(e) The Ferrellgas Parties and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in subsection (d) above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9 , no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Units underwritten by such Underwriter and distributed to the public were offered to the public exceeds the amount of any damage which such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.
(f) The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 9 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Ferrellgas Parties contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its partners, directors, officers or members or any person (including each partner, officer, director or member of such person) who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, or by or on behalf of the Ferrellgas Parties, their respective directors or officers or any person who controls the Ferrellgas Parties within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Units. Each of the Ferrellgas Parties and each Underwriter agree to notify each other promptly of the commencement of any Proceeding against it and, in the case of the Ferrellgas Parties, against any of their officers or directors in connection with the issuance and sale of the Units, or in connection with the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
SECTION 10. Information Furnished by the Underwriters . The statements set forth in the thirteenth paragraph under the caption Underwriting in the Prospectus constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of the Underwriters, as such information is referred to in Sections 3 and 9 hereof.
SECTION 11. Notices. Except as otherwise herein provided, all statements, requests, notices and agreements shall be in writing or by telegram or facsimile and, if to the Underwriters, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017 (facsimile: (212) 622-8358), Attention: Equity Syndicate Desk and with a copy to Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, 80 Pine Street, New York, NY 10005 (facsimile: (212) 378-2453), Attention: Douglas S. Horowitz, Esq., and a copy to Baker Botts L.L.P., 910 Louisiana Street, Houston, Texas 77002 (facsimile: (713) 229-7734), Attention: Gerald M. Spedale; and if to the Ferrellgas Parties, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to the offices of the Partnership at 7500 College Blvd., Suite 1000, Overland Park, KS 66210 (facsimile: (913) 661-1537), Attention: Chief Financial Officer, with a copy to Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, 1111 Louisiana Street, 44 th Floor, Houston, Texas 77002 (facsimile: (713) 236-0822), Attention: John Goodgame.
SECTION 12. Governing Law; Construction . This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement ( Claim ), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.
SECTION 13. Submission to Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial . Except as set forth below, no Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New
York located in the City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Ferrellgas Parties hereby consent to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Ferrellgas Parties hereby consent to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against any Underwriter or any indemnified party. Each Underwriter and each of the Ferrellgas Parties (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its securityholders and affiliates) waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Ferrellgas Parties and each Underwriter agree that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon them and may be enforced in any other courts to the jurisdiction of which they are or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.
SECTION 14. Parties at Interest . The Agreement herein set forth has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters and the Ferrellgas Parties and, to the extent provided in Section 9 hereof, the controlling persons, partners, directors, officers, members and affiliates referred to in such Section 9 , and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives and executors and administrators. No other person, partnership, association or corporation (including a purchaser, as such purchaser, from any of the Underwriters) shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.
SECTION 15. No Fiduciary Relationship . The Ferrellgas Parties each hereby acknowledge that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the purchase and sale of the Partnerships securities. The Ferrellgas Parties each further acknowledge that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arms length basis, and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Ferrellgas Parties, their respective management, securityholders or creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the purchase and sale of the Partnerships securities, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Ferrellgas Parties, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Ferrellgas Parties each hereby confirm their understanding and agreement to that effect. The Ferrellgas Parties and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Ferrellgas Parties regarding such transactions, including, but not limited to, any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Partnerships securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Ferrellgas Parties. The Ferrellgas Parties and the Underwriters agree that the Underwriters are acting as principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Ferrellgas Parties and no Underwriter has assumed, and none of them will assume, any advisory responsibility in favor of the Ferrellgas Parties with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether any Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Ferrellgas Parties on other matters). The Ferrellgas Parties hereby waive and release, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that they or their affiliates may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary, advisory or similar duty to the Ferrellgas Parties in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.
SECTION 16. Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed by the parties in one or more counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement among the parties.
SECTION 17. Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon the Underwriters and the Ferrellgas Parties and their successors and assigns and any successor or assign of any substantial portion of the Ferrellgas Parties and any of the Underwriters respective businesses and/or assets.
SECTION 18. Partial Unenforceability . The invalidity or unenforceability of any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other section, paragraph or provision hereof. If any section, paragraph or provision of this Agreement is for any reason determined to be invalid or unenforceable, then to the extent practicable there shall be deemed to be made such minor changes (and only such minor changes) as are necessary to make it valid and enforceable.
SECTION 19. General Provisions.
(a) Any action by the Underwriters hereunder may be taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC on behalf of the Underwriters, and any such action taken by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC shall be binding upon the Underwriters.
(b) In accordance with the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)), the Underwriters are required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies their respective clients, including the Partnership, which information may include the name and address of their respective clients, as well as other information that will allow the Underwriters to properly identify their respective clients.
(c) This Agreement, together with the schedules and exhibits hereto, constitutes the entire agreement of the parties to this Agreement and supersedes all prior written or oral and all contemporaneous oral agreements, understandings and negotiations with respect to the subject matter hereof.
(d) This Agreement may not be amended or modified unless in writing by all of the parties hereto, and no condition herein (express or implied) may be waived unless waived in writing by each party whom the condition is meant to benefit.
If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the Ferrellgas Parties and the several Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this Agreement and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement among the Ferrellgas Parties and the Underwriters, severally.
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Very truly yours, |
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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. |
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By: |
Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief |
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Financial Officer and Treasurer |
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FERRELLGAS, L.P. |
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By: |
Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief |
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Financial Officer and Treasurer |
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FERRELLGAS, INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief |
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Financial Officer and Treasurer |
Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement
Accepted and agreed to as of the date
first above written:
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
UBS SECURITIES LLC
BARCLAYS CAPITAL INC.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH
INCORPORATED
RBC CAPITAL MARKETS, LLC
JEFFERIES LLC
SUNTRUST ROBINSON HUMPHREY, INC.
CAPITAL ONE SECURITIES, INC.
FIFTH THIRD SECURITIES, INC.
MITSUBISHI UFJ SECURITIES (USA), INC.
SIMMONS & COMPANY INTERNATIONAL
By: |
J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC, |
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as Representative of the several Underwriters |
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By: |
/s/ Catherine ODonnell |
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Name: |
Catherine ODonnell |
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Title: |
Executive Director |
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Signature Page to the Underwriting Agreement
SCHEDULE A
Underwriters |
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Amount of
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J.P. Morgan Securities LLC |
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1,233,375 |
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UBS Securities LLC |
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1,170,125 |
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Barclays Capital Inc. |
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1,012,000 |
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Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated |
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1,012,000 |
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RBC Capital Markets, LLC |
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632,500 |
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Jefferies LLC |
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569,250 |
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SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. |
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189,750 |
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Capital One Securities, Inc. |
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126,500 |
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Fifth Third Securities, Inc. |
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126,500 |
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Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. |
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126,500 |
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Simmons & Company International |
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126,500 |
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Total |
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6,325,000 |
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SCHEDULE B-2
FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
1. 6,325,000 Common Units representing limited partnership interests
2. The public offering price per Common Unit shall be $23.00.
SCHEDULE C
SUBSIDIARIES OF FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P.
1. Ferrellgas, L.P. (Delaware)
2. Ferrellgas Partners Finance Corp. (Delaware)
3. Ferrellgas Finance Corp. (Delaware)
4. Ferrellgas Receivables, LLC (Delaware)
5. Blue Rhino Global Sourcing, Inc. (Delaware)
6. Blue Rhino Canada, Inc. (Delaware)
7. Uni Asia, Ltd. (Seychelles)
8. Sable Environmental, LLC (Texas)
EXHIBIT A
[Form of lock-up from directors, officers or other stockholders pursuant to Section 3(dd)]
June 2, 2015
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Barclays Capital Inc.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Jefferies LLC
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.
Capital One Securities, Inc.
Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc.
Simmons & Company International
c/o J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
Re: Proposed Public Offering of Common Units by Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
Dear Sirs:
The undersigned, a securityholder of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. or a director or officer of Ferrellgas, Inc., understands that J.P. Morgan Securities LLC ( JP Morgan ), UBS Securities LLC, Barclays Capital Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Jefferies LLC, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Capital One Securities, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. and Simmons & Company International (collectively, the Underwriters ) propose to enter into an Underwriting Agreement (the Underwriting Agreement ) with the Ferrellgas Parties (as defined in the Underwriting Agreement) providing for the public offering of common units of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ). In recognition of the benefit that such an offering will confer upon the undersigned with respect to the foregoing, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the undersigned agrees with each underwriter to be named in the Underwriting Agreement that, during the period beginning on the date hereof and ending on the date that is 60 days from the date of the Underwriting Agreement (subject to extensions as discussed below), the undersigned will not, without the prior written consent of JP Morgan, directly or indirectly, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant any option, right or warrant for the sale of, or otherwise dispose of or transfer any of the Partnerships common units (the Common Units ) or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Common Units, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by the undersigned or with respect to which the undersigned has or hereafter acquires the power of disposition (collectively, the Lock-Up Securities ), or exercise any right with respect to the registration of any of the Lock-up Securities, or file or cause to be filed any registration statement in connection therewith, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or (ii) enter into any swap or any other agreement or any transaction that transfers, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, the economic
consequence of ownership of the Lock-Up Securities, whether any such swap or transaction is to be settled by delivery of Common Units or other securities, in cash or otherwise.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, and subject to the conditions below, the undersigned may transfer the Lock-Up Securities without the prior written consent of JP Morgan, provided that (1) the Underwriters receive a signed lock-up agreement for the balance of the lockup period from each donee, trustee, distributee, or transferee, as the case may be, (2) any such transfer shall not involve a disposition for value, (3) such transfers are not required to be reported with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 4 in accordance with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and (4) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such transfers:
(i) as a bona fide gift or gifts; or
(ii) to any trust for the direct or indirect benefit of the undersigned or the immediate family of the undersigned (for purposes of this lock-up agreement, immediate family shall mean any relationship by blood, marriage or adoption, not more remote than first cousin).
Furthermore, the undersigned may sell shares of Common Units purchased by the undersigned on the open market following the public offering referred to above if and only if (i) such sales are not required to be reported in any public report or filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or otherwise, and (ii) the undersigned does not otherwise voluntarily effect any public filing or report regarding such sales.
In addition, notwithstanding the foregoing, without the prior written consent of JP Morgan, the undersigned may exercise options to purchase Common Units outstanding under existing employee benefit plans; provided that the Common Units continue to be covered as Lock-Up Securities pursuant to this agreement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, if:
(1) during the last 17 days of the 60-day lock-up period, the Partnership issues an earnings release or material news or a material event relating to the Partnership occurs; or
(2) prior to the expiration of the 60-day lock-up period, the Partnership announces that it will release earnings results or becomes aware that material news or a material event will occur during the 16-day period beginning on the last day of the 60-day lock-up period, the restrictions imposed by this lock-up agreement shall continue to apply until the expiration of the 18-day period beginning on the issuance of the earnings release or the occurrence of the material news or material event, as applicable, unless JP Morgan waives, in writing, such extension.
The undersigned agrees that, prior to engaging in any transaction or taking any other action that is subject to the terms of this lock-up agreement during the period from the date of this lock-up agreement to and including the 34th day following the expiration of the initial 60-day lock-up period, it will give notice thereof to the Partnership and will not consummate such transaction or take any such action unless it has received written confirmation from the Partnership that the 60-day lock-up period (as may have been extended pursuant to the previous paragraph) has expired.
The undersigned also agrees and consents to the entry of stop transfer instructions with the Partnerships transfer agent and registrar against the transfer of the Lock-Up Securities except in compliance with the foregoing restrictions.
EXHIBIT A-1
Security holders, directors and officers subject to Section 3(dd):
Ferrell Companies, Inc.
Ferrell Resources Holdings, Inc.
JEF Capital Management, Inc.
James E. Ferrell
Pamela A. Breuckmann
Daniel G. Kaye
A. Andrew Levison
John R. Lowden
Michael F. Morrissey
David L. Starling
Stephen L. Wambold
Tod D. Brown
Boyd H. McGathey
Alan C. Heitmann
EXHIBIT B
Officers Certificate to be delivered pursuant to Section 6(g) of the Underwriting Agreement
Each of the undersigned, Stephen L. Wambold, Chief Executive Officer and President, and Alan C. Heitmann, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, of Ferrellgas, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the General Partner ) and the general partner of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (the Partnership ) and Ferrellgas, L.P. (the Operating Partnership ), on behalf of the General Partner, the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, does hereby certify, pursuant to Section 6(g) of that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated June 2, 2015 (the Underwriting Agreement ) among the General Partner, the Partnership and the Operating Partnership and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the Underwriters, that as of June 2, 2015:
1. He has reviewed the Registration Statement, each Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus and each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.
2. The representations and warranties of the Ferrellgas Parties as set forth in the Underwriting Agreement are true and correct as of the date hereof and as if made on the date hereof.
3. The Ferrellgas Parties have performed their obligations under the Underwriting Agreement in all material respects that are to be performed at or before the date hereof.
4. The conditions set forth in Section 6 of the Underwriting Agreement, except for paragraph (c) thereof as to which each of the undersigned makes no certification, have been met.
Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the Underwriting Agreement.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP and Baker Botts L.L.P. are entitled to rely on this Officers Certificate in connection with the rendering of their respective opinions to be delivered pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, or in connection with the issuance of the Units.
EXHIBIT C
[Form of]
Chief Financial Officers Certificate
This Chief Financial Officers Certificate (this Certificate ) is delivered pursuant to Section 6(k) of the Underwriting Agreement, dated June 2, 2015 (the Underwriting Agreement ) among the General Partner, the Partnership and the Operating Partnership and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the Underwriters. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Purchase Agreement.
I, Alan C. Heitmann, the Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, hereby certify in such capacity on behalf of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership and not in any individual capacity (and without any personal liability in respect thereof), that:
1. I am responsible for supervising the preparation of the Companys financial statements and knowledgeable with the financial accounting, reporting and control systems of the Company.
2. I have participated in the preparation of, or supervised the preparation of, the preliminary financial data for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2015, and the other financial estimates included in the section of the [Preliminary Prospectus Supplement/Prospectus Supplement] titled SummaryRecent developmentsPreliminary financial results for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2105, and have read the circled preliminary financial data for the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Pricing Disclosure Package attached hereto as Annex 1 (such circled financial data, the Preliminary Financial Information ).
3. The Preliminary Financial Information: (a) was derived from the internal accounting records of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries, (b) while preliminary and unaudited and unreviewed, was prepared on a basis that is substantially consistent with that of the audited financial statements contained in the Disclosure Package and (c) accurately presents, in all material respects, the preliminary results and other estimates of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2015 as set forth on Annex 1 .
4. Based upon my direct involvement with such matters and based upon my discussions with the other executive officers of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership, I am not aware of any adjustments that would reasonably be expected to cause the Preliminary Financial Information to vary in any material respect as a result of the preparation and finalization of the consolidated financial statements of the Partnership and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2015.
[Signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Certificate on behalf of the Partnership and the Operating Partnership as of the date first written above.
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FERRELLGAS PARTNERS, L.P. |
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By: |
Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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By: |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief |
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Financial Officer and Treasurer |
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FERRELLGAS, L.P. |
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By: |
Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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By: |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief |
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Financial Officer and Treasurer |
Exhibit 4.1
FERRELLGAS, L.P.
FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP.
AND EACH OF THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO
6.75% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2023
INDENTURE
Dated as of June 8, 2015
U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
As Trustee
CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*
Trust Indenture
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|
Indenture Section |
310(a)(1) |
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7.10 |
(a)(2) |
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7.10 |
(a)(3) |
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N.A. |
(a)(4) |
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N.A. |
(a)(5) |
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7.10 |
(b) |
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7.10 |
(c) |
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N.A. |
311(a) |
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7.11 |
(b) |
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7.11 |
(c) |
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N.A. |
312(a) |
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2.05 |
(b) |
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12.03 |
(c) |
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12.03 |
313(a) |
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7.06 |
(b)(1) |
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N.A. |
(b)(2) |
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7.06, 7.07 |
(c) |
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7.06, 12.02 |
(d) |
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7.06 |
314(a) |
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4.03, 12.02, 12.05 |
(b) |
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N.A. |
(c)(1) |
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12.04 |
(c)(2) |
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12.04 |
(c)(3) |
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N.A. |
(d) |
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N.A. |
(e) |
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12.05 |
(f) |
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N.A. |
315(a) |
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7.01 |
(b) |
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7.05, 12.02 |
(c) |
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7.01 |
(d) |
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7.01 |
(e) |
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6.11 |
316(a) (last sentence) |
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2.09 |
(a)(1)(A) |
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6.05 |
(a)(1)(B) |
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6.04 |
(a)(2) |
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N.A. |
(b) |
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6.07 |
(c) |
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2.12 |
317(a)(1) |
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6.08 |
(a)(2) |
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6.09 |
(b) |
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2.04 |
318(a) |
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12.01 |
(b) |
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N.A. |
(c) |
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12.01 |
N.A. means not applicable.
* This Cross Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Page |
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ARTICLE 1. |
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DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION |
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BY REFERENCE |
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Section 1.01. |
Definitions |
1 |
Section 1.02. |
Other Definitions |
27 |
Section 1.03. |
Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act |
28 |
Section 1.04. |
Rules of Construction |
29 |
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ARTICLE 2. |
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THE NOTES |
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Section 2.01. |
Form and Dating |
29 |
Section 2.02. |
Execution and Authentication |
30 |
Section 2.03. |
Registrar and Paying Agent |
30 |
Section 2.04. |
Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust |
30 |
Section 2.05. |
Holder Lists |
31 |
Section 2.06. |
Transfer and Exchange |
31 |
Section 2.07. |
Replacement Notes |
42 |
Section 2.08. |
Outstanding Notes |
42 |
Section 2.09. |
Treasury Notes |
43 |
Section 2.10. |
Temporary Notes |
43 |
Section 2.11. |
Cancellation |
43 |
Section 2.12. |
Defaulted Interest |
43 |
Section 2.13. |
CUSIP Numbers |
43 |
Section 2.14. |
Issuance of Additional Notes |
44 |
Section 2.15. |
Computation of Interest |
44 |
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ARTICLE 3. |
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REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT |
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Section 3.01. |
Notices to Trustee |
44 |
Section 3.02. |
Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased |
45 |
Section 3.03. |
Notice of Redemption |
45 |
Section 3.04. |
Effect of Notice of Redemption |
46 |
Section 3.05. |
Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price |
46 |
Section 3.06. |
Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part |
46 |
Section 3.07. |
Optional Redemption |
46 |
Section 3.08. |
Mandatory Redemption |
48 |
Section 3.09. |
Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds |
48 |
Section 3.10. |
Special Mandatory Redemption |
49 |
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ARTICLE 4. |
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COVENANTS |
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Section 4.01. |
Payment of Notes |
50 |
Section 4.02. |
Maintenance of Office or Agency |
50 |
Section 4.03. |
Reports |
51 |
Section 4.04. |
Compliance Certificate |
51 |
Section 4.05. |
Taxes |
52 |
Section 4.06. |
Stay, Extension and Usury Laws |
52 |
Section 4.07. |
Restricted Payments |
52 |
Section 4.08. |
Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries |
55 |
Section 4.09. |
Incurrence of Indebtedness |
57 |
Section 4.10. |
Asset Sales |
60 |
Section 4.11. |
Transactions with Affiliates |
61 |
Section 4.12. |
Liens |
63 |
Section 4.13. |
Corporate Existence |
63 |
Section 4.14. |
Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control |
64 |
Section 4.15. |
Limitation on Finance Corp |
65 |
Section 4.16. |
Effectiveness of Covenants |
65 |
Section 4.17. |
Additional Note Guarantees |
66 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE 5. |
|
|
SUCCESSORS |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 5.01. |
Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets |
66 |
Section 5.02. |
Successor Corporation Substituted |
68 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE 6. |
|
|
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 6.01. |
Events of Default |
68 |
Section 6.02. |
Acceleration |
69 |
Section 6.03. |
Other Remedies |
70 |
Section 6.04. |
Waiver of Past Defaults |
70 |
Section 6.05. |
Control by Majority |
70 |
Section 6.06. |
Limitation on Suits |
70 |
Section 6.07. |
Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment |
71 |
Section 6.08. |
Collection Suit by Trustee |
71 |
Section 6.09. |
Trustee May File Proofs of Claim |
71 |
Section 6.10. |
Priorities |
71 |
Section 6.11. |
Undertaking for Costs |
72 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE 7. |
|
|
TRUSTEE |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 7.01. |
Duties of Trustee |
72 |
Section 7.02. |
Rights of Trustee |
73 |
Section 7.03. |
Individual Rights of Trustee |
74 |
Section 7.04. |
Trustees Disclaimer |
74 |
Section 7.05. |
Notice of Defaults |
74 |
Section 7.06. |
Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes |
74 |
Section 7.07. |
Compensation and Indemnity |
74 |
Section 7.08. |
Replacement of Trustee |
75 |
Section 7.09. |
Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. |
76 |
Section 7.10. |
Eligibility; Disqualification |
76 |
Section 7.11. |
Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuers |
76 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE 8. |
|
|
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 8.01. |
Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance |
76 |
Section 8.02. |
Legal Defeasance and Discharge |
76 |
Section 8.03. |
Covenant Defeasance |
77 |
Section 8.04. |
Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance |
77 |
Section 8.05. |
Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions |
78 |
Section 8.06. |
Repayment to the Issuers |
79 |
Section 8.07. |
Reinstatement |
79 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE 9. |
|
|
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 9.01. |
Without Consent of Holders of Notes |
79 |
Section 9.02. |
With Consent of Holders of Notes |
80 |
Section 9.03. |
Compliance with Trust Indenture Act |
82 |
Section 9.04. |
Revocation and Effect of Consents |
82 |
Section 9.05. |
Notation on or Exchange of Notes |
82 |
Section 9.06. |
Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc. |
82 |
Section 9.07. |
Effect of Amendments |
82 |
|
|
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ARTICLE 10. |
|
|
NOTE GUARANTEES |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 10.01. |
Guarantee |
82 |
Section 10.02. |
Limitation on Guarantor Liability |
83 |
Section 10.03. |
Note Guarantee Evidenced by Indenture |
84 |
Section 10.04. |
Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms |
84 |
Section 10.05. |
Releases |
84 |
|
|
|
ARTICLE 11. |
|
|
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 11.01. |
Satisfaction and Discharge |
85 |
Section 11.02. |
Application of Trust Money |
86 |
|
|
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ARTICLE 12. |
|
|
MISCELLANEOUS |
|
|
|
|
|
Section 12.01. |
Trust Indenture Act Controls |
87 |
Section 12.02. |
Notices |
87 |
Section 12.03. |
Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes |
88 |
Section 12.04. |
Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent |
88 |
Section 12.05. |
Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion |
88 |
Section 12.06. |
Rules by Trustee and Agents |
89 |
Section 12.07. |
Non-Recourse |
89 |
Section 12.08. |
No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders |
89 |
Section 12.09. |
Governing Law |
89 |
Section 12.10. |
Successors |
90 |
Section 12.11. |
Severability |
90 |
Section 12.12. |
Counterpart Originals |
90 |
Section 12.13. |
Table of Contents, Headings, etc. |
90 |
Section 12.14. |
Force Majeure |
90 |
Section 12.15. |
Action by Holders |
90 |
Section 12.16. |
Payment Date Other Than a Business Day |
92 |
Section 12.17. |
Benefit of Indenture |
92 |
Section 12.18. |
Language of Notices, Etc. |
92 |
Section 12.19. |
No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements |
92 |
Section 12.20. |
U.S.A. Patriot Act |
92 |
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A FORM OF NOTE
Exhibit B FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
Exhibit C FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
Exhibit D FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR
Exhibit E FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
This INDENTURE dated as of June 8, 2015 among Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited liability partnership (referred to herein as the Company ), Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (referred to herein as Finance Corp. , and together with the Company, the Issuers ), the Guarantors (as defined below) and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ).
The Issuers, the 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 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023 (the Notes ):
ARTICLE 1.
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION
BY REFERENCE
Section 1.01. Definitions.
144A Global Note means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of, and registered in the name of, the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Rule 144A.
Accounts Receivable Securitization means a financing arrangement involving the transfer or sale of accounts receivable of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business through one or more SPEs, the terms of which arrangement do not impose (a) any recourse or repurchase obligations upon the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any Affiliate of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than any such SPE) except to the extent of the breach of a representation or warranty by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection therewith or (b) any negative pledge or Lien on any accounts receivable not actually transferred to any such SPE in connection with such arrangement.
Additional Notes means additional Notes (other than the Initial Notes and the Exchange Notes) issued from time to time under this Indenture in accordance with Sections 2.02, 2.14 and 4.09 hereof, as part of the same series as the Initial Notes.
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 purposes of this definition, control, as used with respect to any Person, will mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by agreement or otherwise. For purposes of this definition, the terms controlling , controlled by and under common control with will have correlative meanings.
Agent means any Registrar, co-registrar, Paying Agent or additional paying agent.
Applicable Procedures means, with respect to any transfer or exchange of, or for beneficial interests in, any Global Note, the rules and procedures of the Depositary, Euroclear and Clearstream that apply to such transfer or exchange.
as determined in good faith by the Company means a determination made in good faith by the board of directors of the General Partner or any Officer of the General Partner or the Company involved in or otherwise familiar with the transaction for which such determination is being made, any such determination being conclusive for all purposes under this Indenture.
Asset Acquisition means the following (in all cases, including assets acquired through a Flow-Through Acquisition):
(1) an Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in any other Person pursuant to which the Person shall become a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, or shall be merged with or into the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(2) the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of the assets of any Person, other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, which constitute all or substantially all of the assets of such Person; or
(3) the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of any division or line of business of any Person, other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company.
Asset Sale means either of the following, whether in a single transaction or a series of related transactions:
(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of any assets other than (a) sales, leases or transfers or other dispositions of assets in the ordinary course of business (including but not limited to the sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business), and (b) sales of accounts receivable under any Accounts Receivable Securitization; or
(2) the issuance or sale of Capital Stock of any direct Subsidiary.
Notwithstanding the preceding, none of the following items will be deemed to be an Asset Sale:
(1) any sale, issuance, lease, transfer or other disposition of assets or Capital Stock by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the Issuers or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(2) any sale, transfer or other disposition of assets or Capital Stock by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to any entity in exchange for other assets used in a related business and/or cash (provided, that such cash portion is at least 75% of the difference between the value of the assets being transferred and the value of the assets being received) and having a Fair Market Value, as determined in good faith by the Company, reasonably equivalent to the Fair Market Value of the assets so transferred;
(3) any sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of assets in accordance with Permitted Investments;
(4) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company; provided, that the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company will be governed by Section 4.14 hereof and/or Section 5.01 hereof and not Section 4.10 hereof;
(5) the transfer or disposition of assets that are permitted Restricted Payments;
(6) any sale, lease or transfer of assets pursuant to a sale and leaseback transaction, provided that the Fair Market Value of all assets so sold, leased or transferred shall not exceed $25 million from and after the Issue Date;
(7) any single transaction or series of related transactions not otherwise covered which does not generate proceeds in excess of $10 million;
(8) sales or transfers of accounts receivable under an Accounts Receivable Securitization;
(9) the creation or perfection of a Lien that is not prohibited by Section 4.12;
(10) solely for purposes of the Fair Market Value and 75% cash consideration tests under Section 4.10, dispositions resulting from the enforcement of Permitted Liens;
(11) surrender or waiver of contract rights or the settlement, release or surrender of contract, tort or other claims of any kind;
(12) the grant in the ordinary course of business of any non-exclusive license of patents, trademarks, registrations therefor and other similar intellectual property;
(13) any sale, transfer or other disposition of Capital Stock in, or Indebtedness or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary; and
(14) any sale, transfer or other disposition of cash or Cash Equivalents or other financial instruments in the ordinary course of business.
Asset Swap means any substantially contemporaneous (and in any event occurring within 180 days of each other) purchase and sale or exchange of any assets or properties used or useful in the Permitted Business between the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and another Person; provided, that the Fair Market Value of the properties or assets traded or exchanged by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (together with any cash or Cash Equivalents) is reasonably equivalent to the Fair Market Value of the properties or assets (together with any cash or Cash Equivalents) to be received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, and provided further, that any net cash or Cash Equivalents received must be applied in accordance with Sections 3.09 and 4.10 if then in effect as if the Asset Swap were an Asset Sale.
Available Cash as to any quarter means:
(1) the sum of:
(a) all cash receipts of the Company during such quarter from all sources (including, without limitation, distributions of cash received from Subsidiaries of the Company, cash proceeds from Interim Capital Transactions, but excluding cash proceeds from Termination Capital Transactions, and borrowings made under the Credit Facilities); and
(b) any reduction with respect to such quarter in a cash reserve previously established pursuant to clause (2)(b) below (either by reversal or utilization) from the level of such reserve at the end of the prior quarter;
(2) less the sum of:
(a) all cash disbursements of the Company during such quarter, including, without limitation, disbursements for operating expenses, taxes, if any, debt service (including, without limitation, the payment of principal, premium and interest), redemption of Capital Stock of the Company, capital expenditures, contributions, if any, to a Subsidiary and cash distributions to partners of the Company (but only to the extent that such cash distributions to partners exceed Available Cash for the immediately preceding quarter); and
(b) any cash reserves established with respect to such quarter, and any increase with respect to such quarter in a cash reserve previously established pursuant to this clause (2)(b) from the level of such reserve at the end of the prior quarter, in such amounts as the General Partner determines in its reasonable discretion to be necessary or appropriate (i) to provide for the proper conduct of the business of the Company (including, without limitation, reserves for future capital expenditures), (ii) to provide funds for distributions with respect to Capital Stock of the Company in respect of any one or more of the next four quarters or (iii) because the distribution of such amounts would be prohibited by applicable law or by any loan agreement, security agreement, mortgage, debt instrument or other agreement or obligation to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound or its assets are subject;
(3) plus the lesser of (a) an amount as calculated in accordance with clauses (1) and (2) above for the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries for the first 45 days of the quarter during which such Restricted Payment is made (rather than the quarter for which clauses (1) and (2) were calculated) and (b) an amount of
working capital Indebtedness that the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries could have incurred on or before the 45th day after the last day of the quarter used to calculate clauses (1) and (2) above;
provided , however , that Available Cash attributable to any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company will be excluded to the extent dividends or distributions of Available Cash by the Restricted Subsidiary are not at the date of determination permitted by the terms of its charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or other regulation.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, (x) disbursements (including, without limitation, contributions to a Subsidiary or disbursements on behalf of a Subsidiary) made or reserves established, increased or reduced after the end of any quarter but on or before the date on which any Restricted Payment requiring a determination of Available Cash for such quarter is made shall be deemed to have been made, established, increased or reduced, for purposes of determining Available Cash, with respect to such quarter if the General Partner so determines, and (y) Available Cash shall not include any cash receipts or reductions in reserves or take into account any disbursements made or reserves established in each case after the date of liquidation of the Company. Taxes paid by the Company on behalf of, or amounts withheld with respect to, all or less than all of the partners shall not be considered cash disbursements of the Company that reduce Available Cash, but the payment or withholding thereof shall be deemed to be a distribution of Available Cash to the partners. Alternatively, in the discretion of the General Partner, such taxes (if pertaining to all partners) may be considered to be cash disbursements of the Company which reduce Available Cash, but the payment or withholding thereof shall not be deemed to be a distribution of Available Cash to such partners.
Bankruptcy Law means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.
Beneficial Owner has the meaning assigned to such term in Rule 13d-3 and Rule 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that in calculating the beneficial ownership of any particular Person (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), such Person will 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 currently exercisable or is exercisable only upon the occurrence of a subsequent condition. The terms Beneficially Owns and Beneficially Owned have a corresponding meaning.
Board of Directors means:
(1) with respect to a corporation, the board of directors of the corporation;
(2) with respect to a partnership, the Board of Directors of the general partner of the partnership;
(3) with respect to a limited liability company, the managing member or members or any controlling committee of managing members thereof; and
(4) with respect to any other Person, the board or committee of such Person serving a similar function.
Bridger Logistics Acquisition means (i) the acquisition by Ferrellgas Partners of all of the issued and outstanding membership interests in Bridger Logistics, LLC as provided for in the Bridger Acquisition Agreement (including the substantially contemporaneous distribution or other transfer of the net proceeds from the original sale of the Notes and other sums from the Company to Ferrellgas Partners to be utilized by Ferrellgas Partners for consummation of the acquisition) and (ii) the substantially contemporaneous contribution of such membership interests by Ferrellgas Partners to the Company.
Bridger Logistics Acquisition Agreement means that certain Purchase and Sale Agreement, dated as of May 29, 2015, by and among the Company, Ferrellgas Partners and Bridger, LLC, as the same may be amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms or in a manner not materially adverse to the Holders as determined in good faith by the Company.
Business Day means any day other than a Legal Holiday.
Capital Stock means of any Person any capital stock, company interest, partnership interest, membership interest, or equity interest of any kind, but excluding from all of the foregoing any debt securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into Capital Stock, whether or not such debt securities include any right of participation with Capital Stock..
Cash Equivalents means:
(1) United States dollars;
(2) U.S. Government Securities having maturities of not more than one year from the date of acquisition;
(3) 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 thereof and, at the time of acquisition thereof, having a credit rating of A or better from either S&P or Moodys;
(4) certificates of deposit, demand deposit accounts and eurodollar time deposits with maturities of one year or less from the date of acquisition, bankers acceptances with maturities not exceeding one year and overnight bank deposits, in each case, with any lender under the Credit Agreement or with any U.S. commercial bank having capital and surplus in excess of $500 million and a Thomson Bank Watch Rating of B or better;
(5) repurchase obligations with a term of not more than seven days for underlying securities of the types described in clauses (2), (3) and (4) above entered into with any financial institution meeting the qualifications specified in clause (4) above;
(6) commercial paper having one of the two highest ratings obtainable from Moodys or S&P and, in each case, maturing within one year after the date of acquisition; and
(7) money market funds at least 95% of the assets of which constitute Cash Equivalents of the kinds described in clauses (1) through (6) of this definition.
Change of Control means
(1) the sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company to any entity other than to a Related Party;
(2) the liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the General Partner, or a successor to the General Partner; or
(3) any transaction or series of transactions that results in a Person other than a Related Party Beneficially Owning in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the voting stock of the General Partner or a successor to the General Partner.
Company means Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture and thereafter Company shall mean such successor Person.
Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, for any period, the sum of, without duplication, the amounts for the period, taken as single accounting, of:
(1) Consolidated Net Income;
(2) Consolidated Non-Cash Charges;
(3) Consolidated Interest Expense; and
(4) Consolidated Income Tax Expense.
Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, the ratio of (y) the aggregate amount of Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges of the Person for the four full fiscal quarters immediately preceding the date of the transaction (the Transaction Date) giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (the Four Quarter Period), to (z) the aggregate amount of Consolidated Fixed Charges of the Person for the Four Quarter Period. In addition to and without limitation of the foregoing, for purposes of this definition, Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges and Consolidated Fixed Charges shall be calculated after giving effect on a pro forma basis for the period of the calculation to, without duplication:
(1) the incurrence or repayment of any Indebtedness, excluding the incurrence of revolving credit borrowings and repayments of revolving credit borrowings (other than the incurrence and repayment of any revolving credit borrowings the proceeds of which are used for Asset Acquisitions or Growth Related Capital Expenditures of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries and, in the case of any incurrence of revolving credit borrowings, the application of the net proceeds thereof) during the period commencing on the first day of the Four Quarter Period to and including the Transaction Date (the Reference Period), including, without limitation, the incurrence of the Indebtedness giving rise to the need to make the calculation (and the application of the net proceeds thereof), as if the incurrence (and application) occurred on the first day of the Reference Period;
(2) any Asset Sales or Asset Acquisitions (including, without limitation, any Asset Acquisition giving rise to the need to make the calculation as a result of the Company or one of its Restricted Subsidiaries, including any Person who becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of the Asset Acquisition, incurring, assuming or otherwise being liable for Indebtedness) occurring, or other dispositions or acquisitions or Investments made, or contributions received, including through mergers, consolidations or otherwise, during the Reference Period, as if the Asset Sale, Asset Acquisition, disposition, acquisition, Investment or contribution occurred on the first day of the Reference Period; provided , however , that:
(a) Consolidated Fixed Charges will be reduced by amounts attributable to businesses or assets that are so disposed of only to the extent that the obligations giving rise to such Consolidated Fixed Charges would no longer be obligations contributing to the Consolidated Fixed Charges subsequent to the Transaction Date; and
(b) Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges shall not include the impact of any non-recurring cash charges incurred in connection with a restructuring, reorganization or other similar transaction, as determined in good faith by the Company;
(3) any Person that is to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the specified Person immediately following the Transaction Date will be deemed to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at all times during the Reference Period;
(4) any Person that is not to be a Restricted Subsidiary of the specified Person immediately following the Transaction Date will be deemed not to have been a Restricted Subsidiary at any time during the Reference Period;
(5) interest income reasonably anticipated by such Person to be received during the Reference Period from cash or Cash Equivalents held by such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, which cash or Cash Equivalents exist on the Transaction Date or will exist as a result of the transaction giving rise to the need to calculate the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, will be included; and
(6) if, since the beginning of the Reference Period, any Person (that subsequently became a Restricted Subsidiary or was merged or consolidated with or into such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries since the beginning of such Reference Period) disposed of any operations or businesses or Investments (or ownership interests therein) or made any acquisition or Investment or received any contribution that would have required an adjustment pursuant to clause (1) or (2) above if made by such Person or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries during such Reference Period, Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges and Consolidated Fixed Charges for such period will be calculated after giving pro forma effect thereto as if such disposition or acquisition, contribution or Investment had occurred on the first day of such Reference 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, which determination shall be conclusive for all purposes under this Indenture; provided that such Officer may in such Officers discretion include any reasonably identifiable and factually supportable pro forma changes to Consolidated Cash Flow Available for Fixed Charges or Consolidated Fixed Charges, including any pro forma expense and cost reductions or synergies that have occurred or are reasonably expected to occur within the 12 months immediately following the Transaction Date (regardless of whether those cost savings or operating improvements could then be reflected in pro forma financial statements in accordance with Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act or any other regulation or policy of the SEC related thereto).
Furthermore, subject to the following paragraph, in calculating Consolidated Fixed Charges for purposes of determining the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio:
(1) interest on outstanding Indebtedness, other than Indebtedness referred to in clause (2) below, determined on a fluctuating basis as of the last day of the Four Quarter Period and which will continue to be so determined thereafter shall be deemed to have accrued at a fixed rate per annum equal to the rate of interest on such Indebtedness in effect on that date;
(2) only actual interest payments associated with Indebtedness incurred in accordance with clause (3) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness and all Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness in respect thereof, during the Four Quarter Period shall be included in the calculation; and
(3) if interest on any Indebtedness actually incurred on the date 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 rates, then the interest rate in effect on the last day of the Four Quarter Period will be deemed to have been in effect during the period.
Consolidated Fixed Charges means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the sum of, without duplication:
(1) the amounts for such period of Consolidated Interest Expense; and
(2) the product of:
(a) the aggregate amount of dividends and other distributions paid or accrued during the period in respect of Preferred Stock and Redeemable Capital Stock of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis; and
(b) a fraction, the numerator of which is one and the denominator of which is one less the then applicable current combined federal, state and local statutory tax rate, expressed as a percentage.
Consolidated Income Tax Expense means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the provision for federal, state, local and foreign income taxes of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Interest Expense means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, for any period, the interest expense of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP, including, without limitation:
(1) any amortization of debt discount;
(2) the net cost under Interest Rate Agreements;
(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;
(5) all accrued interest for all instruments evidencing Indebtedness; and
(6) the interest component of Capital Leases,
in each case, paid or accrued or scheduled to be paid or accrued by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during the period as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
Consolidated Net Income means the net income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP and as adjusted to exclude:
(1) net after-tax extraordinary gains or losses;
(2) net after-tax gains or losses attributable to Asset Sales or sales of receivables under any Accounts Receivable Securitization;
(3) the net income or loss of any Person which is not a Restricted Subsidiary and which is accounted for by the equity method of accounting; provided , that Consolidated Net Income shall include the amount of dividends or distributions actually paid to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) the net income or loss prior to the date of acquisition of any Person combined with the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in a pooling of interest;
(5) the net income of any Restricted Subsidiary to the extent that dividends or distributions of that net income are not at the date of determination permitted by the terms of its charter or any judgment, decree, order, statute, rule or other regulation; and
(6) the cumulative effect of any changes in accounting principles.
Consolidated Net Tangible Assets means as of any date of determination, the Total Assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries as would be shown on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP as of that date less applicable reserves reflected in such balance sheet, after deducting the following amounts: (a) all current liabilities reflected in such balance sheet, and (b) all goodwill, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discounts and expenses and other like intangibles reflected in such balance sheet.
Consolidated Non-Cash Charges means, with respect to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for any period, the aggregate (1) depreciation, (2) amortization, (3) non-cash employee compensation expenses of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period, and (4) any other non-cash charges (other than any non-cash charge to the extent that it represents an accrual of, or a reserve for, cash expenditures in any future period), in each case which reduces the Consolidated Net Income of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the period, as determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.
continuing means, with respect to any Default or Event of Default, that such Default or Event of Default has not been cured or waived.
Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee will be at the address of the Trustee specified in Section 12.02 hereof or such other address as to which the Trustee may give notice to the Issuers.
Credit Agreement means that Credit Agreement, dated as of November 2, 2009, among the Company, the General Partner, Bank of America, N.A., as agent, and the other financial institutions party thereto as heretofore amended or otherwise modified (as amended or otherwise modified, the Existing Credit Agreement), as the Existing Credit Agreement may be amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced or refinanced from time to time.
Credit Facilities means, one or more debt facilities (including, without limitation, the facilities evidenced by the Credit Agreement), commercial paper facilities, indentures, secured or unsecured capital market financings or other debt issuances, in each case with banks or other institutional lenders or investors providing for revolving credit loans, term loans, receivables financing (including through the sale of receivables to such lenders or to special purpose entities formed to borrow from such lenders against such receivables), letters of credit or other borrowings, capital markets financings or other debt issuances, in each case, as amended, restated, modified, renewed, refunded, replaced in any manner (whether upon or after termination or otherwise) or refinanced (including refinancing with any capital markets transaction or otherwise by means of sales of debt securities to institutional investors) in whole or in part from time to time.
Custodian means the Trustee, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.
Customary Recourse Exceptions means with respect to any Non-Recourse Debt of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture, exclusions from the exculpation provisions with respect to such Non-Recourse Debt for the voluntary bankruptcy of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture, fraud, misapplication of cash, environmental claims, waste, willful destruction and other circumstances customarily excluded by lenders from exculpation provisions or included in separate indemnification agreements in non-recourse financings.
De Minimis Guaranteed Amount means a principal amount of Indebtedness that does not exceed $10 million.
Default means any event that is, or after notice or with the 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 and issued in accordance with Section 2.06 hereof, 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 2.03 hereof 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 provision of this Indenture.
Designated Non-Cash Consideration means the Fair Market Value of non-cash consideration received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with an Asset Sale that is so designated as Designated Non-Cash Consideration pursuant to an Officers Certificate, setting forth the basis of such valuation, less the amount of cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with a subsequent sale of or collection of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration.
Designation Amount means, with respect to the designation of a Restricted Subsidiary or a newly acquired or formed Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary, an amount equal to the sum of:
(1) the net book value of all assets of the Subsidiary at the time of the designation in the case of a Restricted Subsidiary; and
(2) the cost of acquisition or formation in the case of a newly acquired or formed Subsidiary,
in each case of clause (1) or (2), as determined in good faith by the Company.
Energy Business means:
(1) the business of acquiring, exploring, exploiting, developing, producing, operating and disposing of interests in Hydrocarbon properties or products produced in association with any of the foregoing;
(2) the business of gathering, marketing, distributing, treating, processing, storing, refining, selling and transporting of any production from such interests or properties and products produced in association therewith and the marketing of Hydrocarbons obtained from unrelated Persons;
(3) any other related energy business, including power generation and electrical transmission business, directly or indirectly, from Hydrocarbons produced substantially from properties in which the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, participates;
(4) any business relating to oil field sales and service; and
(5) any business or activity relating to, arising from, or necessary, appropriate or incidental to the activities described in the foregoing clauses (1) through (4) of this definition.
Equity Offering means a public offering or private placement of Capital Stock of the Company (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) for cash or any cash contribution to the capital of the Company in respect of Capital Stock (other Redeemable Capital Stock) of the Company, other than issuances to, or contributions to capital by, any Subsidiary of the Company.
A private placement of, or contribution to capital in respect of, Capital Stock of the Company will not be deemed an Equity Offering unless net proceeds of at least $20 million are received. The contribution to the capital in respect of Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) of the Company of funds utilized to effect the Bridger Logistics Acquisition shall not be deemed an Equity Offering.
Euroclear means Euroclear Bank, S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear system.
Exchange Act means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange Notes means the Notes issued in the Exchange Offer, if any, pursuant to Section 2.06(f) hereof.
Exchange Offer has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement has the meaning set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Existing Notes means the Issuers outstanding 6.50% senior notes due 2021 and 6.75% senior notes due 2022.
Fair Market Value means the value that would be paid by a willing buyer to an unaffiliated willing seller in a transaction not involving distress or necessity of either party, as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the General Partner in the case of amounts of $50 million or more and otherwise by an Officer of the General Partner or the Company (unless otherwise provided in this Indenture), any such determination being conclusive for all purposes under this Indenture.
Ferrellgas Partners means Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., and its successors and assigns.
Finance Corp. means Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation, until a successor Person shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter Finance Corp. shall mean such successor Person.
Flow-Through Acquisition means an acquisition by the General Partner or its parent from a Person that is not an Affiliate of the General Partner, its parent or the Company, of property (real or personal), assets or equipment (whether through the direct purchase of assets or the Capital Stock of the Person owning such assets) in a permitted line of business, which is promptly sold, transferred or contributed by the General Partner or its parent to the Company or one of its Subsidiaries.
Foreign Subsidiary means any Restricted Subsidiary that is not organized under the laws of the United States of America or any state thereof or the District of Columbia.
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 or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession, in each case, which are in effect on the Issue Date.
General Partner means Ferrellgas, Inc. and (except for purposes of the definition of Change of Control) its successors and permitted assigns under the Partnership Agreement as general partner of the Company.
Global Notes means, individually and collectively, each of the Restricted Global Notes and the Unrestricted Global Notes deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto and that bears the Global Note Legend and that has the Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note attached thereto, issued in accordance with Sections 2.01, 2.06(b)(3), 2.06(b)(4), 2.06(d)(2) or 2.06(g)(2) hereof.
Global Note Legend means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(2), which is required to be placed on all Global Notes issued under this Indenture.
Government Securities means direct obligations of, or obligations Guaranteed by, the United States of America, and the payment for which the United States pledges its full faith and credit.
Growth Related Capital Expenditures means, with respect to any Person, all capital expenditures by such Person made to improve or enhance the existing capital assets or to increase the customer base of such Person or to acquire or construct new capital assets (but excluding capital expenditures made to maintain, up to the level thereof that existed at the time of such expenditure, the operating capacity of the capital assets of such Person as such assets existed at the time of such expenditure).
Guarantee means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly Guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:
(1) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreement to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services, to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or
(2) entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);
provided, however, that the term Guarantee will not include (x) endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business or (y) any obligation to the extent it is payable only in Capital Stock of the Guarantor that is not Redeemable Capital Stock. The term Guarantee used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.
Guarantor means any Subsidiary of the Company that Guarantees the Notes in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, and its successors and assigns, in each case, until the Note Guarantee of such Person has been released or terminated in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.
Holder means a Person in whose name a Note is registered.
Hydrocarbons means crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, casinghead 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, including, but not limited to, liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, propane, kerosene, sulphur, lignite, coal, 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.
IAI Global Note means a Global Note substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee that will be issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold to Institutional Accredited Investors.
Indebtedness means, as applied to any Person, without duplication:
(1) (a) any indebtedness for borrowed money and (b) all obligations evidenced by any (i) bond, note, debenture or other similar instrument or (ii) letter of credit, or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof, but only for any drawings that are not reimbursed within five Business Days after the date of such drawings, which in each case the Person has, directly or indirectly, created, incurred or assumed;
(2) any indebtedness for borrowed money and all obligations evidenced by any bond, note, debenture or other similar instrument of others secured by any Lien in respect of property owned by the Person, whether or not the Person has assumed or become liable for the payment of the indebtedness; provided , that the amount of the indebtedness, if the Person has not assumed the same or become liable therefor, shall in no event be deemed to be greater than the Fair Market Value from time to time, as determined in good faith by the Person of the property subject to the Lien;
(3) any indebtedness, whether or not for borrowed money (excluding trade payables and accrued expenses arising in the ordinary course of business) with respect to which the Person has become directly or indirectly liable and which represents the deferred purchase price, or a portion thereof, or has been incurred to finance the purchase price, or a portion thereof, of any property or business acquired by, or service performed on behalf of, the Person, whether by purchase, consolidation, merger or otherwise, but in each case only to the extent due more than six months after such property or business in acquired or service is performed;
(4) the principal component of any obligations under Capital Leases to the extent the obligations would, in accordance with GAAP, appear on the balance sheet of the Person;
(5) any indebtedness of any other Person of the character referred to in the foregoing clauses (1) through (4) of this definition with respect to which the Person whose indebtedness is being determined has become liable by way of a Guarantee; and
(6) all Redeemable Capital Stock of the Person valued at the greater of its voluntary or involuntary maximum fixed repurchase price plus accrued dividends.
For purposes hereof, the maximum fixed repurchase price of any Redeemable Capital Stock which does not have a fixed repurchase price shall be calculated in accordance with the terms of the Redeemable Capital Stock as if it were purchased on any date on which Indebtedness shall be required to be determined pursuant to this Indenture and if the price is based upon, or measured by, the Fair Market Value of the Redeemable Capital Stock, the Fair Market Value shall be determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Company.
For purposes hereof, the term Indebtedness shall not include:
(a) accrual of interest or accumulation of dividends, the accretion of accreted value and the payment of interest or dividends in the form of additional Indebtedness of like terms, the accrual of an obligation to pay a redemption premium, an accounting reclassification of Indebtedness as another type of Indebtedness or any other similar incurrence by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries related to Indebtedness otherwise permitted in this Indenture;
(b) indebtedness under any hedging agreement or arrangement which provides for the right or obligation to purchase, sell or deliver any currency, commodity or security at a future date for a specified price entered into to protect such Person from fluctuations in prices or rates, including currencies, interest rates, commodity prices, and securities prices, including without limitation indebtedness under any interest rate or commodity price swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement or any forward sales arrangements, calls, options, swaps, or other similar transactions or any combination thereof;
(c) any Accounts Receivable Securitization;
(d) 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 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;
(e) to the extent such obligations would not, in accordance with GAAP, appear on the balance sheet of the Person, any obligations arising from agreements of a Person providing for indemnification, guarantees, adjustment of purchase price, holdbacks, earn outs, contingent payment obligations or similar obligations (other than guarantees of Indebtedness), in each case incurred or assumed by such Person in connection with the acquisition or disposition of assets (including through mergers, consolidations or otherwise);
(f) accrued expenses or trade payables arising in the ordinary course of business; and
(g) deferred or prepaid revenues.
Indenture means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
Indirect Participant means a Person who holds a beneficial interest in a Global Note through a Participant.
Initial Notes means the first $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Notes issued under this Indenture on the Issue Date.
Initial Purchasers means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BMO Capital Markets Corp., Capital One Securities, Inc., Fifth Third Securities, Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc., SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., PNC Capital Markets LLC and U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc.
Interim Capital Transactions means (1) borrowings, refinancings or refundings of Indebtedness and sales of debt securities (other than for working capital purposes and other than for items purchased on open account in the ordinary course of business) by the Company, (2) sales of Capital Stock of the Company by the Company and (3) sales or other voluntary or involuntary dispositions of any assets of the Company (other than (x) sales or other dispositions of inventory in the ordinary course of business, (y) sales or other dispositions of other current assets including, without limitation, receivables and accounts and (z) sales or other dispositions of assets as a part of normal retirements or replacements), in each case prior to the commencement of the dissolution and liquidation of the Company.
Investment means as applied to any Person:
(1) any direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by the Person of stock or other securities of any other Person; or
(2) any direct or indirect loan, advance or capital contribution by the Person to any other Person and any other item which would be classified as an investment on a balance sheet of the Person prepared in accordance with GAAP, including without limitation any direct or indirect contribution by the Person of property or assets to a Joint Venture, Unrestricted Subsidiary or other business entity in which the Person retains an interest, it being understood that a direct or indirect purchase or other acquisition by the Person of assets of any other Person, other than stock or other securities, shall not constitute an Investment for purposes of this Indenture.
The amount classified as Investments made during any period shall be the aggregate cost to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of all the Investments made during the period, determined in accordance with GAAP, but without regard to unrealized increases or decreases in value, or write-ups, write-downs or write-offs, of the Investments and without regard to the existence of any undistributed earnings or accrued interest with respect thereto accrued after the respective dates on which the Investments were made, less any net return of capital realized during the period upon the sale, repayment or other liquidation of the Investments, determined in accordance with GAAP, but without regard to any amounts received during the period as earnings (in the form of dividends not constituting a return of capital, interest or otherwise) on the Investments or as loans from any Person in whom the Investments have been made.
Investment Grade Rating means a rating equal to or higher than:
(1) Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moodys; or
(2) BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P,
or, if either such entity ceases to rate the Notes for reasons outside of the Companys control, the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any other Rating Agency.
Investment Grade Rating Event means the first day on which (a) the Notes have an Investment Grade Rating from both Rating Agencies, (b) no Default with respect to the Notes has occurred and is then continuing under this Indenture and (c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers Certificate certifying as to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in clauses (a) and (b) of this definition.
Issue Date means June 8, 2015.
Joint Venture means any Person that is not a direct or indirect Subsidiary of the Company in which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries makes an Investment in the form of Capital Stock.
Legal Holiday means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in the City of New York or at a place of payment are authorized by law, regulation or executive order to remain closed. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the intervening period.
Lien means, with respect to any asset, any mortgage, lien (statutory or otherwise), pledge, charge, security interest, hypothecation, assignment for security or other encumbrance of any kind in respect of such asset. A Person shall be deemed to own subject to a Lien any asset which such Person has acquired or holds subject to the interest of a vendor or lessor under any conditional sale agreement, capital lease or other title retention agreement.
Moodys means Moodys Investors Service, Inc., and its successors.
Net Proceeds means, with respect to any asset sale or sale of, or contribution to capital in respect of, Capital Stock, the proceeds therefrom in the form of cash or cash equivalents including payments in respect of
deferred payment obligations when received in the form of cash or cash equivalents, except to the extent that the deferred payment obligations are financed or sold with recourse to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, net of:
(1) brokerage commissions and other fees and expenses related to the Asset Sale, including, without limitation, fees and expenses of legal counsel and accountants and fees, expenses, discounts or commissions of underwriters, placement agents and investment bankers;
(2) provisions for all taxes payable as a result of the Asset Sale;
(3) amounts required to be paid to any Person, other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, owning a beneficial interest in the assets subject to the Asset Sale;
(4) appropriate amounts to be provided by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, as the case may be, as a reserve required in accordance with GAAP against any liabilities associated with the Asset Sale and retained by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company, as the case may be, after the Asset Sale, including, without limitation, pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities, liabilities related to environmental matters and liabilities under any indemnification obligations associated with the Asset Sale; and
(5) amounts applied to the repayment of Indebtedness in connection with the asset or assets acquired in the Asset Sale, including any transaction costs and expenses associated therewith and any make-whole or other premium owed in connection with such repayment.
Non-Recourse Debt means, with respect to Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture, Indebtedness:
(1) as to which neither the Company nor any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (a) provides credit support of any kind (including any undertaking, agreement or instrument that would constitute Indebtedness) or (b) is directly or indirectly liable as a guarantor or otherwise except, in each case for Customary Recourse Exceptions and except by the pledge of (or a guaranty limited in recourse solely to) Capital Stock of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture;
(2) no default with respect to which (including any rights that the holders of the Indebtedness may have to take enforcement action against an Unrestricted Subsidiary) would permit upon notice, lapse of time or both any holder of any other Indebtedness (other than the Notes) of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to declare a default on such other Indebtedness or cause the payment of the Indebtedness to be accelerated or payable prior to its stated maturity except for Indebtedness that results from the pledge of (or a guaranty limited in recourse solely to) Capital Stock in such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture held by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary to secure Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture that constitutes Non-Recourse Debt; and
(3) as to which the lenders will not have any recourse to the Capital Stock or assets of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than Capital Stock of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture), except for Customary Recourse Exceptions.
For purposes of determining compliance with Section 4.09, in the event that any Indebtedness of any of the Companys Unrestricted Subsidiaries ceases to be Non-Recourse Debt of such Unrestricted Subsidiary, such event will be deemed to constitute an incurrence of Indebtedness by a Restricted Subsidiary.
Note Guarantee means, individually, any Guarantee of payment of the Notes by a Guarantor pursuant to the terms of this Indenture (including any supplemental indenture thereto), and, collectively, all such Note Guarantees. Each such Note Guarantee will not be evidenced by any separate notation of Note Guarantee on the Notes but shall be evidenced and established by this Indenture (including any supplemental indenture).
Notes has the meaning assigned to it in the preamble to this Indenture. The Initial Notes, the Additional Notes and the Exchange Notes shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, and unless the context otherwise requires, all references to the Notes shall include the Initial Notes, any Additional Notes and the Exchange Notes.
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.
Officers Certificate means a certificate signed on behalf of the Issuers by two Officers of the Issuers, one of whom must be the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Issuers, that meets the requirements of Section 12.05 hereof.
Opinion of Counsel means an opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee, that meets the requirements of Section 12.05 hereof. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuers, any Subsidiary of the Issuers or the Trustee.
ordinary course of business means, with respect to any activity involving the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, performing or engaging in such activity in the ordinary course of business of the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary or in such manner as is or shall have become customary in a Permitted Business, either generally or in the particular geographical location or industry segment in which such activity is performed or engaged in, in each case as determined in good faith by the Company.
Participant means, with respect to the Depositary, a Person who has an account with the Depositary.
Partnership Agreement means the Third Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of the Company, dated as of April 7, 2004, as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time.
Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness means Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent such Indebtedness was Indebtedness of any other Person existing at the time (a) such Person became a Restricted Subsidiary or (b) such Person was merged or consolidated with or into the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, 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 any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as applicable, either of:
(1) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and any related financing transaction on a pro forma basis as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, the Company or such Person (if the Company is not the survivor in the transaction) would be permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09(a); or
(2) immediately after giving effect to such transaction and any related financing transaction on a pro forma basis as if the same had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company or such Person (if the Company is not the survivor in the transaction) is equal to or greater than the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately prior to such transaction.
Permitted Business means any of (1) gathering, transporting, compressing, treating, processing, fractionating, marketing, selling, distributing, storing, refining or otherwise handling Hydrocarbons, or activities or services reasonably related or ancillary thereto including entering into hedging agreements or arrangements in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes to support these businesses and the development, manufacture and sale of equipment or technology related to these activities, (2) activities or services related to the Energy Business and the development, manufacture and sale of equipment or technology related to these activities, (3) any other business that generates at least 90% of its gross income that constitutes qualifying income under Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or (4) any activity or service that is ancillary,
complementary or incidental to or necessary or appropriate for the activities described in clause (1), (2) or (3) of this definition.
Permitted Business Investment means any Investment by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in any Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company or in any Joint Venture, provided that:
(1) either (a) at the time of such Investment and immediately thereafter, the Company could incur $1.00 of additional Indebtedness under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09(a) or (b) such Investment does not exceed the aggregate amount of Incremental Funds not previously expended at the time of making such Investment;
(2) if such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture has outstanding Indebtedness at the time of such Investment, either (a) all such Indebtedness is Non-Recourse Debt or (b) any such Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture that is recourse to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (which shall include all Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture for which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries may be directly or indirectly, contingently or otherwise, obligated to pay, whether pursuant to the terms of such Indebtedness, by law or pursuant to any guarantee, including any claw-back, make-well or keep-well arrangement) at the time such Investment is made, constitutes Permitted Indebtedness or could be incurred at that time by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09(a); and
(3) such Unrestricted Subsidiarys or Joint Ventures activities are not outside the scope of the Permitted Business.
Permitted Investments means any of the following:
(1) investments made or owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in Cash Equivalents or:
(a) marketable obligations issued or unconditionally Guaranteed by the United States, or issued by any agency thereof and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, in each case maturing one year or less from the date of acquisition thereof;
(b) marketable direct obligations issued by any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof maturing within one year from the date of acquisition thereof and having as at such date the highest rating obtainable from either S&P or Moodys;
(c) commercial paper maturing no more than 270 days from the date of creation thereof and having as at the date of acquisition thereof one of the two highest ratings obtainable from either S&P or Moodys;
(d) certificates of deposit maturing one year or less from the date of acquisition thereof issued by commercial banks incorporated under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia or Canada:
(i) the commercial paper or other short term unsecured debt obligations of which are as at such date rated either A-2 or better (or comparably if the rating system is changed) by S&P or Prime-2 or better (or comparably if the rating system is changed) by Moodys; or
(ii) the long-term debt obligations of which are, as at such date, rated either A or better (or comparably if the rating system is changed) by either S&P or Moodys ( Permitted Banks );
(e) eurodollar time deposits having a maturity of less than 270 days from the date of acquisition thereof purchased directly from any Permitted Bank;
(f) bankers acceptances eligible for rediscount under requirements of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and accepted by Permitted Banks; and
(g) obligations of the type described in clauses (a) through (e) above purchased from a securities dealer designated as a primary dealer by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York or from a Permitted Bank as counterparty to a written repurchase agreement obligating such counterparty to repurchase such obligations not later than 14 days after the purchase thereof and which provides that the obligations which are the subject thereof are held for the benefit of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary by a custodian which is a Permitted Bank and which is not a counterparty to the repurchase agreement in question;
(2) the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Capital Stock or other ownership interests, whether in a single transaction or in a series of related transactions, of a Person located in the United States, Mexico or Canada and engaged in the Permitted Business such that, upon the completion of such transaction or series of transactions, the Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) any Investment by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in a Person, if as a result of such Investment:
(a) such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; or
(b) such Person is merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or transfers or conveys substantially all of its properties or assets to, or is liquidated into, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) the making or ownership by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Investments (in addition to any other Permitted Investments) in any Person incorporated or otherwise formed pursuant to the laws of the United States, Mexico or Canada or any state or jurisdiction thereof which is engaged in the Permitted Business in the United States, Mexico or Canada; provided, that the amount of such Investment, together with the aggregate amount of all outstanding Investments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to this clause (4), shall not exceed 7.5% of Total Assets determined on the date of the making of such Investment;
(5) the making or ownership by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Investments:
(a) arising out of loans and advances to employees incurred in the ordinary course of business;
(b) arising out of prepaid expenses, deposits, extensions of trade credit or advances to third parties in the ordinary course of business; or
(c) acquired by reason of the exercise of customary creditors rights upon default or pursuant to the bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of a debtor;
(6) the creation or incurrence of liability by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, with respect to any Guarantee constituting an obligation, warranty or indemnity, not Guaranteeing Indebtedness of any Person, which is undertaken or made in the ordinary course of business;
(7) the creation or incurrence of liability by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to any hedging agreements or arrangements;
(8) the making by any Restricted Subsidiary of Investments in the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary and the making by the Company of Investments in any Restricted Subsidiary;
(9) the present value, determined on the basis of the implicit interest rate, of all basic rental obligations under all synthetic leases of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(10) the creation or incurrence of liability by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or the making or ownership by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of Investments in any Person with respect to any Accounts Receivable Securitization;
(11) repurchases of, or other Investments in, the Notes or Notes Guarantees;
(12) professional or advisory, administrative, management, treasury or similar services, indemnification, insurance, officers and directors fees and expenses, registration fees and other like expenses paid or provided for the benefit of any Joint Venture or Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to arrangements not involving the incurrence of Indebtedness that comply with Section 4.11;
(13) Guarantees or other Investments arising from the incurrence of Indebtedness by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary with respect to Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture permitted under clause (21) of the definition of Permitted Liens;
(14) any Guarantee of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred by Section 4.09 other than a Guarantee of Indebtedness of an Affiliate of the Company that is not a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(15) Permitted Business Investments;
(16) any Investment made as a result of the receipt of non-cash consideration from an Asset Sale that was made pursuant to and in compliance with Section 4.10, including pursuant to an Asset Swap;
(17) any acquisition of assets or Capital Stock solely in exchange for the issuance of, or with 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, Equity Interests (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) of the Company, provided, however, that the amount of any such Net Proceeds that are utilized for the consummation of such acquisition will be excluded from the calculation of Available Cash and Incremental Funds under Section 4.07;
(18) any Investment existing on, or made pursuant to binding commitments existing on, the date of this Indenture and any Investment consisting of an extension, modification or renewal of any Investment existing on, or made pursuant to a binding commitment existing on, the date of this Indenture; provided that the amount of any such Investment may be increased (a) as required by the terms of such Investment as in existence on the date of this Indenture or (b) as otherwise permitted under this Indenture;
(19) Investments acquired after the date of this Indenture as a result of the acquisition by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company of another Person, including by way of a merger or consolidation with or into the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a transaction that is not prohibited by Section 5.01 after the date of this Indenture to the extent that such Investments were not made in contemplation of such acquisition, merger or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger or consolidation;
(20) advances and prepayments for asset purchases in the ordinary course of business in the Permitted Business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(21) the Bridger Logistics Acquisition and related transactions provided, however, that the amount of any Net Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of any property received in consideration of any contribution to capital of the Company in respect of Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) of the Company that are utilized for the consummation of the Bridger Logistics Acquisition will be excluded from the calculation of Available Cash and Incremental Funds under Section 4.07; and
(22) other Investments in any Person having an aggregate Fair Market Value (measured on the date each such Investment was made and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value), when taken together with all other Investments made pursuant to this clause (22) that are at the time outstanding, do not exceed the greater of (a) $50 million and (b) 5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined on the date of the making of such Investment.
The Company may, in its sole discretion, classify (or later reclassify) in whole or in part such items of Investment in any manner that complies with this definition, and such item of Investment or a portion thereof may be classified (or later reclassified) in whole or in part as having been incurred under more than one of the applicable clauses of this definition so that the entire Investment would be a Permitted Investment.
Permitted Liens means any of the following:
(1) Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges, the payment of which is not yet due or the payment of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly initiated and diligently conducted and as to which reserves or other appropriate provision, if any, as shall be required by GAAP, shall have been made therefor and be adequate in the good faith judgment of the obligor;
(2) Liens of carriers, vendors, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen and other like Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not overdue for a period of more than 30 days or the payment of which is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings promptly initiated and diligently conducted and as to which reserves or other appropriate provisions, if any, as shall be required by GAAP, shall have been made therefor and be adequate in the good faith judgment of the obligor, in each case:
(a) not incurred or made in connection with the borrowing of money, the obtaining of advances or credit or the payment of the deferred purchase price of property; or
(b) incurred in the ordinary course of business securing the unpaid purchase price of property or services constituting current accounts payable;
(3) Liens, other than any Lien imposed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as may be amended from time to time, incurred or deposits made in the ordinary course of business:
(a) in connection with workers compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security; or
(b) to secure or to obtain letters of credit that secure the performance of tenders, statutory obligations, surety and appeal bonds, bids, leases, performance bonds, purchase, construction or sales contracts and other similar obligations, in each case not incurred or made in connection with the borrowing of money;
(4) other deposits made to secure liability to insurance carriers under insurance or self-insurance arrangements;
(5) Liens securing reimbursement obligations under letters of credit, provided in each case that such Liens cover only the title documents and related goods and any proceeds thereof covered by the related letter of credit;
(6) any attachment or judgment Lien, unless the judgment it secures shall not, within 60 days after the entry thereof, have been discharged or execution thereof stayed pending appeal or review, or shall not have been discharged within 60 days after expiration of any such stay;
(7) leases or subleases granted to others, easements, rights-of-way, restrictions and other similar charges or encumbrances, which, in each case either are granted, entered into or created in the ordinary
course of the business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or do not materially impair the value or intended use of the property covered thereby;
(8) Liens on property or assets of any Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness of the Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(9) Liens on assets of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary existing on the Issue Date;
(10) Liens on personal property leased under leases entered into by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries which are accounted for as operating leases in accordance with GAAP;
(11) Liens securing Indebtedness arising under an Accounts Receivable Securitization (including the filing of any related financing statements naming the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary as the debtor thereunder in connection with the sale of accounts receivable by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to an SPE in connection with any such permitted Accounts Receivable Securitization);
(12) Liens securing Indebtedness incurred in accordance with:
(a) clause (3) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness;
(b) clauses (2) and (8) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness; and
(c) Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred under Section 4.09 hereof to the extent incurred:
(i) to finance the making of expenditures for the improvement or repair (to the extent the improvements and repairs may be capitalized on the books of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP) of, or additions including additions by way of acquisitions of businesses and related assets to, the assets and property of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; or
(ii) by assumption in connection with additions including additions by way of acquisition or capital contributions of businesses and related assets to the property and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries;
provided , that, in the case of Indebtedness incurred in accordance with clauses (c)(i) and (ii) above, the principal amount of the Indebtedness does not exceed the lesser of the cost to the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of the additional property or assets and the Fair Market Value of the additional property or assets at the time of the acquisition thereof, as determined in good faith by the Company;
(13) Liens existing on any property of any Person at the time it becomes a Subsidiary of the Company, or existing at the time of acquisition upon any property acquired by the Company or any Subsidiary through purchase, merger or consolidation or otherwise, whether or not assumed by the Company or the Subsidiary, or created to secure Indebtedness incurred to pay all or any part of the purchase price (a Purchase Money Lien) of property including, without limitation, Capital Stock and other securities acquired by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary; provided , that:
(a) the Lien shall be confined solely to the item or items of property and, if required by the terms of the instrument originally creating the Lien, other property which is an improvement to or is acquired for use specifically in connection with the acquired property;
(b) in the case of a Purchase Money Lien, the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by the Purchase Money Lien shall at no time exceed an amount equal to the lesser of:
(i) the cost to the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries of the property; and
(ii) the Fair Market Value of the property at the time of the acquisition thereof as determined in good faith by the Company;
(c) the Purchase Money Lien shall be created not later than 360 days after the acquisition of the property; and
(d) the Lien, other than a Purchase Money Lien, shall not have been created or assumed in contemplation of the Persons becoming a Subsidiary of the Company or the acquisition of property by the Company or any Subsidiary;
(14) easements, exceptions or reservations in any property of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary granted or reserved for the purpose of pipelines, roads, the removal of Hydrocarbons, and other like purposes, or for the joint or common use of real property, facilities and equipment, which are incidental to, and do not materially interfere with, the ordinary conduct of the business of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(15) Liens arising from or constituting permitted encumbrances under the agreements and instruments securing the obligations under the Credit Agreement;
(16) Liens of landlords or mortgages of landlords on fixtures and movable property located on premises leased by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business;
(17) Liens such as bankers Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies and burdening only deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a depository institution in the ordinary course of business;
(18) Liens arising under operating agreements, joint venture agreements, partnership agreements, oil and gas leases, farmout agreements, division orders, contracts for sale, transportation or exchange of Hydrocarbons, unitization and pooling declarations and agreements, area of mutual interest agreements and other agreements arising in the ordinary course of business of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries that are customary in the Permitted Business;
(19) Liens on pipelines or pipeline facilities that arise by operation of law;
(20) Liens arising by reason of good faith deposits in connection with tenders, leases and contracts (other than contracts for the payment of Indebtedness);
(21) Liens on and pledges of Capital Stock of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Joint Venture owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to the extent securing Non-Recourse Debt or other Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture;
(22) Liens on cash, Cash Equivalents or other property arising in connection with the defeasance, discharge or redemption of Indebtedness;
(23) Liens to secure performance of hedging agreements and arrangements of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;
(24) Liens arising under this 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 Indenture, including the indentures governing the Existing 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;
(25) Liens securing obligations of the Issuers or any Guarantor under the Notes or the Notes Guarantees or otherwise under this Indenture, as the case may be;
(26) Liens securing any Indebtedness equally and ratably with all obligations due under the Notes or any Notes Guarantee pursuant to a contractual covenant that limits Liens in a manner substantially similar to Section 4.12;
(27) Liens securing Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness 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 is limited to the assets acquired in connection with the transaction pursuant to which the Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness became an obligation of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(28) other Liens incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, provided that, after giving effect to any such incurrence, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness then outstanding and secured by any Liens incurred pursuant to this clause (28) does not exceed the greater of (a) $50 million or (b) 5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined on the date of the incurrence of such Lien;
(29) Liens to secure any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Indenture and incurred to refinance Indebtedness that was previously so secured; provided that any such Lien is limited to all or part of the same property or assets (together with all improvements, additions, accessions and contractual rights relating primarily thereto and all proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof)) that secured (or, under the written arrangements under which the original Lien arose, could secure) the Indebtedness being refinanced or is in respect of property or assets that is the security for a Permitted Lien hereunder; and
(30) any Lien renewing or extending any Lien permitted by clauses (9) through (11), (12)(b), (12)(c), (13), (15), (21), (22), (27) and (29) above and this clause (30); provided, that, the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by any such Lien shall not exceed the principal amount of the Indebtedness outstanding immediately prior to the renewal or extension of the Lien plus the amount of any accrued and unpaid interest and all expenses and premiums incurred in connection therewith, and no assets encumbered by the Lien other than the assets encumbered immediately prior to the renewal or extension shall be encumbered thereby.
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 and accessions and contractual rights relating thereto and all products and proceeds thereof (including dividends, distributions and increases in respect thereof).
Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness means Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary to substantially and concurrently (excluding any notice period on redemptions) repay, refund, renew, replace, extend or refinance, or in exchange for, in whole or in part, any Permitted Indebtedness of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary or any other Indebtedness incurred by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 4.09, to the extent:
(1) the principal amount of the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal or accreted amount plus the amount of accrued and unpaid interest of the Indebtedness so repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged (plus the amount of all expenses and premiums incurred in connection therewith);
(2) with respect to the repayment, refunding, renewal, replacement, extension, refinancing or exchange of the Indebtedness, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness ranks no more favorably in right of payment with respect to the Notes than the Indebtedness so repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged;
(3) with respect to the repayment, refunding, renewal, replacement, extension, refinancing or exchange of the Indebtedness, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness has a Weighted Average Life to Stated
Maturity and stated maturity equal to, or greater than, the Weighted Average Life to Stated Maturity and stated maturity, respectively, of the Indebtedness so repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged;
(4) such Indebtedness is not incurred (other than by way of a Guarantee) by a Restricted Subsidiary (other than Finance Corp.) if the Company is the issuer or other primary obligor on the Indebtedness being repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged;
(5) if any Redeemable Capital Stock being repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged was Redeemable Capital Stock of the Company, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness shall be Redeemable Capital Stock of the Company; and
(6) if any Redeemable Capital Stock being repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged was Redeemable Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary, the Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness shall be Preferred Stock of such Restricted Subsidiary.
Person means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization, limited liability company or government or other entity.
Preferred Stock , as applied to the Capital Stock of any Person, means Capital Stock of any class or classes (however designated), which is preferred as to the payment of distributions, dividends, or upon any voluntary or involuntary liquidation or dissolution of such Person, over shares or units of Capital Stock of any other class of such Person; provided , that any limited partnership interest of the Company will not be considered Preferred Stock.
Principal means James E. Ferrell.
Private Placement Legend means the legend set forth in Section 2.06(g)(1) hereof to be placed on all Notes issued under this Indenture except where otherwise permitted by the provisions of this Indenture.
QIB means a qualified institutional buyer as defined in Rule 144A.
Rating Agency means each of S&P and Moodys, or if (and only if) S&P or Moodys or both shall not make a rating on the Notes publicly available, a nationally recognized statistical rating agency or agencies, as the case may be, selected by the Company, which shall be substituted for S&P or Moodys, or both, as the case may be.
Redeemable Capital Stock means any shares of any class or series of Capital Stock, that, either by the terms thereof, by the terms of any security into which it is convertible or exchangeable or by contract or otherwise, is or upon the happening of an event or passage of time would be, required to be redeemed prior to the stated maturity of the principal of the Notes or is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof at any time prior to the stated maturity of the principal of the Notes, or is convertible into or exchangeable for debt securities at any time prior to the stated maturity of the principal of the Notes. Notwithstanding the preceding sentence, any Capital Stock that would constitute Redeemable Capital Stock solely because the holders of the Capital Stock have the right to require the Company to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of a change of control or an asset sale will not constitute Redeemable Capital Stock if (x) the terms of such Capital Stock provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions unless such repurchase or redemption complies with Section 4.07 or (y) the terms of such Capital Stock provide that the Company may not repurchase or redeem any such Capital Stock pursuant to such provisions prior to the Companys purchase of the notes as is required to be purchased pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture. The amount (or principal amount) of Redeemable Capital Stock deemed to be outstanding at any time for purposes of this Indenture will be the greater of its voluntary or involuntary maximum fixed repurchase price determined in accordance with the definition of Indebtedness, exclusive of accrued dividends.
Registration Rights Agreement means the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2015, among the Issuers, the Guarantors and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the Initial Purchasers, as such agreement may be amended, modified or supplemented from time to time.
Regulation S means Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act.
Regulation S Global Note means a Global Note in the form of Exhibit A hereto bearing the Global Note Legend and the Private Placement Legend and deposited with or on behalf of and registered in the name of the Depositary or its nominee, issued in a denomination equal to the outstanding principal amount of the Notes sold in reliance on Regulation S.
Related Party means any of the following:
(1) any immediate family member or lineal descendant of the Principal;
(2) any trust, corporation, partnership or other entity, the beneficiaries, stockholders, partners, owners or Persons beneficially holding an 80% or more controlling interest of which consist of any one or more Principals and/or such other Persons referred to in the immediately preceding clause (1);
(3) the Ferrell Companies, Inc. Employee Stock Ownership Trust (FCI ESOT);
(4) any participant in the FCI ESOT whose account has been allocated shares of Ferrell Companies, Inc.;
(5) Ferrell Companies, Inc.; or
(6) any Subsidiary of Ferrell Companies, Inc.
Resale Restriction Termination Date means, with respect to any Note, the date one year after the later of the date of original issue of such Note or the last day on which the Issuers or any Affiliate of the Issuers were the owners of such Note (or any predecessor of such Note).
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 knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.
Restricted Investment means an Investment other than a Permitted Investment.
Restricted Definitive Note means a Definitive Note bearing, or that is required to bear, the Private Placement Legend.
Restricted Global Note means a Global Note bearing, or that is required to bear, the Private Placement Legend.
Restricted Subsidiary means a Subsidiary of the Company, which, as of the date of determination, is not an Unrestricted Subsidiary of the Company.
Rule 144 means Rule 144 promulgated under the Securities Act.
Rule 144A means Rule 144A promulgated under the Securities Act.
Rule 903 means Rule 903 promulgated under the Securities Act.
Rule 904 means Rule 904 promulgated under the Securities Act.
S&P means Standard & Poors Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., and its successors.
SEC means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Securities Act means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Senior Indebtedness means any unsecured Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted to be incurred under the terms of this Indenture, unless the instrument under which such Indebtedness is incurred expressly provides that it is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes or any Note Guarantee.
Shelf Registration Statement means the Shelf Registration Statement as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement.
Significant Subsidiary means any Restricted Subsidiary that would be a significant subsidiary as defined in Article 1, Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X, promulgated pursuant to the Securities Act, as such Regulation is in effect on the Issue Date.
SPE means any special purpose Unrestricted Subsidiary established in connection with any Accounts Receivable Securitization.
Subsidiary means, with respect to any specified Person:
(1) any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Stock entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees of the corporation, association or other business entity is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person (or a combination thereof); and
(2) 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).
Termination Capital Transactions means any sale, transfer or other disposition of property of the Company occurring upon or incident to the liquidation and winding up of the Company.
TIA means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date on which this Indenture is qualified under the TIA, except as provided in Section 9.03 hereof.
Total Assets means, as of any date of determination, the consolidated total assets of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries as would be shown on a consolidated balance sheet of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP as of that date.
Trustee means the party named as such in the preamble to this Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Indenture and thereafter means the successor serving hereunder.
Unrestricted Global Note means a permanent global 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.
Unrestricted Definitive Note means one or more Definitive Notes.
Unrestricted Subsidiary means (a) Ferrellgas Receivables, LLC, (b) Uni-Asia, Ltd., (c) Ferrellgas Real Estate, Inc., (d) Blue Rhino Canada, Inc., and (e) any other Person (other than Finance Corp.) that is designated as such by the Company; provided, that, after giving effect to such designation and any substantially contemporaneous designations or releases, (x) such other Person has no Indebtedness other than Non-Recourse Debt owing to any Person other than the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary (other than (i) any guarantees of the Notes or the Note
Guarantees, (ii) any Indebtedness that would be released upon designation and (iii) Specified Indebtedness referred to in the next paragraph), (y) no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing at the time of or after giving effect to such designation and (z) the Company would be permitted to make a Restricted Payment at the time of designation (assuming the effectiveness of such designation) in an amount equal to the Designation Amount on such date (as determined in good faith by the Company). Each Subsidiary of an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall also be an Unrestricted Subsidiary.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary may Guarantee or agree to provide funds for the payment or maintenance of, or otherwise become liable with respect to Indebtedness of an Unrestricted Subsidiary (Specified Indebtedness), but only to the extent that the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary would be permitted to:
(1) effect any portion of such transaction constituting an Investment in the Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to clause (13) of the definition of Permitted Investments or otherwise under Section 4.07; and
(2) incur the Specified Indebtedness, if any, represented by the Guarantee or agreement pursuant to clause (14) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness or otherwise under Section 4.09.
The Board of Directors of the Company may designate an Unrestricted Subsidiary to be a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that immediately after giving effect to the designation there exists no Default or Event of Default, and if the Unrestricted Subsidiary has, as of the date of the designation, outstanding Indebtedness other than Permitted Indebtedness, the Company could incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness other than Permitted Indebtedness.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Subsidiary may be designated an Unrestricted Subsidiary if, after giving effect to such designation and any substantially contemporaneous designations or releases, the Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, holds Capital Stock of a Restricted Subsidiary.
U.S. Person means a U.S. Person as defined in Rule 902(k) under the Securities Act.
Voting Stock of any Person as of any date means the Capital Stock of such Person that is at the time entitled to vote in the election of the Board of Directors of such Person.
Weighted Average Life to Stated Maturity means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing:
(1) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying:
(a) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by
(b) the number of years, calculated to the nearest one-twelfth, that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment, by
(2) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness;
provided , however , that with respect to any revolving Indebtedness, the foregoing calculation of Weighted Average Life to Stated Maturity shall be determined based upon the total available commitments and the required reductions of commitments in lieu of the outstanding principal amount and the required payments of principal, respectively.
Section 1.02. Other Definitions.
Term |
|
Defined in |
Affiliate Transaction |
|
Section 4.11 |
Applicable Premium |
|
Section 3.07 |
Asset Sale Offer |
|
Section 3.09 |
Authentication Order |
|
Section 2.02 |
Change of Control Offer |
|
Section 4.14 |
Change of Control Payment |
|
Section 4.14 |
Change of Control Payment Date |
|
Section 4.14 |
Covenant Defeasance |
|
Section 8.03 |
DTC |
|
Section 2.03 |
Event of Default |
|
Section 6.01 |
Excess Proceeds |
|
Section 4.10 |
Existing Credit Agreement |
|
Section 1.01 |
incur |
|
Section 4.09 |
Incremental Funds |
|
Section 4.07 |
Issuers |
|
Preamble |
Legal Defeasance |
|
Section 8.02 |
Offer Amount |
|
Section 3.09 |
Offer Period |
|
Section 3.09 |
Outside Date |
|
Section 3.10 |
Paying Agent |
|
Section 2.03 |
Payment Default |
|
Section 6.01 |
Permitted Indebtedness |
|
Section 4.09 |
Purchase Date |
|
Section 3.09 |
Quotation Agent |
|
Section 3.07 |
Registrar |
|
Section 2.03 |
Restricted Payments |
|
Section 4.07 |
Reversion Date |
|
Section 4.16 |
Special Mandatory Redemption |
|
Section 3.10 |
Special Mandatory Redemption Event |
|
Section 3.10 |
Special Mandatory Redemption Notice |
|
Section 3.10 |
Special Mandatory Redemption Price |
|
Section 3.10 |
Suspended Covenants |
|
Section 4.16 |
Suspension Period |
|
Section 4.16 |
Treasury Rate |
|
Section 3.07 |
Section 1.03. Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.
Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture.
The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:
indenture securities means the Notes;
indenture security Holder means a Holder of a Note;
indenture to be qualified means this Indenture;
indenture trustee or institutional trustee means the Trustee; and
obligor on the Notes and the Note Guarantees means the Issuers and the Guarantors, respectively, and any successor obligor upon the Notes and the Note Guarantees, respectively.
All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA have the meanings so assigned to them.
Section 1.04. Rules of Construction.
Unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) a term has the meaning assigned to it;
(2) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with GAAP;
(3) or is not exclusive;
(4) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular;
(5) will shall be interpreted to express a command;
(6) provisions apply to successive events and transactions;
(7) references to sections of or rules under the Securities Act will be deemed to include substitute, replacement of successor sections or rules adopted by the SEC from time to time;
(8) includes or including shall be deemed to be followed by the words without limitation; and
(9) herein, hereof and other words of similar import refer to this Indenture as a whole (as amended or supplemented from time to time) and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision.
ARTICLE 2.
THE NOTES
Section 2.01. Form and Dating.
(a) General . The Notes and the Trustees certificate of authentication will be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. Each Note will be dated the date of its authentication. The Notes shall be in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The terms and provisions contained in the Notes will constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and the Issuers, the Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this 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 this Indenture, the provisions of this Indenture shall govern and be controlling.
(b) Global Notes . Notes issued in global form will 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). Notes issued in definitive form will 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). Each Global Note will represent such of the outstanding Notes as will be specified therein and each shall provide that it represents 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. Any endorsement of a Global Note to reflect the amount of any increase or decrease in the aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes represented thereby will be made by the Trustee or the Custodian, at the direction of the Trustee, in accordance with instructions given by the Holder thereof as required by Section 2.06 hereof.
Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication.
An Officer must sign the Notes for the Issuers by manual or facsimile signature.
If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time a Note is authenticated, the Note will nevertheless be valid.
A Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee. The signature will be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.
The Trustee will, upon receipt of a written order of the Issuers signed by an Officer of each Issuer (an Authentication Order ), authenticate Notes for original issue (i) on the date hereof as Initial Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000 and (ii) thereafter from time to time any Additional Notes that may be validly issued under this Indenture. The aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding at any time may not exceed the aggregate principal amount of Notes authorized for issuance by the Issuers pursuant to one or more Authentication Orders, except as provided in Section 2.07 hereof.
Upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee shall authenticate for original issue (i) Exchange Notes in exchange for Initial Notes in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000,000 or (ii) Exchange Notes in exchange for Additional Notes in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes so exchanged; provided that such Exchange Notes shall be issuable only upon the valid surrender for cancellation of Initial Notes issued on the date hereof or Additional Notes, as the case may be, of a like aggregate principal amount in accordance with an Exchange Offer pursuant to an applicable Registration Rights Agreement.
The Trustee shall also authenticate and deliver Notes at the times and in the manner specified in Sections 2.06, 2.07, 2.10, 3.06, 3.09, 4.14 and 9.05.
The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Issuers to authenticate Notes. An authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this 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 Issuers.
Section 2.03. Registrar and Paying Agent.
The Issuers will maintain 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 will keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuers 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 Issuers may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuers will notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of any Agent not a party to this Indenture. If the Issuers fail to appoint or maintain another entity as Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such. The Company or any of its Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent or Registrar.
The Issuers initially appoint The Depository Trust Company ( DTC ) to act as Depositary with respect to the Global Notes.
The Issuers initially appoint the Trustee to act as the Registrar and Paying Agent and to act as Custodian with respect to the Global Notes.
Section 2.04. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust.
The Issuers will require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal, premium or interest on the Notes, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Issuers 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 Issuers 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 Issuers or a Subsidiary) will have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary acts as Paying Agent, it will 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 Issuers, the Trustee will serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.
Section 2.05. Holder Lists.
The Trustee will 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 § 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuers will furnish to the Trustee at least seven 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 of Notes and the Issuers shall otherwise comply with TIA § 312(a).
Section 2.06. Transfer and Exchange.
(a) Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes . A Global Note may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to a nominee of the Depositary, by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or to another nominee of the Depositary, or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary. All Global Notes will be exchanged by the Issuers for Definitive Notes if:
(1) the Issuers deliver to the Trustee notice from the Depositary that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as Depositary or that it is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor Depositary is not appointed by the Issuers within 120 days after the date of such notice from the Depositary;
(2) the Issuers in their sole discretion determine that the Global Notes (in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for Definitive Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee; or
(3) there has occurred and is continuing an Event of Default with respect to the Notes, and DTC notifies the Trustee of its decision to exchange the Global Notes for Definitive Notes.
Upon the occurrence of either of the preceding events in (1) or (2) above, Definitive Notes shall be issued in such names as the Depositary shall instruct the Trustee. Global Notes also may be exchanged or replaced, in whole or in part, as provided in Sections 2.07 and 2.10 hereof. Every Note authenticated and delivered in exchange for, or in lieu of, a Global Note or any portion thereof, pursuant to this Section 2.06 or Section 2.07 or 2.10 hereof, shall be authenticated and delivered in the form of, and shall be, a Global Note. A Global Note may not be exchanged for another Note other than as provided in this Section 2.06(a), however, beneficial interests in a Global Note may be transferred and exchanged as provided in Section 2.06(b), (c) or (f) hereof. Whenever any provision herein refers to issuance by the Issuers and authentication and delivery by the Trustee of a new Note in exchange for the portion of a surrendered Note that has not been redeemed or repurchased, as the case may be, in lieu of the surrender of any Global Note and the issuance, authentication and delivery of a new Global Note in exchange therefor, the Trustee or the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee may endorse such Global Note to reflect a reduction in the principal amount represented thereby in the amount of Notes so represented that have been so redeemed or repurchased.
(b) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in the Global Notes . The transfer and exchange of beneficial interests in the Global Notes will be effected through the Depositary, in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and the Applicable Procedures. Participants and Indirect Participants shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by the Depositary or by the Trustee as the Custodian with respect to the Global Notes, and the Issuers, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuers or the Trustee shall be entitled to treat the Depositary as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Issuers, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuers or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the Depositary or impair, as between the Depositary and its Participants or the Indirect Participants, the operation of
customary practices of such Depositary governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note. Subject to the provisions of this Section 2.06 and Section 12.15, the Holder of a Global Note shall be entitled to grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Participants and Indirect Participants and Persons that may hold interests through such Persons, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes. Beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes will be subject to restrictions on transfer comparable to those set forth herein to the extent required by the Securities Act. Transfers of beneficial interests in the Global Notes also will require compliance with either subparagraph (1) or (2) below, as applicable, as well as one or more of the other following subparagraphs, as applicable:
(1) Transfer of Beneficial Interests in the Same Global Note . Beneficial interests in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the same Restricted Global Note in accordance with the transfer restrictions set forth in the Private Placement Legend. Beneficial interests in any Unrestricted Global Note may be transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note. No written orders or instructions shall be required to be delivered to the Registrar to effect the transfers described in this Section 2.06(b)(1).
(2) All Other Transfers and Exchanges of Beneficial Interests in Global Notes . In connection with all transfers and exchanges of beneficial interests that are not subject to Section 2.06(b)(1) above, the transferor of such beneficial interest must deliver to the Registrar either:
(A) both:
(i) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to credit or cause to be credited a beneficial interest in another Global Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and
(ii) instructions given in accordance with the Applicable Procedures containing information regarding the Participant account to be credited with such increase; or
(B) both:
(i) a written order from a Participant or an Indirect Participant given to the Depositary in accordance with the Applicable Procedures directing the Depositary to cause to be issued a Definitive Note in an amount equal to the beneficial interest to be transferred or exchanged; and
(ii) instructions given by the Depositary to the Registrar containing information regarding the Person in whose name such Definitive Note shall be registered to effect the transfer or exchange referred to in (1) above.
Upon consummation of an Exchange Offer, if any, by the Issuers in accordance with Section 2.06(f) hereof, the requirements of this Section 2.06(b)(2) shall be deemed to have been satisfied upon receipt by the Registrar of the instructions contained in the Letter of Transmittal delivered by the Holder of such beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes. Upon satisfaction of all of the requirements for transfer or exchange of beneficial interests in Global Notes contained in this Indenture and the Notes or otherwise applicable under the Securities Act, the Trustee shall adjust the principal amount of the relevant Global Note(s) pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof.
(3) Transfer of Beneficial Interests to Another Restricted Global Note . A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Restricted Global Note if the transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) above and the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the transferee will take delivery in the form of a beneficial interest in the IAI Global Note, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.
(4) Transfer and Exchange of Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note. A beneficial interest in any Restricted Global Note may be exchanged by any holder thereof for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transferred to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note if the exchange or transfer complies with the requirements of Section 2.06(b)(2) above and:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to any Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of the beneficial interest to be transferred, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(a) thereof; or
(ii) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
If any such transfer is effected pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuers shall issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee shall authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an
aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of beneficial interests transferred pursuant to subparagraph (B) or (D) above.
Beneficial interests in an Unrestricted Global Note cannot be exchanged for, or transferred to Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of, a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note.
(c) Transfer or Exchange of Beneficial Interests for Definitive Notes .
(1) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes . If any holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Restricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(a) thereof;
(B) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) above, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such beneficial interest is being transferred to the Issuers or any of their Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such beneficial interest is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuers shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c) shall be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest shall instruct the Registrar through instructions from the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee shall deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(1) shall bear the Private Placement Legend and shall be subject to all restrictions on transfer contained therein.
(2) Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . A holder of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note may exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or may transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer, if any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the holder of such beneficial interest, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(b) thereof; or
(ii) if the holder of such beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note proposes to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(3) Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . If any holder of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note proposes to exchange such beneficial interest for a Definitive Note or to transfer such beneficial interest to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a Definitive Note, then, upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 2.06(b)(2) hereof, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Note to be reduced accordingly pursuant to Section 2.06(h) hereof, and the Issuers will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Person designated in the instructions a Definitive Note in the appropriate principal amount. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(3) will be registered in such name or names and in such authorized denomination or denominations as the holder of such beneficial interest requests through instructions to the Registrar from or through the Depositary and the Participant or Indirect Participant. The Trustee will deliver such Definitive Notes to the Persons in whose names such Notes are so registered. Any Definitive Note issued in exchange for a beneficial interest pursuant to this Section 2.06(c)(3) will not bear the Private Placement Legend.
(d) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Beneficial Interests .
(1) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes . If any Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted
Global Note or to transfer such Restricted Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, then, upon receipt by the Registrar of the following documentation:
(A) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Note proposes to exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (2)(b) thereof;
(B) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(C) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to a Non-U.S. Person in an offshore transaction in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof;
(D) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act in accordance with Rule 144, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(a) thereof;
(E) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to an Institutional Accredited Investor in reliance on an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than those listed in subparagraphs (B) through (D) above, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable;
(F) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred to the Issuers or any of their Subsidiaries, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(b) thereof; or
(G) if such Restricted Definitive Note is being transferred pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, a certificate to the effect set forth in Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (3)(c) thereof,
the Trustee will cancel the Restricted Definitive Note, increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of, in the case of clause (A) above, the appropriate Restricted Global Note, in the case of clause (B) above, the 144A Global Note, in the case of clause (C) above, the Regulation S Global Note, and in all other cases, the IAI Global Note.
(2) Restricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes . A Holder of a Restricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Restricted Definitive Note to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note only if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer, if any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(c) thereof; or
(ii) if the Holder of such Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in the Unrestricted Global Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests or if the Applicable Procedures so require, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
Upon satisfaction of the conditions of any of the subparagraphs in this Section 2.06(d)(2), the Trustee will cancel the Definitive Notes and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of the Unrestricted Global Note.
(3) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Beneficial Interests in Unrestricted Global Notes . A Holder of an Unrestricted Definitive Note may exchange such Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or transfer such Definitive Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note at any time. Upon receipt of a request for such an exchange or transfer, the Trustee will cancel the applicable Unrestricted Definitive Note and increase or cause to be increased the aggregate principal amount of one of the Unrestricted Global Notes.
If any such exchange or transfer from a Definitive Note to a beneficial interest is effected pursuant to subparagraphs (2)(B), (2)(D) or (3) above at a time when an Unrestricted Global Note has not yet been issued, the Issuers will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee will authenticate one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of Definitive Notes so transferred.
(e) Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes for Definitive Notes . Upon request by a Holder of Definitive Notes and such Holders compliance with the provisions of this Section 2.06(e), the Registrar will register the transfer or exchange of Definitive Notes. Prior to such registration of transfer or exchange, the requesting Holder must present or surrender to the Registrar the Definitive Notes duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instruction of transfer in form satisfactory to the Registrar duly executed by such Holder or by its attorney, duly authorized in writing. In addition, the requesting Holder must provide any additional certifications, documents and information, as applicable, required pursuant to the following provisions of this Section 2.06(e).
(1) Restricted Definitive Notes to Restricted Definitive Notes . Any Restricted Definitive Note may be transferred to and registered in the name of Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of a Restricted Definitive Note if the Registrar receives the following:
(A) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 144A, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (1) thereof;
(B) if the transfer will be made pursuant to Rule 903 or Rule 904, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (2) thereof; and
(C) if the transfer will be made pursuant to any other exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, then the transferor must deliver a certificate in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications, certificates and Opinion of Counsel required by item (3) thereof, if applicable.
(2) Restricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . Any Restricted Definitive Note may be exchanged by the Holder thereof for an Unrestricted Definitive Note or transferred to a Person or Persons who take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note if:
(A) such exchange or transfer is effected pursuant to the Exchange Offer, if any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement and the Holder, in the case of an exchange, or the transferee, in the case of a transfer, certifies in the applicable Letter of Transmittal that it is not (i) a Broker-Dealer, (ii) a Person participating in the distribution of the Exchange Notes or (iii) a Person who is an affiliate (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers;
(B) any such transfer is effected pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement;
(C) any such transfer is effected by a Broker-Dealer pursuant to any Exchange Offer Registration Statement in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement; or
(D) the Registrar receives the following:
(i) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to exchange such Notes for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit C hereto, including the certifications in item (1)(d) thereof; or
(ii) if the Holder of such Restricted Definitive Notes proposes to transfer such Notes to a Person who shall take delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note, a certificate from such Holder in the form of Exhibit B hereto, including the certifications in item (4) thereof;
and, in each such case set forth in this subparagraph (D), if the Registrar so requests, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Registrar to the effect that such exchange or transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act and that the restrictions on transfer contained herein and in the Private Placement Legend are no longer required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act.
(3) Unrestricted Definitive Notes to Unrestricted Definitive Notes . A Holder of Unrestricted Definitive Notes may transfer such Notes to a Person who takes delivery thereof in the form of an Unrestricted Definitive Note. Upon receipt of a request to register such a transfer, the Registrar shall register the Unrestricted Definitive Notes pursuant to the instructions from the Holder thereof.
(f) Exchange Offer . Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer, if any, in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Issuers will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof, the Trustee will authenticate:
(1) one or more Unrestricted Global Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interests in the Restricted Global Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (A) they are not Broker-Dealers, (B) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (C) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers; and
(2) Unrestricted Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Restricted Definitive Notes accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer by Persons that certify in the applicable Letters of Transmittal that (A) they are not Broker-Dealers, (B) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (C) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Issuers.
Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee will cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Restricted Global Notes to be reduced accordingly, and the Issuers will execute and the Trustee will authenticate and deliver to the Persons designated by the Holders of Definitive Notes so accepted Unrestricted Definitive Notes in the appropriate principal amount.
(g) Legends . The following legends will appear on the face of all Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued under this Indenture unless specifically stated otherwise in the applicable provisions of this Indenture.
(1) Private Placement Legend.
(A) Except as permitted by subparagraph (B) below, each Global Note and each Definitive Note (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) shall bear the legend in substantially the following form:
THIS NOTE HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE SECURITIES ACT), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NEITHER THIS NOTE, NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT. THE HOLDER OF THIS NOTE, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES NOT TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE WHICH IS ONE YEAR AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE COMPANY OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE COMPANY WAS THE OWNER OF THIS NOTE (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF THIS NOTE) (THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE), EXCEPT THAT THE NOTES MAY BE TRANSFERRED (A) TO THE COMPANY OR ANY SUBSIDIARY THEREOF, (B) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE NOTES ENDORSED THEREON ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (RULE 144A), TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) PURSUANT TO OFFERS AND SALES TO NON-U.S. PERSONS THAT OCCUR OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (E) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR (AS DEFINED IN RULE 501(A)(1), (2), (3) OR (7) OF REGULATION D UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) THAT, PRIOR TO SUCH TRANSFER, FURNISHES THE TRUSTEE A SIGNED LETTER CONTAINING CERTAIN REPRESENTATIONS AND AGREEMENTS RELATING TO THE TRANSFER OF THE NOTES AND, IF SUCH TRANSFER IS IN RESPECT OF AN AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF NOTES LESS THAN $250,000, AN OPINION OF COUNSEL ACCEPTABLE TO THE ISSUERS THAT SUCH TRANSFER IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (F) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE COMPANYS AND THE TRUSTEES RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER IN EACH OF THE FOREGOING CASES, TO REQUIRE THAT A CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER IN THE FORM APPEARING ON THIS NOTE IS COMPLETED AND DELIVERED BY THE TRANSFEROR TO THE TRUSTEE. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF A HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Global Note or Definitive Note issued pursuant to subparagraphs (b)(4), (c)(2), (c)(3), (d)(2), (d)(3), (e)(2), (e)(3) or (f) of this
Section 2.06 (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or substitution thereof) will not bear the Private Placement Legend.
In addition, the foregoing legend may be adjusted for future issuances in accordance with applicable law. The Issuers, in their discretion, may remove the Private Placement Legend from any Restricted Global Note at any time on or after the Resale Restriction Termination Date applicable to such Note. Without limiting the generality of the preceding sentence, the Issuers may, subject to Applicable Procedures, effect such removal by issuing and delivering, in exchange for such Note, an Unrestricted Global Note without such legend, registered to the same Holder and in an equal principal amount, and upon receipt by the Trustee of a written order of the Issuers stating that the Resale Restriction Termination Date applicable to such Note has occurred and requesting the authentication and delivery of an Unrestricted Global Note in exchange therefor (which order shall not be required to be accompanied by any Opinion of Counsel or any other document) given at least three Business Days in advance of the proposed date of exchange specified therein (which shall be no earlier than such Resale Restriction Termination Date), the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver such Unrestricted Global Note to the Depositary or pursuant to such Depositarys instructions or hold such Unrestricted Global Note as Custodian for the Depositary and shall request the Depositary to, or, if the Trustee is Custodian of such Restricted Global Note, shall itself, surrender such Restricted Global Note in exchange for such Unrestricted Global Note without such legend and thereupon cancel such Restricted Global Note so surrendered, all as directed in such order. For purposes of determining whether the Resale Restriction Termination Date has occurred with respect to any Restricted Global Note or delivering any order pursuant to this Section 2.06(g)(1) with respect to such Restricted Global Notes, (i) only those Restricted Global Notes that a Principal Officer of an Issuer actually knows (after reasonable inquiry) to be or to have been owned by an Affiliate of the Issuers shall be deemed to be or to have been, respectively, owned by an Affiliate of the Issuers; and (ii) Principal Officer means an Officer of the Issuers that is the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer, the treasurer or the principal accounting officer. For purposes of this Section 2.06(g)(1), all provisions relating to the removal of the Private Placement Legend shall relate, if the Resale Restriction Termination Date has occurred only with respect to a portion of the Notes evidenced by a Restricted Global Note, to such portion of the Notes so evidenced as to which the Resale Restriction Termination Date has occurred.
Each Holder of any Note evidenced by any Restricted Global Note, by its acceptance thereof, (A) authorizes and consents to, (B) appoints each Issuer as its agent for the sole purpose of delivering such electronic messages, executing and delivering such instruments and taking such other actions, on such Holders behalf, as the Depositary or the Trustee may require to effect, and (C) upon the request of the Issuers, agrees to deliver such electronic messages, execute and deliver such instruments and take such other actions as the Depositary or the Trustee may require, or as shall otherwise be necessary to effect, the removal of the Private Placement Legend (including by means of the exchange of all or the portion of such Restricted Global Note evidencing such Note for a certificate evidencing such Note that does not bear such legend) at any time after the Resale Restriction Termination Date.
(2) Global Note Legend . Each Global Note will bear a legend in substantially the following form:
THIS GLOBAL NOTE IS HELD BY THE DEPOSITARY (AS DEFINED IN THE INDENTURE GOVERNING THIS NOTE) OR ITS NOMINEE IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF, AND IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (I) THE TRUSTEE MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06 OF THE INDENTURE, (II) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.06(a) OF THE INDENTURE, (III) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE AND (IV) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY WITH THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE ISSUERS.
UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. UNLESS THIS
CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) ( DTC ), TO THE ISSUERS OR THEIR AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.
(3) Tax Legend . With respect to any Additional Notes issued with original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes, each Global Note and each Definitive Note shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:
THIS NOTE WAS ISSUED WITH ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT UNDER SECTION 1272, 1273 AND 1275 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, AS AMENDED. YOU MAY CONTACT THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER OF FERRELLGAS, L.P., 7500 COLLEGE BOULEVARD, SUITE 1000, OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS 66210, WHO WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE ISSUE PRICE, THE AMOUNT OF ORIGINAL ISSUE DISCOUNT, THE ISSUE DATE, AND THE YIELD TO MATURITY OF THE NOTE.
(h) Cancellation and/or Adjustment of Global Notes . At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Definitive Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note will be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Definitive Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note will be reduced accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note will be increased accordingly and an endorsement will be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depositary at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.
(i) General Provisions Relating to Transfers and Exchanges .
(1) To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuers will execute and the Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes upon receipt of an Authentication Order in accordance with Section 2.02 hereof or at the Registrars request.
(2) No service charge will be made to a Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note or to a Holder of a Definitive Note for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuers may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 2.10, 3.06, 3.09, 4.10, 4.14 and 9.05 hereof).
(3) The Registrar will not be required to register the transfer of or exchange of any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part.
(4) All Global Notes and Definitive Notes issued upon any registration of transfer or exchange of Global Notes or Definitive Notes will be the valid obligations of the Issuers, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Global Notes or Definitive Notes surrendered upon such registration of transfer or exchange.
(5) Neither the Registrar nor the Issuers will be required:
(A) to issue, to register the transfer of or to exchange any Notes during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of any selection of Notes for redemption under Section 3.02 hereof and ending at the close of business on the day of selection;
(B) to register the transfer of or to exchange any Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part; or
(C) to register the transfer of or to exchange a Note between a record date and the next succeeding interest payment date.
(6) Prior to due presentment for the registration of a transfer of any Note, the Trustee, any Agent and the Issuers may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Notes and for all other purposes, and none of the Trustee, any Agent or the Issuers shall be affected by notice to the contrary.
(7) The Trustee will authenticate Global Notes and Definitive Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.02 hereof.
All certifications, certificates and Opinions of Counsel required to be submitted to the Registrar pursuant to this Section 2.06 to effect a registration of transfer or exchange may be submitted by facsimile or electronic image scan.
Section 2.07. Replacement Notes.
If any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or the Issuers and the Trustee receives evidence to its satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, and such other reasonable requirements as may be imposed by the Issuers as permitted by Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code have been satisfied, then, in the absence of notice to the Issuers or the Trustee that such Note has been acquired by a protected purchaser within the meaning of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code, the Issuers will issue and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustees requirements are met. An indemnity bond must be supplied by the Holder that is sufficient in the judgment of the Trustee and the Issuers to protect the Issuers, the Trustee, any Agent and any authenticating agent from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuers may charge for their expenses in replacing a Note.
Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Issuers and will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with all other Notes duly issued hereunder.
Section 2.08. Outstanding Notes.
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, those reductions in the interest in a Global Note effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof, and those described in this Section as not outstanding. Except as set forth in Section 2.09 hereof, a Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuers or an Affiliate of the Issuers holds the Note; however, Notes held by the Issuers or a Subsidiary of the Issuers shall not be deemed to be outstanding for purposes of Section 2.08 hereof.
If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 hereof, 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.
If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01 hereof, it ceases to be outstanding and interest on it ceases to accrue.
If the Paying Agent (other than the Issuers, a Subsidiary or an Affiliate of any thereof) holds, on a redemption date or maturity date, money sufficient to pay Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes will be deemed to be no longer outstanding and will cease to accrue interest.
Section 2.09. 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 Issuers, the Guarantors or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuers or the Guarantors, will be considered as though not outstanding, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee will be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned will be so disregarded.
Section 2.10. Temporary Notes.
Until certificates representing Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuers may prepare and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, will authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes will be substantially in the form of certificated Notes but may have variations that the Issuers consider appropriate for temporary Notes and as may be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuers will prepare and the Trustee will authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes.
Holders of temporary Notes will be entitled to all of the benefits of this Indenture.
Section 2.11. Cancellation.
The Issuers at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and Paying Agent will forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else will cancel all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation and will dispose of such canceled Notes in accordance with its customary procedures (subject to the record retention requirement of the Exchange Act). The Issuers may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that they have paid or that have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.
Section 2.12. Defaulted Interest.
If the Issuers default in a payment of interest on the Notes, they will pay the defaulted interest in any lawful manner plus, to the extent lawful, interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the Persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, in each case at the rate provided in the Notes and in Section 4.01 hereof. The Issuers will notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note and the date of the proposed payment. The Issuers will fix or cause to be fixed each such special record date and payment date, provided that no such special record date may be less than 10 days prior to the related payment date for such defaulted interest. At least 15 days before the special record date, the Issuers (or, upon the written request of the Issuers, the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuers) will mail or cause to be mailed to Holders a notice that states the special record date, the related payment date and the amount of such interest to be paid.
Section 2.13. CUSIP Numbers.
The Issuers in issuing the Notes may use CUSIP numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use CUSIP numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Issuers will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers.
Section 2.14. Issuance of Additional Notes .
(a) The Issuers shall be entitled, subject to its compliance with Article 4, to issue Additional Notes under this Indenture. Any Additional Notes shall be part of the same series as the Initial Notes issued on the date hereof, 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, (c) rights under a related Registration Rights Agreement, if any, and (d) at the option of the Issuers, (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. The Initial Notes, any Additional Notes subsequently issued upon original issue under this Indenture and all Exchange Notes issued in exchange therefor shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture, including directions, waivers, amendments, consents, redemptions and offers to purchase; and none of the Holders of any Initial Notes, any Exchange Notes or any Additional Notes shall have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter to which such Holders are entitled to vote or consent.
(b) With respect to any Additional Notes, the Issuers shall set forth in an Officers Certificate, a copy of which shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to original issuance thereof, the following information:
(1) the aggregate principal amount of such Additional Notes to be authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture;
(2) 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 and/or ISIN number of such Additional Notes; and
(3) whether such Additional Notes shall be subject to the restrictions on transfer set forth in Section 2.06 relating to Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes.
(c) Notwithstanding anything else herein, with respect to any Additional Notes issued subsequent to the date hereof, when the context requires, (1) all references in Article 2 herein and elsewhere in this Indenture to a Registration Rights Agreement shall be to the Registration Rights Agreement entered into with respect to such Additional Notes, (2) any references in this Indenture to the Exchange Offer, Exchange Offer Registration Statement, Shelf Registration Statement, and any other term related thereto shall be to such terms as they are defined in such Registration Rights Agreement entered into with respect to such Additional Notes, (3) all time periods described in the Notes with respect to the registration of such Additional Notes shall be as provided in such Registration Rights Agreement entered into with respect to such Additional Notes, (4) any Additional Interest, if set forth in such Registration Rights Agreement, may be paid to the Holders of the Additional Notes immediately prior to the making or the consummation of the Exchange Offer regardless of any other provisions regarding record dates herein and (5) all provisions of this 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 this Indenture (and Exchange Notes issued in exchange therefor). Indebtedness represented by Additional Notes shall be subject to the covenants contained in this Indenture.
Section 2.15. Computation of Interest .
Interest on the Notes shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
ARTICLE 3.
REDEMPTION AND PREPAYMENT
Section 3.01. Notices to Trustee.
If the Issuers elect to redeem Notes pursuant to the optional redemption provisions of Section 3.07 hereof, they must furnish to the Trustee, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, an Officers Certificate setting forth:
(1) the clause of this Indenture pursuant to which the redemption shall occur;
(2) the redemption date;
(3) the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed; and
(4) the redemption price.
Section 3.02. Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed or Purchased.
If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed or purchased in an offer to purchase at any time, the Trustee will select Notes for redemption or purchase, by lot or in accordance with a method which the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate (in accordance with the procedures of DTC) and, in any case, in a manner that complies with any legal and stock exchange requirements.
In the event of partial redemption or purchase by lot, the particular Notes to be redeemed or purchased will be selected, unless otherwise provided herein, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the redemption or purchase date by the Trustee from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption or purchase.
The Trustee will promptly notify the Issuers in writing of the Notes selected for redemption or purchase and, in the case of any Note selected for partial redemption or purchase, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed or purchased. Notes and portions of Notes selected will be in amounts of $2,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof; except that if all of the Notes of a Holder are to be redeemed or purchased, the entire outstanding amount of Notes held by such Holder, even if not a multiple of $1,000, shall be redeemed or purchased. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption or purchase also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase.
Section 3.03. Notice of Redemption.
Subject to the provisions of Section 3.09 hereof, at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Issuers will 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, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a covenant defeasance or defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture pursuant to Articles 8 or 11 of this Indenture.
The notice will identify the Notes to be redeemed (including CUSIP number(s)) and will state:
(1) the redemption date;
(2) the redemption price;
(3) 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 unredeemed portion will be issued upon cancellation of the original Note;
(4) the name and address of the Paying Agent;
(5) that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;
(6) that, unless the Issuers default in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;
(7) the paragraph of the Notes and/or Section of this Indenture pursuant to which the Notes called for redemption are being redeemed; and
(8) 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.
At the Issuers request, the Trustee will give the notice of redemption in the Issuers name and at their expense; provided , however , that the Issuers have delivered to the Trustee, at least 45 days prior to the redemption date, an Officers Certificate requesting that the Trustee give such notice and setting forth the information to be stated in such notice as provided in the preceding paragraph.
Section 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption.
Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03 hereof, Notes called for redemption become irrevocably due and payable on the redemption date at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional.
Section 3.05. Deposit of Redemption or Purchase Price.
One Business Day prior to or prior to 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the redemption or purchase price date, the Issuers will deposit with the Trustee or with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption or purchase price of and accrued interest on all Notes to be redeemed or purchased on that date. The Trustee or the Paying Agent will promptly return to the Issuers any money deposited with the Trustee or the Paying Agent by the Issuers in excess of the amounts necessary to pay the redemption or purchase price of, and accrued interest on, all Notes to be redeemed or purchased.
If the Issuers comply with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, on and after the redemption or purchase date, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or the portions of Notes called for redemption or purchase. If a Note is redeemed or purchased 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 Person in whose name such Note was registered at the close of business on such record date. If any Note called for redemption or purchase is not so paid upon surrender for redemption or purchase because of the failure of the Issuers to comply with the preceding paragraph, interest shall be paid on the unpaid principal, from the redemption or purchase 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 hereof.
Section 3.06. Notes Redeemed or Purchased in Part.
Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed or purchased in part, the Issuers will issue and, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, the Trustee will authenticate for the Holder at the expense of the Issuers a new Note equal in principal amount to the unredeemed or unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered.
Section 3.07. Optional Redemption.
(a) Prior to June 15, 2018 the Issuers may, at their option, on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) issued under this Indenture in an amount not in excess of the Net Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings at a redemption price of 106.750% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the 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); provided that:
(1) at least 65% of the original principal amount of the Notes issued on the Issue Date and on any date on which any Additional Notes are originally issued remains outstanding after each such redemption; and
(2) the redemption occurs within 180 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering.
(b) On and after June 15, 2019, the Issuers may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices (expressed in percentages of principal amount) listed in the table below, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve months beginning on June 15 of the years indicated below:
Year |
|
Percentage |
|
2019 |
|
103.375 |
% |
2020 |
|
101.688 |
% |
2021 and thereafter |
|
100.000 |
% |
(c) At any time prior to June 15, 2019, the Issuers may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, 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 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).
Applicable Premium with respect to any Notes to be redeemed, means an amount equal to the greater of:
(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Notes; and
(2) the excess, if any, of:
(A) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note at June 15, 2019 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing above under the caption Optional redemption) plus (ii) all required interest payments (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date) due on such Note through June 15, 2019, in each case 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.
Treasury Rate means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (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)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2019; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2019 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 for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2019 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 notice of redemption with respect to the foregoing redemption in this (c) need not set forth the Applicable Premium but only the manner of calculation thereof. 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.
(d) The Issuers may redeem all (but not a portion of) the Notes when permitted by, and pursuant to the conditions in, Section 4.14(e) hereof.
(e) Any redemption pursuant to this Section 3.07 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
Section 3.08. Mandatory Redemption.
Except as set forth in Section 3.10, the Issuers are not required to make any mandatory redemption or sinking fund payments with respect to the Notes. The Issuers may at any time and from time to time purchase Notes in the open market or otherwise.
Section 3.09. Offer to Purchase by Application of Excess Proceeds.
In the event that, pursuant to Section 4.10 hereof, the Issuers are required to commence an offer to all Holders to purchase Notes (an Asset Sale Offer ), they will follow the procedures specified below.
The Asset Sale Offer shall be made to all Holders and all holders of other Indebtedness that is pari passu with the Notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales and assets. The Asset Sale Offer will remain open for a period of at least 20 Business Days following its commencement and not more than 30 Business Days, except to the extent that a longer period is required by applicable law (the Offer Period ). No later than three Business Days after the termination of the Offer Period (the Purchase Date ), the Issuers will apply all Excess Proceeds (the Offer Amount ) to the purchase of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness (on a pro rata basis, if applicable) or, if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes and other Indebtedness tendered in response to the Asset Sale Offer. Payment for any Notes so purchased will be made in the same manner as interest payments are made.
If the Purchase Date is on or after an interest record date and on or before the related interest payment date, any accrued and unpaid interest will be paid to the Person in whose name a Note is registered at the close of business on such record date, and no additional interest will be payable to Holders who tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer.
Upon the commencement of an Asset Sale Offer, the Issuers will send, by first class mail, a notice to the Trustee and each of the Holders, with a copy to the Trustee. The notice will contain all instructions and materials necessary to enable such Holders to tender Notes pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer. The notice, which will govern the terms of the Asset Sale Offer, will state:
(1) that the Asset Sale Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 3.09 and Section 4.10 hereof and the length of time the Asset Sale Offer will remain open;
(2) the Offer Amount, the purchase price and the Purchase Date;
(3) that any Note not tendered or accepted for payment will continue to accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Issuers default in making such payment, any Note accepted for payment pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Purchase Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer may elect to have Notes purchased only in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof;
(6) that Holders electing to have a Note purchased pursuant to any Asset Sale Offer will be required to surrender the Note, with the form entitled Option of Holder to Elect Purchase on the reverse of the Note completed, or transfer by book-entry transfer, to the Issuers, a Depositary, if appointed by the Issuers, or a Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice at least three days before the Purchase Date;
(7) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw their election if the Issuers, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, receives, not later than the expiration of the Offer Period, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of the Note the Holder delivered for purchase and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have such Note purchased;
(8) that, if the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness surrendered by Holders exceeds the Offer Amount, the Issuers will select the Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis based on the principal amount of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness surrendered (with such adjustments as may be deemed appropriate by the Issuers so that only Notes in denominations of $2,000, or integral multiples in excess thereof, will be purchased); and
(9) that Holders whose Notes were purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered (or transferred by book-entry transfer).
On or before the Purchase Date, the Issuers will, to the extent lawful, accept for payment, on a pro rata basis to the extent necessary, the Offer Amount of Notes or portions thereof tendered pursuant to the Asset Sale Offer, or if less than the Offer Amount has been tendered, all Notes tendered, and will deliver to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that such Notes or portions thereof were accepted for payment by the Issuers in accordance with the terms of this Section 3.09. The Issuers, the Depositary or the Paying Agent, as the case may be, will promptly (but in any case not later than five days after the Purchase Date) mail or deliver to each tendering Holder an amount equal to the purchase price of the Notes tendered by such Holder and accepted by the Issuers for purchase, and the Issuers will promptly issue a new Note, and the Trustee, upon written request from the Issuers will authenticate and mail or deliver such new Note to such Holder, in a principal amount equal to any unpurchased portion of the Note surrendered. Any Note not so accepted shall be promptly mailed or delivered by the Issuers to the Holder thereof. The Issuers will publicly announce the results of the Asset Sale Offer on the Purchase Date.
Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.09, any purchase pursuant to this Section 3.09 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01 through 3.06 hereof.
Section 3.10. Special Mandatory Redemption.
In the event that (a) the Bridger Logistics Acquisition does not take place on or prior to October 1, 2015 (the Outside Date ) or (b) at any time prior to the Outside Date, the Bridger Logistics Acquisition Agreement is terminated (any such event being a Special Mandatory Redemption Event ), the Issuers will redeem all of the Notes (the Special Mandatory Redemption ) at a price equal to 100.00% of the initial issue price of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest from the Issue Date to, but not including, the redemption date (the Special Mandatory Redemption Price ).
Notice of the occurrence of a Special Mandatory Redemption Event and that a Special Mandatory Redemption is to occur (the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice ) shall be delivered to the Trustee and mailed by first class mail to each Holders registered address and, in addition, electronically delivered according to the procedures of DTC, within five Business Days after the Special Mandatory Redemption Event. At the Issuers written request, the Trustee shall give the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice in the Issuers names and at their expense. On such date specified in the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice as shall be no more than five Business Days (or such other minimum period not to exceed 30 days as may be required by DTC) after mailing the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice, the Special Mandatory Redemption shall occur (the date of such redemption, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date).
If funds sufficient to pay the Special Mandatory Redemption Price of all of the Notes to be redeemed on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date are deposited with a paying agent or the Trustee on or before such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, then on and after such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, the Notes shall cease to bear interest and, other than the right to receive the Special Mandatory Redemption Price, all rights under such Notes shall terminate.
Prior to the Special Mandatory Redemption or the consummation of the Bridger Logistics Acquisition, the Company will maintain the net proceeds from this offering on hand at all times (in cash or Cash Equivalents), however, Holders will not have any special access or rights to or a Lien or encumbrance of any kind on such proceeds.
Other than as specifically provided in this Section 3.10, any mandatory redemption pursuant to this Section 3.10 shall be made pursuant to the provisions of Sections 3.01, 3.03, 3.04 and 3.05 hereof..
ARTICLE 4.
COVENANTS
Section 4.01. Payment of Notes.
The Issuers will 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 will be considered paid on the date due if the Paying Agent, if other than the Issuers or a Subsidiary thereof, holds as of 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on the due date money deposited by the Issuers in immediately available funds and designated for and sufficient to pay all principal, premium, if any, and interest then due.
The Issuers will pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal at the rate equal to 1% per annum in excess of the then applicable interest rate on the Notes to the extent lawful; they will 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.
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.
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.
Section 4.02. Maintenance of Office or Agency.
The Issuers will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, an office or agency (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate 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 Issuers in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Issuers 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 Issuers fail to maintain any such required office or agency or fails to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.
The Issuers 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; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission will in any manner relieve the Issuers of their obligation to maintain an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York for such purposes. The Issuers 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.
The Issuers hereby designate the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee as one such office or agency of the Issuers in accordance with Section 2.03 hereof.
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 Indenture.
Section 4.03. Reports.
Whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, so long as any Notes are outstanding, the Issuers will furnish to the Holders of Notes, within the time periods required with respect to a non-accelerated filer in the SECs rules and regulations:
(1) all quarterly and annual financial information that would be required to be contained in a filing with the SEC on Forms 10-Q and 10-K if the Issuers were required to file such forms, including a Managements Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations and, with respect to the annual financial information only, a report thereon by the Issuers certified independent accountants; and
(2) all current reports that would be required to be filed with the SEC on Form 8-K if the Issuers were required to file such reports.
In addition, whether or not required by the rules and regulations of the SEC, the Issuers will file a copy of all of the information and reports referred to in clauses (1) and (2) above with the SEC for public availability within the time periods specified in the SECs rules and regulations (unless the SEC will not accept such a filing) and make such information available to investors who request it in writing. The Issuers will at all times comply with TIA § 314(a).
In the event that the rules and regulations of the SEC permit the Company and any direct or indirect parent of the Company to report at such parent entitys level on a consolidated basis and such parent entity is not engaged in any business in any material respect other than incidental to its ownership, directly or indirectly, of the Capital Stock of the Company, the Company may satisfy its obligations in this Section 4.03 with respect to financial information relating to the Company by furnishing financial information relating to any parent entity of the Company (including Ferrellgas Partners) as long as such parent entity of the Company provides a Note Guarantee; provided that the same is accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the material differences between the information relating to such parent entity, on the one hand, and the information relating to the Restricted Subsidiaries on a stand-alone basis, on the other hand.
In addition, the Issuers and the Guarantors will make available to the Holders and to prospective investors, upon the request of such holders, the information required to be delivered pursuant to Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act so long as the Notes are not freely transferable under the Securities Act to the extent not satisfied by the foregoing of this Section 4.03.
For purposes of this Section 4.03, the Issuers and the Guarantors will be deemed to have furnished or made available the reports and information to the Trustee, the Holders and investors and prospective investors as required by this covenant if they have filed such reports and information with the SEC via the Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval system (or any successor system) and such reports and information are publicly available, provided that the Trustee will have no responsibility whatsoever to monitor whether such filing has occurred.
Section 4.04. Compliance Certificate.
(a) The Issuers and each Guarantor (to the extent that such Guarantor is so required under the TIA) shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the end of each fiscal year, an Officers Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Issuers and their Subsidiaries during the preceding fiscal year has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Issuers has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled their obligations under this Indenture, and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the Issuers have kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each
and every covenant contained in this Indenture and are not in default in the performance or observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (or, if a Default or Event of Default has occurred, describing all such Defaults or Events of Default of which he or she may have knowledge and what action the Issuers are taking or propose to take with respect thereto).
(b) So long as any of the Notes are outstanding, the Issuers will deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon any Officer of the Issuers becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Issuers are taking or propose to take with respect thereto within 10 Business Days after such Officer becomes aware of the occurrence and continuation of such Default or Event of Default unless such Default or Event of Default has been cured before the end of such 10 Business Day period.
Section 4.05. Taxes.
The Issuers will pay, and will cause each of their Subsidiaries to pay, prior to delinquency, all material taxes, assessments, and governmental levies except such as are contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings or where the failure to effect such payment is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.
Section 4.06. Stay, Extension and Usury Laws.
The Issuers and each of the Guarantors covenant (to the extent that they may lawfully do so) that they will 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 this Indenture; and the Issuers 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 will not, by resort to any such law, 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 has been enacted.
Section 4.07. Restricted Payments.
(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, (any such dividend, distribution, purchase, redemption, repurchase, defeasance, other acquisition, retirement or Investment (other than a Permitted Investment) referred to in these clauses (1) through (4) below being collectively referred to as a Restricted Payment ):
(1) declare or pay any dividend or any other distribution or payment on or with respect to Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or any payment made to the direct or indirect holders, in their capacities as such, of Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries other than (a) dividends or distributions payable solely in Capital Stock of the Company (excluding Redeemable Capital Stock), or in options, warrants or other rights to purchase Capital Stock of the Company (excluding Redeemable Capital Stock); (b) dividends or other distributions to the extent declared or paid to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or (c) dividends or other distributions by any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company to all holders of Capital Stock of that Restricted Subsidiary on a pro rata basis, including to the General Partner of the Company;
(2) purchase, redeem, defease or otherwise acquire or retire for value any Capital Stock of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, other than any Capital Stock owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company;
(3) make any principal payment on, or purchase, defease, repurchase, redeem or otherwise acquire or retire for value, prior to any scheduled maturity, scheduled repayment, scheduled sinking fund payment or other stated maturity, any Indebtedness subordinated in right of payment to the Notes, other than (a) any such Indebtedness owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or (b) a purchase, defeasance, repurchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value within one year of final maturity thereof; or
(4) make any Investment, other than a Permitted Investment, in any entity,
unless, at the time of and after giving effect to such Restricted Payment:
(1) no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing; and
(2) the Restricted Payment, together with (without duplication of amounts included in clause (A) or clause (B) below) the aggregate of all other Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries during the fiscal quarter during which the Restricted Payment is made, will not exceed:
(A) if the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company is greater than 1.75 to 1.00, an amount equal to the sum, without duplication, of:
(i) Available Cash for the immediately preceding fiscal quarter, plus
(ii) 100% of the aggregate Net Proceeds and the Fair Market Value of any Permitted Business or long-term assets that are used or useful in a Permitted Business to the extent acquired in consideration of Capital Stock of the Company (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) received by the Company after the Issue Date as a contribution to capital in respect of, or from the issue or sale of, Capital Stock of the Company (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) or from the issue or sale of convertible or exchangeable Redeemable Capital Stock or convertible or exchangeable debt securities of the Company that have been converted into or exchanged for such Capital Stock (other than Capital Stock (or Redeemable Capital Stock or debt securities) sold to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company), plus
(iii) to the extent that any Restricted Investment that was made after the Issue Date is sold for cash or otherwise liquidated or repaid for cash, the cash return of capital with respect to such Restricted Investment (less the cost of disposition, if any), plus
(iv) the net reduction in Restricted Investments resulting from dividends, repayments of loans or advances, or other transfers of assets in each case to the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from any Person (including Unrestricted Subsidiaries) or from redesignations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries as Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such amounts have not been included in Available Cash for any period commencing on or after the Issue Date (items (ii), (iii) and (iv) being referred to as Incremental Funds ), minus
(v) the aggregate amount of Incremental Funds previously expended pursuant to this clause (A) and clause (B) below; or
(B) if the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company is equal to or less than 1.75 to 1.00, an amount equal to the sum, without duplication, of:
(i) $75 million, less the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments made by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in accordance with this clause (B)(i) since the Issue Date, plus
(ii) Incremental Funds to the extent not previously expended pursuant to this clause (B) or clause (A) above.
The Restricted Payment may be made in assets other than cash, in which case the amount will be the Fair Market Value, as determined in good faith by the Company on the date of the Restricted Payment of the assets proposed to be transferred.
(b) The provisions of Section 4.07(a) will not prohibit:
(1) the payment of any dividend or distribution within 60 days after the date of its declaration if, at the date of declaration, the payment would be permitted as summarized above;
(2) the redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of any shares of any class of Capital Stock of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company in exchange for, or out of the Net Proceeds of, a substantially concurrent capital contribution to the Company from any entity other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or issuance and sale of other Capital Stock, other than Redeemable Capital Stock, of the Company to any entity other than to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; provided , however , that the amount of any Net Proceeds that are utilized for any redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement will be excluded from the calculation of Available Cash and Incremental Funds;
(3) any redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement of Indebtedness subordinated in right of payment to the Notes in exchange for, or out of the Net Proceeds of, a substantially concurrent capital contribution to the Company from any entity other than a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company; or the issuance and sale of other Capital Stock other than Redeemable Capital Stock, of the Company to any entity other than to a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company or issuance and sale of Indebtedness of the Company issued to any entity other than a Restricted Subsidiary or the Company, so long as the Indebtedness is Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness; provided, however, that the amount of any Net Proceeds that are utilized for any redemption, repurchase or other acquisition or retirement will be excluded from the calculation of Available Cash and from Incremental Funds;
(4) the purchase, redemption or other acquisition or retirement for value of Indebtedness that is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes at a purchase price not greater than (i) 101% of the principal amount of such subordinated 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 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 asset sale 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 Sections 3.09 and 4.14; or
(B) in the case of an Asset Sale, the Company has complied with and fully satisfied its obligations in accordance with Sections 3.09 and 4.10;
(5) the declaration and payment of regularly scheduled or accrued dividends to holders of any class or series of Redeemable Capital Stock of the Company or any preferred securities of any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company issued on or after the Issue Date in accordance with the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09(a);
(6) so long as no Default (other than a Default under Section 4.03) or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would be caused thereby, any other Restricted Payments not otherwise permitted pursuant to this covenant in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed $10 million; or
(7) Restricted Payments by the Company to Ferrellgas Partners made substantially contemporaneously with the consummation of the Bridger Logistics Acquisition to be utilized by Ferrellgas Partners for consummation of the Bridger Logistics Acquisition.
In computing the amount of Restricted Payments previously made for purposes of the Restricted Payments test in Section 4.07(a), Restricted Payments made under clauses (1) and (6) of Section 4.07(b) will be included and Restricted Payments made under clauses (2), (3), (4), (5) and (7) of Section 4.07(b) shall not be so included.
The amount of all Restricted Payments (other than cash) will be the Fair Market Value, on the date of the Restricted Payment, of the Restricted Investment proposed to be made or the asset(s) or securities proposed to be transferred or issued by the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, pursuant to the Restricted Payment, except that the Fair Market Value of any non-cash dividend paid within 60 days after the date of declaration will be determined as of such date of declaration. The Fair Market Value of any Restricted Investment, assets or securities that are required to be valued by this covenant will be determined in accordance with the definition of that term. For purposes of determining compliance with Section 4.07(a), (x) in the event that a Restricted Payment (or payment or other transaction that, except for being a transaction expressly excluded from clauses (1), (2) and (3) of Section 4.07(a), or a Permitted Investment, would constitute a Restricted Payment) meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Restricted Payments described in the preceding clauses (1) through (6) of Section 4.07(b), or is permitted pursuant to Section 4.07(a) or is a Permitted Investment, the Company will be permitted to classify (or later classify or reclassify in whole or in part in its sole discretion) such Restricted Payment or other such transaction (or portion thereof) on the date made or later reclassify such Restricted Payment or other such transaction (or portion thereof) in any manner that complies with this Section 4.07; and (y) in the event a Restricted Payment is made pursuant to clause (A) or (B) of Section 4.07(a), the Company will be permitted to classify whether all or any portion thereof is being (and in the absence of such classification shall be deemed to have classified the minimum amount possible as having been) made with Incremental Funds. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the amount of (i) any contribution of Capital Stock (including, without limitation, Capital Stock in Bridger Logistics, LLC and its Subsidiaries) by Ferrellgas Partners to the Company in connection with the Bridger Logistics Acquisition and (ii) any Net Proceeds and Fair Market Value of any property received in consideration of any contribution to capital of the Company in respect of Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) of the Company that are utilized for the consummation of the Bridger Logistics Acquisition will, in each case, be excluded from the calculation of Available Cash and Incremental Funds under Section 4.07(a).
For purposes of Section 4.07 and the definition of Permitted Investments, a contribution, sale or incurrence will be deemed to be substantially concurrent if the related Restricted Payment or purchase, repurchase, redemption, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge, retirement or other acquisition for value or payment of principal or acquisition of assets or Capital Stock occurs within 120 days before or after such contribution, sale or incurrence.
Section 4.08. Dividend and Other Payment Restrictions Affecting Subsidiaries.
(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, create or otherwise cause or suffer to exist or become effective any consensual encumbrance or restriction (other than under this Indenture) on the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to:
(1) pay dividends, in cash or otherwise, or make any other distributions on or with respect to its Capital Stock or any other interest or participation in, or measured by, its profits;
(2) pay any Indebtedness owed to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) make loans or advances to, or any investment in, the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) transfer any of its properties or assets to the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary; or
(5) Guarantee any Indebtedness of the Company or any other Restricted Subsidiary.
(b) The provisions of Section 4.08(a) will not apply to (and therefore the following are permitted) encumbrances or restrictions existing under or by reason of:
(1) applicable law;
(2) any agreement in effect at or entered into on the Issue Date or any agreement relating to any Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Indenture, or with respect to any Credit Facility (including agreements or instruments evidencing Indebtedness incurred after the Issue Date); provided, however, that the encumbrances and restrictions contained in the agreements governing such permitted Indebtedness are not materially more restrictive, taken as a whole, with respect to the payment restrictions than those set forth in the agreements governing the Companys existing Indebtedness as in effect on the Issue Date, as determined in good faith by the Company;
(3) customary non-assignment provisions of any contract or any lease governing a leasehold interest of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary;
(4) purchase money obligations, mortgage financings or Capital Leases for property subject to such obligations;
(5) any agreement or instrument of an entity (or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries) acquired by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary, in existence at the time of the acquisition but not created in contemplation of the acquisition, which encumbrance or restriction is not applicable to any third party other than the entity (or its Restricted Subsidiaries);
(6) provisions contained in instruments relating to Indebtedness which prohibit the transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of the obligor of the Indebtedness unless the transferee shall assume the obligations of the obligor under the agreement or instrument;
(7) customary provisions with respect to the disposition or distribution of assets or property in Joint Venture agreements, asset sale agreements, stock sale agreements, stockholder agreements, partnership or limited liability company agreements, operating agreements and other similar agreements or other customary provisions;
(8) restrictions on cash, Cash Equivalents or other deposits or net worth imposed by customers under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business;
(9) 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, as determined in good faith by the Company;
(10) any customary encumbrances or restrictions imposed pursuant to any agreement of the type described in the definition of Permitted Other Business Investment;
(11) any agreement for the sale or other disposition of all or substantially all the Capital Stock or assets of a Restricted Subsidiary of the Company as to restrictions on distributions by that Restricted Subsidiary pending its sale or other disposition or other customary restrictions pursuant thereto;
(12) 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 repaid, refunded, renewed, replaced, extended, refinanced or exchanged, as applicable, as determined in good faith by the Company;
(13) Liens securing Indebtedness otherwise permitted to be incurred under Section 4.12 that limit the right of the debtor to dispose of the assets subject to such Liens; or
(14) any agreement or instrument relating to any property or assets acquired after the Issue Date, so long as such encumbrance or restriction relates only to the property or assets so acquired and is not and was not created in anticipation of such acquisitions.
Section 4.09. Incurrence of Indebtedness.
(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, create, incur, issue, assume, Guarantee or in any manner become directly or indirectly liable, contingently or otherwise, for the payment of, in each case, to incur, any Indebtedness, unless at the time of the incurrence and after giving pro forma effect to the receipt and application of the proceeds of the Indebtedness, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company would be at least 2.00 to 1.00.
(b) The provisions of Section 4.09(a) will not prohibit the incurrence by the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries of any of the following items of Indebtedness (collectively, Permitted Indebtedness ):
(1) Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date, including the Existing Notes (other than Indebtedness described in clauses (3) and (12) below);
(2) Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary incurred for the making of expenditures for the improvement or repair, to the extent the improvements or repairs may be capitalized in accordance with GAAP, or additions, including by way of acquisitions of businesses and related assets, to the property and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, including, without limitation, the acquisition of assets subject to operating leases, Indebtedness incurred under the Credit Facilities, or incurred by assumption in connection with additions, including additions by way of acquisitions or capital contributions of businesses and related assets, to the property and assets of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, that the aggregate principal amount of this Indebtedness (when taken together with Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (6) below in respect of Indebtedness originally incurred under this clause (2)) outstanding at any time may not exceed the greater of (a) $75 million and (b) 2.5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness;
(3) Indebtedness of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (a) incurred for any purpose permitted under the Credit Facilities or (b) owing in respect of any Accounts Receivable Securitization, operating lease, or other off-balance sheet obligation existing on the Issue Date that arises because, after the Issue Date, such off-balance sheet obligations are refinanced with Indebtedness, provided, that the aggregate principal amount of this Indebtedness outstanding under this clause at any time may not exceed an amount equal to the greater of (x) $800 million and (y) $550 million plus 25% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness;
(4) Indebtedness of the Company owed to the General Partner or an Affiliate of the General Partner that is unsecured and that is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes; provided, that the aggregate principal amount of this Indebtedness (when taken together with Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (6) below in respect of Indebtedness originally incurred under this clause (4)) outstanding at any time under this clause may not exceed $50 million and this Indebtedness has a final maturity date later than the final maturity date of the Notes;
(5) Indebtedness owed by the Company to any Restricted Subsidiary or owed by any Restricted Subsidiary to the Company or to any other Restricted Subsidiary;
(6) Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred in respect of Indebtedness incurred as permitted under the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09(a) above) and clauses (1), (2) and (4) above, this clause (6) and clauses (8), (11) and (13) below;
(7) the incurrence by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of Indebtedness owing directly to its insurance carriers, without duplication, in connection with the Companys, its Subsidiaries or its affiliates self-insurance programs or other similar forms of retained insurable risks for their respective
businesses, consisting of reinsurance agreements and indemnification agreements, and Guarantees of the foregoing, secured by letters of credit; provided , that any Consolidated Fixed Charges associated with the Indebtedness evidenced by such reinsurance agreements, indemnification agreements, Guarantees and letters of credit will be included, without duplication, in any determination of the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio test set forth in Section 4.09(a) above;
(8) Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of Capital Leases , meaning, generally, any lease of any property which would be required to be classified and accounted for as a capital lease on a balance sheet of the lessor; provided, that the aggregate amount of this Indebtedness (when taken together with Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (6) above in respect of Indebtedness originally incurred under this clause (8)) outstanding at any time may not exceed $30 million;
(9) Indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries represented by letters of credit supporting (a) obligations under workmens compensation laws, (b) obligations to suppliers of propane or energy commodity derivative providers in the ordinary course of business consistent with past practices, not to exceed $15 million at any one time outstanding, and (c) the repayment of Indebtedness permitted to be incurred under this Indenture;
(10) bid, appeal, reimbursement, performance, surety and similar bonds and completion guarantees issued or provided by, or for the account of, the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary (a) in the ordinary course of business, (b) in connection with the enforcement of rights or claims of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (c) in connection with judgments that do not result in a Default or Event of Default, and any Guarantees or obligations with respect to letters of credit functioning as or supporting any of the foregoing bonds or obligations and workers compensation claims in the ordinary course of business;
(11) Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred in connection with business acquisitions in favor of the sellers of such businesses in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $70 million at any one time outstanding (including any Permitted Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (6) above in respect of Indebtedness incurred under this clause (11)) determined on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness; provided, that the principal amount of such Indebtedness incurred in connection with any such acquisition shall not exceed the Fair Market Value of the assets so acquired;
(12) the Notes (other than any Additional Notes issued after this offering), the Note Guarantees and the Exchange Notes (and the Guarantees thereof);
(13) the incurrence by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries of Permitted Acquisition Indebtedness;
(14) liability of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in respect of Indebtedness of any Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Joint Venture but only to the extent that such liability is the result of (a) the Companys or such Restricted Subsidiarys being a general partner or member of, or owner of Capital Stock in, such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture and not as guarantor of such Indebtedness and provided that after giving effect to any such incurrence, the aggregate principal amount of all Indebtedness incurred under this clause (14) (a) and then outstanding does not exceed $25 million or (b) the pledge of (or a Guarantee limited in recourse solely to) Capital Stock in such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Joint Venture held by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary to secure such Indebtedness and solely to the extent such Indebtedness constitutes Non-Recourse Debt;
(15) the incurrence by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness consisting of the financing of insurance premiums in customary amounts consistent with the operations and business of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries;
(16) the Guarantee by the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries of Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries that was permitted to be incurred by another provision of this Section 4.09;
(17) the incurrence of Indebtedness by any of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent the net proceeds thereof are concurrently (a) used to redeem all of the outstanding Notes or (b) deposited to effect legal defeasance or covenant defeasance or satisfy and discharge this Indenture as described in Section 8.02 and Section 11.01;
(18) the incurrence of any obligations to any lender in respect of treasury management arrangements, depositary or other cash management services, including any treasury management line of credit;
(19) the incurrence of in-kind obligations relating to net Hydrocarbon balancing positions arising in the ordinary course of business; and
(20) additional Indebtedness of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries in an aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the greater of (a) $50 million and (b) 5% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness.
For purposes of determining compliance with this Section 4.09:
(1) in the event that an item of Indebtedness meets the criteria of more than one of the categories of Permitted Indebtedness or is entitled to be incurred in compliance with the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio in Section 4.09(a), the Company may, in its sole discretion, classify (or later reclassify) in whole or in part such items of Indebtedness in any manner that complies with this Section 4.09, and such item of Indebtedness or a portion thereof may be classified (or later reclassified) in whole or in part as having been incurred under more than one of the applicable clauses of Permitted Indebtedness or in compliance with the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio in Section 4.09(a); and
(2) all Indebtedness outstanding on the Issue Date under the Credit Agreement shall be deemed Incurred under clause (3) of Section 4.09(b) and may not be reclassified in the future.
The amount or principal amount of any Indebtedness or Preferred Stock or Redeemable Capital Stock outstanding at any time of determination as used herein shall be as set forth below or, if not set forth below, determined in accordance with GAAP:
(1) the accreted value of the Indebtedness, in the case of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount;
(2) the principal amount of the Indebtedness, in the case of any other Indebtedness;
(3) in respect of Indebtedness of another Person secured by a Lien on the assets of the specified Person, the lesser of:
(a) the Fair Market Value of such assets at the date of determination; and
(b) the amount of the Indebtedness of the other Person;
(4) in the case of any Capital Lease obligation, the amount of Indebtedness represented by such obligation being the capitalized amount of such obligation determined in accordance with GAAP, and the stated maturity thereof being 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 prepaid by the lessee without payment of a penalty;
(5) in the case of any Redeemable Capital Stock, as specified in the definition thereof;
(6) in the case of all other unconditional obligations, the amount of the liability thereof determined in accordance with GAAP; and
(7) in the case of all other contingent obligations, the maximum liability at such date of such Person.
For purposes of determining any particular amount of Indebtedness, if obligations in respect of letters of credit are incurred pursuant to a Credit Facility and are being treated as incurred pursuant to clause (3) of the definition of Permitted Indebtedness and the letters of credit relate to other Indebtedness, then the amount of such other Indebtedness equal to the face amount of such letters of credit 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.
Section 4.10. Asset Sales.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, complete an Asset Sale unless:
(1) the Company or its Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, receives consideration at the time of such Asset Sale at least equal to the Fair Market Value, as determined in good faith by the Company, of the assets sold or otherwise disposed of; and
(2) if such Asset Sale involves assets with a fair market value in excess of $10 million, at least 75% of the consideration therefor received by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary is in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents.
For purposes of determining the amount of cash received in an Asset Sale, each of the following shall be deemed to be cash:
(1) the amount of any liabilities on the Companys or any Restricted Subsidiarys balance sheet that are assumed by the transferee of the assets;
(2) the amount of any notes or other obligations received by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary from the transferee that is converted within 180 days by the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary into cash, to the extent of the cash received;
(3) any assets used or useful in or related to a Permitted Business; and
(4) any Designated Non-Cash Consideration received by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Asset Sale having an aggregate Fair Market Value, taken together with all other Designated Non-Cash Consideration received since the Issue Date pursuant to this clause (4) that is at that time outstanding, not to exceed the greater of (i) $50 million and (ii) 10% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets determined on the date of the receipt of such Designated Non-Cash Consideration (with the Fair Market Value of each item of Designated Non-Cash Consideration being as determined in good faith by the Company and measured at the time received and without giving effect to subsequent changes in value).
Furthermore, the 75% limitation will not apply to any Asset Sale in which the cash portion of the consideration received is equal to or greater than the after-tax proceeds would have been had the Asset Sale complied with the 75% limitation.
If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries receives Net Proceeds exceeding $20 million from one or more Asset Sales in any fiscal year, then within 365 days after the date the aggregate amount of Net Proceeds exceeds $20 million, or if the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries has entered into a binding commitment or commitments with respect to any of the actions described in clause (3) below, within the later of (x) 365 days
after the date the aggregate amount of Net Proceeds exceeds $20 million or (y) 180 days after the entering into such commitment or commitments, the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary must apply the amount of such Net Proceeds either:
(1) to reduce Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries that is secured by a Lien permitted to be incurred under this Indenture (including Indebtedness under the Credit Agreement);
(2) to prepay, repay, redeem or purchase any other Senior Indebtedness; or
(3) to make an investment (including by acquisition) in assets or capital expenditures used or useful in or related to a Permitted Business.
Pending the final application of any such Net Proceeds, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may temporarily reduce borrowings under the Credit Facilities or otherwise invest such Net Proceeds in any manner that is not prohibited by this Indenture.
Any Net Proceeds from Asset Sales that are not applied or invested as provided above will be considered Excess Proceeds . When the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $20 million, within 15 days thereof, the Issuers will make an Asset Sale Offer to all Holders of Notes and all holders of other Indebtedness outstanding that is pari passu with the Notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in this Indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets in accordance with Section 3.09 hereof to purchase for cash the maximum principal amount of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds. The offer price in any Asset Sale Offer will be equal to 100% of principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of purchase. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes tendered in response to the Issuers purchase offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may use such deficiency for general business purposes. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness tendered into such Asset Sale Offer exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness to be purchased on pro rata basis in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness tendered in accordance with the procedures for selection set forth in Section 3.02. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds shall be reset at zero.
The Issuers will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent such laws and regulations are applicable in connection with each repurchase of Notes pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of Sections 3.09 or 4.10 of this Indenture, the Issuers will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached their obligations under Sections 3.09 or 4.10 of this Indenture by virtue of such conflict.
Section 4.11. Transactions with Affiliates.
(a) The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, enter into or make or amend any transaction or series of related transactions, including the sale, transfer, disposition, purchase, exchange or lease of assets, property or services, with, or for the benefit of any affiliates of the Company involving aggregate payments or value in excess of $2 million (an Affiliate Transaction ) unless:
(1) transaction or series of related transactions are on terms, taken as a whole, that are no less favorable to the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those which would have been obtained in a comparable transaction at such time from an entity that is not an affiliate of the Company or Restricted Subsidiary; and
(2) with respect to transaction(s) involving aggregate payments or value equal to or greater than $25 million, the Company shall have delivered an Officers Certificate to the Trustee certifying that the
transaction(s) is on terms, taken as a whole, that are no less favorable to the Company or the Restricted Subsidiary than those which would have been obtained from an entity that is not an affiliate of the Company or Restricted Subsidiary and, with respect to transaction(s) involving aggregate payments or value equal to or greater than $50 million, has been approved by a majority of the Companys Board of Directors, including a majority of the disinterested directors.
(b) The following items will not be deemed to be Affiliate Transactions and, therefore, will not be subject to the provisions of Section 4.11(a):
(1) any Restricted Payment permitted to be made pursuant to Section 4.07 or any Permitted Investment
(2) transactions or series of related transactions between the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries or between Restricted Subsidiaries;
(3) indemnities of officers, directors and employees of the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries permitted by bylaw, partnership agreement, operating agreement or statutory provisions and any employment agreement or other employee compensation plan or arrangement or other benefits entered into in the ordinary course of business by the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries;
(4) the entering into of any employment agreement, stock option agreement, restricted stock agreement, employee stock ownership plan related agreements, or similar agreement and arrangements, in the ordinary course of business;
(5) transactions in the ordinary course of business in connection with reinsuring the self-insurance programs or other similar forms of retained insurable risks of Permitted Businesses operated by the Company, its Subsidiaries and affiliates;
(6) any Accounts Receivable Securitization;
(7) any affiliate trading transactions done in the ordinary course of business;
(8) any transaction that is a Flow-Through Acquisition;
(9) transactions with a Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) that is an Affiliate of the Company solely because the Company owns, directly or through a Restricted Subsidiary, an Equity Interest in, or otherwise controls, such Person;
(10) sales of Capital Stock (other than Redeemable Capital Stock) to Affiliates of the Company, or receipt by the Company of capital contributions from holders of its Capital Stock;
(11) any transaction in which the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, as the case may be, delivers to the Trustee opinion from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of national standing stating that such transaction is fair to the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary from a financial point of view or that such transaction meets the requirements of clause (1) of Section 4.11(a);
(12) transactions in respect of the Companys partnership agreement or any other agreement to which the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries is a party as of or on the Issue Date, as these agreements may be amended, modified, supplemented, extended, replaced or renewed from time to time or any agreement entered into in the future similar to any such agreement; provided, however, that any future amendment, modification, supplement, extension or renewal or future or replacement agreement entered into after the Issue Date will be permitted to the extent that its terms are not materially more disadvantageous, taken as a whole, to the Holders than the terms of the agreements in effect on the Issue Date as determined in good faith by the Company;
(13) in the case of contracts for gathering, transporting, compressing, treating, processing, fractionating, marketing, selling, distributing, storing, refining or otherwise handling Hydrocarbons, hedging agreements or arrangements, and production handling, operating, construction, terminaling, storage, lease, platform use, or other operational contracts, any such contracts 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 neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has entered into a similar contract with a third party, then the terms are no less favorable than those available from third parties on an arms-length basis, in each case as determined in good faith by the Company;
(14) transactions with Unrestricted Subsidiaries, customers, clients, suppliers or purchasers or sellers of goods or services, or lessors or lessees of property, in each case in the ordinary course of business and otherwise in compliance with the terms of this Indenture which are, in the aggregate (taking into account all the costs and benefits associated with such transactions), not materially less favorable to the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries than those contained in similar contracts entered into by the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries with unrelated third parties, or if neither the Company nor any Restricted Subsidiary has entered into a similar contract with a third party, then on the terms no less favorable than those available from third parties on an arms-length basis, in each case as determined in good faith by the Company; and
(15) (a) guarantees by the Company or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries of performance of obligations of Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Joint Ventures 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 (or any Guarantee by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary limited in recourse solely to) Capital Stock in Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Joint Ventures for the benefit of lenders or other creditors of Unrestricted Subsidiaries or Joint Ventures as contemplated by clause (21) of the definition of Permitted Liens.
In addition, if the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries purchases or otherwise acquires assets or properties from a Person which is not an Affiliate, the purchase or acquisition by an Affiliate of the Company of an interest in all or a portion of the assets or properties acquired shall not be deemed an Affiliate Transaction (or cause such purchase or acquisition by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to be deemed an Affiliate Transaction), and if the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries sells, conveys or otherwise disposes of assets or other properties to a Person who is not an Affiliate, the sale or other disposition by an Affiliate of the Company of an interest in all or a portion of the assets or properties sold shall not be deemed an Affiliate Transaction (or cause such sale or other disposition by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to be deemed an Affiliate Transaction).
Section 4.12. Liens.
The Company will not, and will not permit any of its Restricted Subsidiaries to, incur any Liens securing other Indebtedness, unless the Lien is a Permitted Lien or the Notes and the Note Guarantees are directly secured equally and ratably with the obligation or liability secured by such Lien until such time as such other Indebtedness is no longer secured by a Lien (other than a Permitted Lien). Any Lien so created for the benefit of the Holders shall provide by its terms that such Lien shall be automatically and unconditionally released upon such other Indebtedness no longer being so secured.
Section 4.13. Corporate Existence.
Subject to Article 5 hereof, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect:
(1) its partnership existence, and the corporate, partnership or other existence of each of its Restricted Subsidiaries, in accordance with the respective organizational documents (as the same may be amended from time to time) of the Company or any such Restricted Subsidiary; and
(2) the rights (charter and statutory), licenses and franchises of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Company shall not be required to preserve any such right, license or franchise, or the corporate, partnership or other existence of any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, if the Board
of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.
Section 4.14. Offer to Repurchase Upon Change of Control.
(a) Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control, the Issuers will make an offer (a Change of Control Offer ) to each Holder to repurchase, in cash, all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of that Holders Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes or portion of Notes validly tendered for payment thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes repurchased, if any, to the date of purchase (the Change of Control Payment ). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Issuers will mail a notice to each Holder describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control and stating:
(1) that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Section 4.14 and that all Notes tendered will be accepted for payment;
(2) the purchase price and the purchase date, which shall be no earlier than 15 days nor later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the Change of Control Payment Date );
(3) that any Note not tendered will continue to accrue interest;
(4) that, unless the Issuers defaults in the payment of the Change of Control Payment, all Notes accepted for payment pursuant to the Change of Control Offer will cease to accrue interest after the Change of Control Payment Date;
(5) that Holders electing to have any Notes purchased pursuant to a Change of Control Offer will be required to surrender the Notes, with the form entitled Option of Holder to Elect Purchase on the reverse of the Notes completed, to the Paying Agent at the address specified in the notice prior to the close of business on the third Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date;
(6) that Holders will be entitled to withdraw any election to have their Notes purchased if the Paying Agent receives, not later than the close of business on the second Business Day preceding the Change of Control Payment Date, a facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of the Holder, the principal amount of Notes delivered for purchase, and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing his election to have the Notes purchased; and
(7) that Holders whose Notes are being purchased only in part will be issued new Notes equal in principal amount to the unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, which unpurchased portion must be equal to $2,000 in principal amount or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.
The Issuers will comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the provisions of Sections 3.09 or 4.14 of this Indenture, the Issuers will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached their obligations under Section 3.09 or this Section 4.14 by virtue of such conflict.
(b) On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuers will, to the extent lawful:
(1) accept for payment all Notes or portions thereof properly tendered in accordance with the Change of Control Offer;
(2) deposit an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment for the Notes with the Paying Agent in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and
(3) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes so accepted together with an Officers Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being tendered to the Issuers.
The Paying Agent will promptly mail to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Change of Control Payment for such Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book entry) to each Holder a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of the Notes surrendered, if any; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $2,000 in excess thereof. The Issuers will publicly announce the results of the Change of Control Offer on or as soon as practicable after the Change of Control Payment Date.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 4.14, the Issuers will not be required to make a Change of Control Offer 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 Section 4.14 and Section 3.09 hereof and purchases all Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under the Change of Control Offer.
(d) A Change of Control Offer may be made in advance of a Change of Control, and conditioned upon the occurrence of such Change of Control, if a definitive agreement is in place for the Change of Control at the time of making the Change of Control Offer.
(e) In the event that Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes accept a Change of Control Offer and the Company, or any third party making such Change of Control Offer in lieu of the Company as described above in this Section 4.14, purchases all of the Notes held by such Holders, the Company will have the right, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such 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 in cash equal to the Change of Control Payment plus, to the extent not included in the Change of Control Payment, accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such Notes that remain outstanding, to the date of redemption (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on an interest payment date that is on or prior to the redemption date).
Section 4.15. Limitation on Finance Corp.
In addition to the restrictions set forth under Section 4.09 hereof, Finance Corp. will not incur any Indebtedness unless:
(1) the Company is a co-obligor or guarantor of the Indebtedness; or
(2) the net proceeds of the Indebtedness are either lent to the Company, used to acquire outstanding debt securities issued by the Company, or used, directly or indirectly, to refinance or discharge Indebtedness permitted under the limitation of this Section 4.15.
Finance Corp. will not engage in any business not related, directly or indirectly, to obtaining money or arranging financing for the Company.
Section 4.16. Effectiveness of Covenants.
(a) From and after the occurrence of an Investment Grade Rating Event, the Issuers and their Restricted Subsidiaries will no longer be subject to the following provisions of this Indenture: Sections 3.09, 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11 and 5.01(a)(4) (collectively, the Suspended Covenants ).
(b) If at any date (each such date, a Reversion Date ) the credit rating of the Notes is downgraded from an Investment Grade Rating by either Rating Agency, then the Suspended Covenants will thereafter be reinstated and again be applicable pursuant to the terms of this Indenture, unless and until the occurrence of a subsequent Investment Grade Rating Event.
(c) The period of time between the occurrence of an Investment Grade Rating Event and the Reversion Date is referred to in this Indenture as the Suspension Period . Calculations made after the Reversion Date of the amount available to be made as Restricted Payments under Section 4.07 will be made as though Section 4.07 had been in effect at all times since the Issue Date, including during any Suspension Period. Any Indebtedness incurred during any Suspension Period would be deemed to be Permitted Indebtedness subsequent to the Reversion Date. Neither the failure of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to comply with a Suspended Covenant during any Suspension Period nor compliance by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries with any contractual obligation entered into in compliance with this Indenture during any Suspension Period will constitute a Default, Event of Default or breach of any kind under this Indenture or the Notes.
(d) During any Suspension Period, the Company may not designate any of its Subsidiaries as Unrestricted Subsidiaries.
(e) The Company, in an Officers Certificate, shall promptly provide the Trustee written notice of any suspension of covenants pursuant to this Section 4.16 or any Reversion Date. The Trustee will have no obligation to (i) independently determine or verify if such events have occurred, (ii) make any determination regarding the impact of actions taken during the Suspension Period on the Issuers future compliance with their covenants or (iii) notify the Holders of a suspension of covenants pursuant to this Section 4.16 or any Reversion Date.
Section 4.17. Additional Note Guarantees.
If, after the Issue Date, any Restricted Subsidiary that is not already a Guarantor Guarantees or otherwise becomes an obligor under any other Indebtedness of either of the Issuers or any of the Guarantors (other than intercompany Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (5) of Section 4.09(b)) in excess of the De Minimis Guaranteed Amount, then such Restricted Subsidiary must become a Guarantor by executing a supplemental indenture in the form of Exhibit E (or otherwise reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee) and delivering an Opinion of Counsel as to the satisfaction of conditions precedent to the Trustee within 30 days of the date on which such Restricted Subsidiary become such an obligor on such Indebtedness. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Note Guarantee of a Restricted Subsidiary that was incurred pursuant to this paragraph shall provide by its terms that it shall be automatically and unconditionally released upon any of the conditions specified in clauses (1) to (6) of Section 10.05.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Foreign Subsidiary that has Guaranteed (or is otherwise an obligor of) other Indebtedness of either Issuer or any Guarantor in excess of the De Minimis Guaranteed Amount shall be required to execute any such supplemental indenture unless such Foreign Subsidiary has guaranteed (or is otherwise an obligor of) other Indebtedness of either Issuer or a Guarantor that is not a Foreign Subsidiary in excess of the De Minimis Guaranteed Amount.
ARTICLE 5.
SUCCESSORS
Section 5.01. Merger, Consolidation, or Sale of Assets.
(a) The Company shall not consolidate or merge with or into, or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets, in one or more related transactions, to another Person unless:
(1) the Company is the surviving Person or the Person formed by or surviving the transaction, if other than the Company, or the Person to which the sale was made is a corporation or partnership organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
(2) the Person formed by or surviving the transaction, if other than the Company, or the Person to which the disposition was made assumes all the obligations of the Company in accordance with a supplemental indenture in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, under the Notes and this Indenture;
(3) immediately after the transaction, no Default or Event of Default exists;
(4) at the time of the transaction and after giving pro forma effect to it as if the transaction had occurred at the beginning of the applicable four-quarter period, either (a) the Company or such other Person is permitted to incur at least $1.00 of additional Indebtedness in accordance with the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio in accordance with Section 4.09(a) hereof, or (b) the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company or such other Person is equal to or greater than the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio of the Company immediately before such transaction; and
(5) if a supplemental indenture is required pursuant to clause (2), unless a Guarantor is a party to the merger, consolidation or disposition, such Guarantor shall have by supplemental indenture confirmed that its Note Guarantee shall apply to such Persons obligations in respect of this Indenture and the Notes.
This Section 5.01(a) will not apply to a sale, assignment, transfer, conveyance or other disposition of assets between or among the Company and any of its Restricted Subsidiaries. Finance Corp. will not consolidate or merge with or into, whether or not it is the surviving entity, or sell, assign, transfer, lease, convey or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its properties or assets in one or more related transactions to, another entity except under conditions similar to those described in clauses (1), (2), (3) and (5) of this Section 5.01(a).
(b) Notwithstanding Sections 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.11, 4.12, 5.01(a) and 10.04, the Bridger Logistics Acquisition and the related transactions will be permitted under this Indenture.
(c) Notwithstanding Section 5.01(a), the Company may reorganize as any other form of entity in accordance with the following procedures, provided that:
(1) the reorganization involves the conversion (by merger, sale, contribution or exchange of assets or otherwise) of the Company into a form of entity other than a limited partnership formed under Delaware law;
(2) the entity so formed by or resulting from such reorganization is an entity organized or existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
(3) the entity so formed by or resulting from such reorganization assumes all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture pursuant to agreements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee;
(4) immediately after such reorganization no Default or Event of Default exists; and
(5) such reorganization is not materially adverse to the Holders (for purposes of this clause (5) a reorganization will not be considered materially adverse to the Holders solely because the successor or survivor of such reorganization (a) is subject to federal or state income taxation as an entity or (b) is considered to be an includible corporation of an affiliated group of corporations within the meaning of Section 1504(b) of the Code or any similar state or local law).
(d) Notwithstanding anything in this Indenture to the contrary, in the event the Company becomes a corporation or the Company or the Person formed by or surviving any consolidation or merger to which the Company is a party (permitted in accordance with the terms of the Indenture) is a corporation, Finance Corp. may be dissolved and may cease to be an Issuer; provided that , to the extent the Company or any Person formed by or surviving any such consolidation or merger is not a corporation, Finance Corp. shall not be dissolved and shall not cease to be an Issuer. .
Section 5.02. Successor Corporation Substituted.
Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company or Finance Corp. in a transaction that is subject to, and that complies with the provisions of, Section 5.01 hereof, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company or Finance Corp., as applicable, is merged or to which such sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company or Finance Corp., as applicable, under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company or Finance Corp., as applicable, herein (so that from and after the date of such consolidation, merger, sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition, the provisions of this Indenture referring to the Company or Finance Corp., as applicable, shall refer instead to the successor corporation and not to the Company or Finance Corp., as applicable) and (except in the case of a lease of all or substantially all the properties assets of the Company or Finance Corp., as applicable) such predecessor Issuer shall be discharged and released from all of its obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Notes and the Trustee shall enter into a supplemental indenture to evidence the succession and substitution of such successor and such discharge and release of such predecessor Issuer.
ARTICLE 6.
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES
Section 6.01. Events of Default.
Each of the following is an Event of Default:
(1) default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, upon stated maturity, acceleration, optional redemption, required purchase (including the Special Mandatory Redemption), scheduled principal payment or otherwise;
(2) default in the payment of an installment of interest on any of the Notes, when the same becomes due and payable, which default continues for a period of 30 days;
(3) failure to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in the Notes or this Indenture, other than a default specified in either Section 6.01(1) or (2) above, and the default continues for a period of 45 days (or, solely in the case of a default in a term, covenant or agreement described under Section 4.03, 180 days) after written notice of the default requiring the Issuers to remedy the same will have been given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Issuers and the Trustee by Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding;
(4) default or defaults under one or more agreements, instruments, mortgages, bonds, debentures or other evidences of Indebtedness under which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company then has outstanding Indebtedness in excess of $50 million, if the default:
(a) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on to such Indebtedness within the applicable grace period, if any, provided with respect to such Indebtedness (a Payment Default); or
(b) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its stated maturity;
provided , however , that if any such Payment Default is cured or waived or any such acceleration rescinded, or such Indebtedness is repaid, within a period of 60 days from the continuation of such Payment Default beyond the applicable grace period or the occurrence of such acceleration, as the case may be, such Event of Default and any consequential acceleration of the Notes shall be automatically rescinded, so long as such rescission does not conflict with any judgment or decree;
(5) a final judgment or judgments, which is or are non-appealable and non-reviewable or which has or have not been stayed pending appeal or review or as to which all rights to appeal or review have expired or been exhausted, shall be rendered against the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary, or the General Partner provided such judgment or judgments requires or require the payment of money in excess of $50 million, in the aggregate and is not covered by insurance or discharged or stayed pending appeal or review within 60 days after entry of such judgment; in the event of a stay, the judgment shall not be discharged within 30 days after the stay expires;
(6) the Issuers or any of their Significant Subsidiaries pursuant to or within the meaning of Bankruptcy Law:
(A) commences a voluntary case,
(B) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,
(C) consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,
(D) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or
(E) generally is not paying its debts as they become due; or
(7) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:
(A) is for relief against the Issuers or any of their Significant Subsidiaries in an involuntary case;
(B) appoints a custodian of the Issuers or any of their Significant Subsidiaries or for all or substantially all of the property of the Issuers or any of their Significant Subsidiaries; or
(C) orders the liquidation of the Issuers or any of their Significant Subsidiaries;
and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days; and
(8) any Note Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of this Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary denies or disaffirms (in a manner having legal effect) its obligations under this Indenture or its Note Guarantee.
Section 6.02. Acceleration.
In the case of an Event of Default specified in clause (6) or (7) of Section 6.01 hereof, with respect to the Company, Finance Corp. 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 principal amount of the applicable series of Notes then outstanding may declare all the Notes of that series to be due and payable immediately.
Upon any such declaration, the Notes shall become due and payable immediately. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of a series of Notes issued under this Indenture and then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of all of the Holders of that series rescind an acceleration and its consequences if the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree and if all existing Events of Default (except nonpayment of principal, interest or premium that has become due solely because of the acceleration) have been cured or waived.
If an Event of Default by reason of any action (or inaction) taken (or not taken) by or on behalf of the Issuers with the willful intention of avoiding payment of the premium that the Issuers would have had to pay if the Issuers then had elected to redeem the Notes pursuant to Section 3.07 hereof, then, upon acceleration of the Notes, an equivalent premium shall also become and be immediately due and payable, to the extent permitted by law, anything in this Indenture or in the Notes to the contrary notwithstanding.
Section 6.03. Other Remedies.
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, and interest on the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.
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 of a Note in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon 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.
Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of a series of Notes issued under this Indenture and then outstanding by notice to the Trustee for those Notes may on behalf of the Holders of the Notes of that series waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences hereunder, except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, the Notes; provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.
Section 6.05. Control by Majority.
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 of that series of Notes or exercising any trust or power conferred on it. However, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture that the Trustee determines may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Holders of Notes or that may subject the Trustee to personal liability.
Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits.
A Holder of a Note may pursue a remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes only if:
(1) the Holder of a Note gives to the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;
(2) the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;
(3) such Holder of a Note or Holders of Notes offer and, if requested, provide to the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense;
(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 do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request.
A Holder of a Note may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder of a Note or to obtain a preference or priority over another Holder of a Note (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Holders).
Section 6.07. Rights of Holders of Notes to Receive Payment.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in the 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 clause (1) or (2) of Section 6.01 hereof occurs and is continuing, the Trustee is authorized to recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuers for the whole amount of principal of, premium, if any, and interest remaining unpaid on the Notes and interest on overdue principal 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.
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 Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders of the Notes allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuers (or any other obligor upon the Notes), their creditors or their property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect, receive and distribute any money or other 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 7.07 hereof. 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 7.07 hereof 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.
If the Trustee collects any money pursuant to this Article 6, it shall pay out the money in the following order:
First : to the Trustee, its agents and attorneys for amounts due under Section 7.07 hereof, 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 of Notes for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal, premium, if any, and 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 Issuers or to such party as a court of competent jurisdiction shall direct.
The Trustee may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders of Notes pursuant to this Section 6.10.
Section 6.11. Undertaking for Costs.
In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as 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, 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 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder of a Note pursuant to Section 6.07 hereof, or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes.
ARTICLE 7.
TRUSTEE
Section 7.01. Duties of Trustee.
(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee will exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and, in the exercise of its power, use the same degree of care and skill in its exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such persons own affairs.
(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:
(1) the duties of the Trustee will be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture and the Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others, 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. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee will examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.
(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liabilities for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:
(1) this paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section 7.01;
(2) the Trustee will not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and
(3) the Trustee will not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05 hereof.
(d) Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this Section 7.01.
(e) No provision of this Indenture will require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or incur any liability. The Trustee will be under no obligation to exercise any of its rights and powers under this Indenture at the request of any Holders, unless such Holder has offered to the Trustee security and indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.
(f) The Trustee will not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuers. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
Section 7.02. Rights of Trustee.
(a) The Trustee may conclusively rely upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.
(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers Certificate or an Opinion of Counsel or both. The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers Certificate or Opinion of Counsel. The Trustee may consult with counsel and the written opinion or advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel will 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.
(c) 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 shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.
(d) Except with respect to Section 4.01 hereof, the Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance of the Issuers covenants in Article 4 hereof. In addition, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of any Default or Event of Default except (i) any Event of Default occurring pursuant to Sections 6.01(1), 6.01(2) and 4.01 hereof or (ii) any Default or Event of Default of which the Trustee shall have received written notification in the manner set forth in this Indenture or an Officer in the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee shall have obtained actual knowledge. Delivery of reports, information and documents to the Trustee under Section 4.03 is for informational purposes only and the Trustees receipt of the foregoing shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Issuers compliance with any of their covenants thereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officers Certificate.)
(e) The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and will not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care.
(f) The Trustee will not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith that it believes to be authorized or within the rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.
(g) Unless otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, any demand, request, direction or notice from the Issuers will be sufficient if signed by an Officer of the Issuers.
(h) The Trustee will 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 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.
(i) In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, punitive or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action.
(j) The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.
(k) The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder.
(l) The Trustee may request that the Issuers deliver a certificate setting forth the names of individuals and/or titles of officers authorized at such time to take specified actions pursuant to this Indenture.
Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee.
The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuers or any Affiliate of the Issuers with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. However, in the event that the Trustee acquires any conflicting interest it must eliminate such conflict within 90 days, apply to the SEC for permission to continue as trustee or resign. Any Agent may do the same with like rights and duties. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11 hereof.
Section 7.04. Trustees Disclaimer.
The Trustee will not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Issuers use of the proceeds from the Notes or any money paid to the Issuers or upon the Issuers direction under any provision of this Indenture, it will not be responsible for the use or application of any money received by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee, and it will not be responsible for any statement or recital herein or any statement in the Notes or any other document in connection with the sale of the Notes or pursuant to this Indenture other than its certificate of authentication.
Section 7.05. Notice of Defaults.
If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing and if it is known to the Trustee, the Trustee will mail to Holders of Notes a notice of the Default or Event of Default within 90 days after it occurs.
Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders of the Notes.
(a) Within 60 days after each May 15 beginning with the May 15 following the date of this Indenture, and for so long as Notes remain outstanding, the Trustee will mail to the Holders of the Notes a brief report dated as of such reporting date that complies with TIA § 313(a) (but if no event described in TIA § 313(a) has occurred within the twelve months preceding the reporting date, no report need be transmitted). The Trustee also will comply with TIA § 313(b)(2). The Trustee will also transmit by mail all reports as required by TIA § 313(c).
(b) A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to the Holders of Notes will be mailed by the Trustee to the Issuers and filed by the Trustee with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Notes are listed in accordance with TIA § 313(d). The Issuers will promptly notify the Trustee in writing when the Notes are listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.
Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity.
(a) The Issuers will pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as shall be agreed in writing between the Trustee and the Issuers for its acceptance of this Indenture and services hereunder. The Trustees compensation will not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuers will reimburse the Trustee promptly upon request for all reasonable disbursements, advances and expenses
incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services. Such expenses will include the reasonable compensation, disbursements and expenses of the Trustees agents and counsel.
(b) The Issuers and the Guarantors will indemnify the Trustee against any and all losses, liabilities or 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 Issuers and the Guarantors (including this Section 7.07) and defending itself against any claim (whether asserted by the Issuers 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 attributable to its negligence or bad faith. The Trustee will notify the Issuers promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee to so notify the Issuers will not relieve the Issuers or any of the Guarantors of their obligations hereunder. The Issuers or such Guarantors will defend the claim and the Trustee will cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have separate counsel and the Issuers will pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Issuers nor any Guarantor need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent will not be unreasonably withheld.
(c) The obligations of the Issuers and the Guarantors under this Section 7.07 will survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
(d) To secure the Issuers and the Guarantors payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee will have a claim prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes. Such claim will survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
(e) When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(6) or 6.01(7) hereof occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services (including the fees and expenses of its agents and counsel) are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law.
(f) The Trustee will comply with the provisions of TIA § 313(b)(2) to the extent applicable.
Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee.
(a) A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee will become effective only upon the successor Trustees acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section 7.08.
(b) The Trustee may resign in writing at any time and be discharged from the trust hereby created by so notifying the Issuers. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Trustee and the Issuers in writing. The Issuers may remove the Trustee if:
(1) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10 hereof;
(2) the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;
(3) a custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or
(4) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.
(c) If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Issuers will promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Issuers.
(d) If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Issuers, or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may petition, at the expense of the Issuers, any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(e) If the Trustee, after written request by any Holder who has been a Holder for at least six months, fails to comply with Section 7.10, such Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.
(f) A successor Trustee will deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuers. Thereupon, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee will become effective, and the successor Trustee will have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee will mail a notice of its succession to Holders. The retiring Trustee will promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, provided all sums owing to the Trustee hereunder have been paid and subject to the claim provided for in Section 7.07 hereof. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Issuers obligations under Section 7.07 hereof will continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.
Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger, etc.
If the Trustee consolidates, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act will be the successor Trustee.
Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification.
There will at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state thereof that is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trustee power, that is subject to supervision or examination by federal or state authorities and that has a combined capital and surplus of at least $50 million as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition.
This Indenture will always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA § 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee is subject to TIA § 310(b).
Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuers.
The Trustee is subject to TIA § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA § 311(a) to the extent indicated therein.
ARTICLE 8.
LEGAL DEFEASANCE AND COVENANT DEFEASANCE
Section 8.01. Option to Effect Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.
The Issuers may, at the option of the Board of Directors of the General Partner, on the Issuers behalf, and the Board of Directors of Finance Corp., and at any time, elect to have Section 8.02 hereof be applied to all outstanding Notes and Note Guarantees upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article 8. The Issuers may, at their option and at any time, elect to have Section 8.03 hereof be applied to all outstanding Notes and Note Guarantees upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Article 8.
Section 8.02. Legal Defeasance and Discharge.
Upon the Issuers exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.02, the Issuers and the Guarantors will, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes and Note Guarantees on
the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, Legal Defeasance ). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Issuers will be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes, which will thereafter be deemed to be outstanding only for the purposes of Section 8.05 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (1) and (2) below, and to have satisfied all their other obligations under such Notes and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuers, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which will survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:
(1) the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive payments in respect of the principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on such Notes when such payments are due from the trust referred to in Section 8.04 hereof;
(2) the Issuers obligations with respect to the Notes concerning issuing temporary Notes, registration of Notes or mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes under Article 2;
(3) the Issuers obligation to maintain an office or agency for payment under Section 4.02 hereof and money for security payments held in trust;
(4) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Issuers obligations in connection therewith; and
(5) the legal defeasance and covenant defeasance provisions of this Article 8.
Subject to compliance with this Article 8, the Issuers may exercise their option under this Section 8.02 notwithstanding the prior exercise of their option under Section 8.03 hereof.
Section 8.03. Covenant Defeasance.
Upon the Issuers exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03, the Issuers and the Guarantors will, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, be released from each of their obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 4.07, 4.08, 4.09, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.14 and 4.15 hereof and clause (4) of Section 5.01(a) hereof with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof are satisfied (hereinafter, Covenant Defeasance ), and the Notes will thereafter be deemed not outstanding for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but will continue to be deemed outstanding for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes will not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Issuers may omit to comply with and will 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 will not constitute a Default or an Event of Default under Section 6.01 hereof, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes will be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Issuers exercise under Section 8.01 hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.03 hereof, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.04 hereof, Section 6.01(3) through (5) hereof will not constitute an Event of Default.
Section 8.04. Conditions to Legal or Covenant Defeasance.
In order to exercise either Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance under either Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof:
(1) the Issuers must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, (x) cash in United States dollars, (y) non-callable U.S. government securities, or (z) a combination thereof, in amounts sufficient (in the case of clause (y) or (z), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm), to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and
interest on the outstanding Notes on the stated maturity date for payment thereof or on the applicable redemption date, as the case may be;
(2) the Issuers will deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that:
(a) all conditions precedent provided for or relating to the Legal Defeasance or the Covenant Defeasance have been complied with;
(b) in the case of an election under Section 8.02 hereof, that the Issuers have received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or since the date of this Indenture, there shall have been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon, the Holders 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; and
(c) in the case of an election under Section 8.03 hereof, that the Holders 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;
(3) the Issuers must deliver to the Trustee an Officers Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Issuers with the intent of preferring the Holders of Notes over the other creditors of the Issuers or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Issuers;
(4) no 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 borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit (and any other substantially contemporaneous deposit relating to other Indebtedness) and the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit); and
(5) such Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance will not result in a breach, violation of, or constitute a default under, any material agreement or instrument (other than this Indenture and the agreements governing other Indebtedness being contemporaneously defeased, discharged or replaced) to which the Issuers or any of their Restricted Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuers or any of their Restricted Subsidiaries is bound.
Section 8.05. Deposited Money and Government Securities to be Held in Trust; Other Miscellaneous Provisions.
Subject to Section 8.06 hereof, all money and non-callable Government Securities (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee, collectively for purposes of this Section 8.05, the Trustee ) pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof in respect of the outstanding Notes will be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuers or any of their Restricted Subsidiaries 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, if any, and interest, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.
The Issuers will pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the cash or non-callable Government Securities deposited pursuant to Section 8.04 hereof 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.
Notwithstanding anything in this Article 8 to the contrary, the Trustee will deliver or pay to the Issuers from time to time upon the written request of the Issuers any money or non-callable Government Securities held by it as provided in Section 8.04 hereof which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm expressed in a written certification thereof delivered
to the Trustee (which may be the opinion delivered under Section 8.04(1) hereof), 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 8.06. Repayment to the Issuers.
Any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Issuers, 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, premium, if any, or interest has become due and payable shall be paid to the Issuers on their request or (if then held by the Issuers) will be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Note will thereafter be permitted to look only to the Issuers for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Issuers as trustee thereof, will 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 Issuers cause to be published once, in the New York Times and The Wall Street Journal (national edition), notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which will not be less than 30 days from the date of such notification or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuers.
Section 8.07. Reinstatement.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any United States dollars or non-callable Government Securities in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, 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 Issuers and the Guarantors obligations under this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees will be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.02 or 8.03 hereof, as the case may be; provided, however, that, if the Issuers make any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Note following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuers will 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 9.
AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER
Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders of Notes.
Notwithstanding Section 9.02 of this Indenture, the Issuers, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees without the consent of any Holder of a Note to:
(1) cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency;
(2) provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes;
(3) provide for the assumption of the obligations of an Issuer or Guarantor to Holders in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of an Issuers or a Guarantors properties or assets, as applicable;
(4) make any change that could provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders that does not adversely affect the legal rights under this Indenture of any such holder in any material respect;
(5) comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;
(6) to provide security for or add Guarantees with respect to the Notes or release a Guarantor from its Note Guarantee and terminate such Note Guarantee; provided, however, that the release and termination is in accord with the applicable provisions of this Indenture;
(7) secure the Notes or Note Guarantees;
(8) add to the covenants of the Issuers or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Issuers or a Restricted Subsidiary;
(9) make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect;
(10) evidence or provide for the succession of a successor Trustee;
(11) to conform the text of this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees to any provision of the Description of notes in the offering memorandum of the Company dated June 2, 2015 pursuant to which the Notes were offered to the Holders, as set forth in an officers certificate;
(12) to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in this Indenture; or
(13) to provide for the reorganization of the Company as any other form of entity in accordance with Section 5.01 (c).
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 9.06 hereof, the Trustee will join with the Issuers in the execution of any amended or supplemental Indenture authorized or permitted by the terms of this Indenture and to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained, but the Trustee will not be obligated to enter into such amended or supplemental Indenture that affects its own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.
Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 9.01 may be executed by the Issuers, 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 9.02.
Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders of Notes.
Except as provided below in this Section 9.02, the Issuers, the Guarantors and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture (including, without limitation, Sections 3.09, 4.10 and 4.14 hereof), the Notes and the Note Guarantees with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes), and, subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, any existing Default or Event of Default (other than a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes, except a payment default resulting from an acceleration that has been rescinded) may be waived for all Holders of Notes of a series and its consequences under this Indenture with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of that series of Notes (including Additional Notes, if any) issued under this Indenture and then outstanding (including, without limitation, consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Notes), by notice to the Trustee. Section 2.08 hereof shall determine which Notes are considered to be outstanding for purposes of this Section 9.02.
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 satisfactory to the Trustee of the consent of the Holders of Notes as aforesaid, and upon receipt by the Trustee of the documents described in Section 9.06 hereof, the Trustee will join with the Issuers and the Guarantors in the
execution of such amended or supplemental Indenture unless such amended or supplemental Indenture directly affects the Trustees own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but will not be obligated to, enter into such amended or supplemental Indenture.
It is not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Notes under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment or waiver, but it is sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.
After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Issuers will mail to the Holders of Notes affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of the Issuers to mail such notice, or any defect therein, will not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amended or supplemental Indenture or waiver. Subject to Sections 6.04 and 6.07 hereof, with the consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes (including, without limitation, Additional Notes, if any) then outstanding (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes) may waive any existing default or compliance with any provision of this Indenture or the Notes. However, without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver under this Section 9.02 may not (with respect to any Notes held by a non-consenting Holder):
(1) reduce the principal amount of Notes whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
(2) reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any Note or alter the provisions with respect to the redemption of the Notes other than as provided above with respect to Sections 3.09, 4.10 and 4.14 hereof except to the extent relating to a payment required pursuant thereto after the time at which such payment has become due;
(3) reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest on any Note;
(4) waive a Default in the payment of principal or interest on the Notes (for the avoidance of doubt, this clause (4) shall not require the consent of each Holder affected with respect to the waiver of the requirement to make a payment required by Sections 3.09, 4.10 or 4.14 prior to the date on which such payment is due);
(5) make any Note payable in money other than that stated in the Notes;
(6) make any change in the provisions of this Indenture relating to waivers of past Defaults or the rights of Holders of Notes to receive payments of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes (except a payment required by Sections 3.09, 4.10 or 4.14 prior to the date on which such payment is due);
(7) modify the Note Guarantees in any manner adverse to the Holders except for any release of Guarantors in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;
(8) impair the right of any Holder to receive payment of, premium, if any, principal of and interest on such Holders Notes on or after the due dates therefor or to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or with respect to such Holders Notes (except a rescission of acceleration of the Notes by the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration); or
(9) make any change in the foregoing amendment and waiver provisions.
Without the consent of the Holders of at least 75% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, no amendment or waiver may make any change to, or extend the time for performance under, Section 3.10.
Section 9.03. Compliance with Trust Indenture Act.
Every amendment or supplement to this Indenture or the Notes will be set forth in an amended or supplemental Indenture that complies with the TIA as then in effect.
Section 9.04. 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 the Holder of a Note and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holders 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 waiver, supplement or amendment 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 (9) of the fourth paragraph of Section 9.02, 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 Holders Note.
Section 9.05. Notation on or Exchange of Notes.
The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment, supplement or waiver on any Note thereafter authenticated. The Issuers in exchange for all Notes may issue and the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate new Notes that reflect the amendment, supplement or waiver.
Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note will not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.
Section 9.06. Trustee to Sign Amendments, etc.
The Trustee will sign any amended or supplemental Indenture authorized pursuant to this Article 9 if the amendment or supplement does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. The Company may not sign an amendment or supplemental Indenture until the Board of Directors approves it. In executing any amended or supplemental indenture, the Trustee shall receive and (subject to Section 7.01 hereof) will be fully protected in relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 12.04 hereof, an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such amended or supplemental Indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such amended or supplemental indenture is the valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms.
Section 9.07. Effect of Amendments.
The consent of the Holders is not necessary under this Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment. A consent to any amendment or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder of Notes given in connection with a tender or exchange offer for such Holders Notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender or exchange. After an amendment under this Indenture becomes effective, the Issuers are required to mail to the Holders a notice briefly describing such amendment. However, the failure to give such notice to all the Holders, or any defect in the notice will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment.
ARTICLE 10.
NOTE GUARANTEES
Section 10.01. Guarantee.
(a) Subject to this Article 10, each of the Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally Guarantees 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 this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Issuers hereunder or thereunder, that:
(1) the principal of, premium on, if any, and interest, if any, on, the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at Stated Maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of, premium on, if any, interest, if any, on, the Notes, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Issuers to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and
(2) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same 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 will 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 their obligations hereunder are unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this 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 Issuers, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Each Guarantor hereby waives diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuers, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuers, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenant that this Note Guarantee will not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture.
(c) If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Issuers, the Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Issuers or the Guarantors, any amount paid by any of them to the Trustee or such Holder, this Note Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, will be reinstated in full force and effect.
(d) Each Guarantor agrees that it will not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders 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, (a) the maturity of the obligations Guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article 6 hereof for the purposes of this Note Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations Guaranteed hereby, and (b) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article 6 hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) will forthwith become due and payable by the Guarantors for the purpose of this Note Guarantee. The Guarantors will have the right to seek contribution from any non-paying Guarantor so long as the exercise of such right does not impair the rights of the Holders under the Note Guarantee.
Section 10.02. Limitation on Guarantor Liability.
Each Guarantor and, by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder hereby confirm that it is the intention of all such parties that the Note 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 Note 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 that will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor that are relevant under such laws, and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under this Article 10, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance. 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 10.
Section 10.03. Note Guarantee Evidenced by Indenture.
The Guarantee of any Guarantor shall be evidenced solely by its execution and delivery of this Indenture (or, in the case of any Guarantor that is not party to this 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 Note Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 hereof will remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Note Guarantee.
The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, will constitute due delivery of the Note Guarantee set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Guarantors.
In the event that the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries creates or acquires any Restricted Subsidiary after the date of this Indenture, if required by Section 4.17 hereof, the Company will cause such Restricted Subsidiary to comply with the provisions of Section 4.17 hereof and this Article 10, to the extent applicable.
Section 10.04. Guarantors May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms.
(a) The Issuers will not permit any Guarantor to consolidate with or merge with or into, and will not permit the conveyance, transfer or lease of substantially all of the assets of any Guarantor to, any Person (other than the Company or another Guarantor) unless:
(1) the resulting, surviving or transferee Person will be a corporation, partnership, trust or limited liability company organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any State of the United States or the District of Columbia and such Person (if not such Guarantor) will expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all the obligations of such Guarantor under its Note Guarantee and (b) immediately after giving effect to such transaction (and treating any Indebtedness that becomes an obligation of the resulting, surviving or transferee Person or any Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction as having been Incurred by such Person or such Restricted Subsidiary at the time of such transaction), no Default shall have occurred and be continuing; or;
(2) the transaction is made in compliance with Section 4.10.
(b) In the case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or other disposition that is subject to, and that complies with the provisions of, Section 10.04(a)(1) and in which the resulting, surviving or transferee Person is not the Guarantor, upon the assumption by the successor Person by a supplemental indenture executed and delivered to the Trustee of all obligations and covenants under the Indenture (including the Note Guarantee) of such Guarantor, such successor Person will succeed to and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, such Guarantor under the Indenture with the same effect as if such successor had been named as such Guarantor herein and shall be substituted for such Guarantor (so that from and after the date of such transaction, the provisions of the Indenture referring to such Guarantor shall refer instead to the successor and not to such Guarantor) and (except in the case of a lease) such Guarantor shall be discharged and released from all obligations and covenants under the Indenture (including the Note Guarantee) of such Guarantor. The Trustee shall enter into a supplemental indenture to evidence the succession and substitution of such successor and such discharge and release of such Guarantor.
Section 10.05. Releases .
The Note Guarantee of a Guarantor shall be released, and such Guarantor deemed automatically and unconditionally released and discharged from all of its obligations under this Indenture, in each case without any further action on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of the Notes:
(1) a sale or other disposition (including by way of consolidation or merger) of the Capital Stock of such Guarantor or the sale or disposition of all or substantially all the assets of such Guarantor (other than, in either case, to the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary), whether or not such Guarantor is the surviving entity in such transaction, if the sale or other disposition does not violate Section 4.10;
(2) the designation in accordance with this Indenture of such Guarantor as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or the occurrence of any event after which such Guarantor is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary;
(3) defeasance or discharge of the Notes, as provided in Article 8 and Article 11;
(4) the liquidation or dissolution of such Guarantor provided no Default or Event of Default has occurred that is continuing;
(5) such Guarantor consolidating with, merging into or transferring all of its properties or assets to either the Company or another Guarantor, and as a result of, or in connection with, such transaction such Guarantor dissolving or otherwise ceasing to exist; or
(6) at such time as (x) such Guarantor is not an obligor under the Credit Agreement or any Indebtedness (other than intercompany Indebtedness permitted to be incurred pursuant to clause (5) of Section 4.09(b)) of the Issuers or any Guarantor in excess of the De Minimis Guaranteed Amount and (y) such Guarantor does not Guarantee any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of the other Guarantors (other than any such intercompany Indebtedness) in excess of the De Minimis Guaranteed Amount.
Any Guarantor not released from its obligations under its Note Guarantee as provided in this Section 10.05 will remain liable for the full amount of principal of, premium on, if any, and interest, if any, on, the Notes and for the other obligations of such Guarantor under this Indenture as provided in this Article 10.
ARTICLE 11.
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
Section 11.01. Satisfaction and Discharge.
This Indenture will be discharged and will cease to be of further effect as to all Notes issued hereunder, and the Trustee, at the expense of the Issuers, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when:
(1) either:
(a) all Notes that have been authenticated (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes that have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust and thereafter repaid to the Issuers) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or
(b) all Notes that have not been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation have become due and payable by reason of the making of a notice of redemption or otherwise or will become due and payable within one year and the Issuers have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Holders, (x) cash in U.S. dollars, (y) non-callable Government Securities, or (z) a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient without consideration of any reinvestment of interest (in the case of clause (y) or (z), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm), to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on the Notes not delivered to the Trustee for cancellation for principal, premium, if any, and accrued interest to the date of maturity or redemption;
(c) solely in respect of (1)(b), no Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing on the date of such deposit or will occur as a result of such deposit (other than a Default or Event of
Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit (and any other substantially contemporaneous deposit relating to other Indebtedness) and the granting of Liens to secure such borrowings, all or a portion of which are to be applied to such deposit) and such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any other material instrument to which the Issuers are a party or by which the Issuers are bound (other than the agreements governing other Indebtedness being contemporaneously defeased, discharged or replaced);
(2) the Issuers have paid or caused to be paid all sums payable by them under this Indenture; and
(3) the Issuers have delivered irrevocable instructions to the Trustee under this Indenture to apply the deposited money toward the payment of the Notes at maturity or the redemption date, as the case may be.
In addition, the Issuers must deliver an Officers Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the Trustee stating that all conditions precedent to satisfaction and discharge have been satisfied.
Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, if money has been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section 11.02, the provisions of Section 11.02 and Section 8.06 will survive. In addition, nothing in this Section 11.01 will be deemed to discharge those provisions of Section 7.07 hereof, that, by their terms, survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture.
Section 11.02. Application of Trust Money.
Subject to the provisions of Section 8.06, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 11.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Notes and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Issuers acting as their 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.
If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or Government Securities in accordance with Section 11.01 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Issuers obligations under this Indenture and the Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 11.01; provided that if the Issuers has made any payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on any Notes because of the reinstatement of their obligations, the Issuers shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the money or Government Securities held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.
Notwithstanding the above, the Trustee shall pay to the Company from time to time upon its request any money or Government Securities held by it as provided in this Section 11.02 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants or a nationally recognized investment banking firm 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 11.
Any money or Government Securities 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, may, 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 12.
MISCELLANEOUS
Section 12.01. Trust Indenture Act Controls.
If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by TIA §318(c), the imposed duties will 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 Indenture, such required provision of the TIA shall control. If any provision of this 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 Indenture as so modified or shall be excluded, as the case may be.
Section 12.02. Notices.
Any notice or communication by the Issuers, any Gurantor or the Trustee to the others is duly given if in writing in the English language and delivered in Person, mailed by first class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), or delivered by telecopier or electronic image scan, or overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery, to the others address:
If to the Issuers and the Guarantors:
Ferrellgas, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard
Suite 1000
Overland Park, KS 66210
Telecopier No.: (816) 792-7985
Attention: Chief Financial Officer
With a copy to:
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
1111 Louisiana Street
44 th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Telecopier No.: (713) 236-0822
Attention: John Goodgame
If to the Trustee:
U.S. Bank National Association
100 Wall Street, Suite 1600
New York, NY 10005
Telecopier No.: (212) 809-5459
Attention: Global Corporate Trust Services
The Issuers, any Guarantor or the Trustee, by notice to the others may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.
All notices and communications (other than those sent to Holders) will be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied or transmitted by electronic image scan; and the next Business Day after timely delivery to the courier, if sent by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery.
Any notice or communication to a Holder will be mailed by first class mail, certified or registered, return receipt requested, or by overnight air courier guaranteeing next day delivery to its address shown on the register kept by the Registrar. Any notice or communication will also be so mailed to any Person described in TIA § 313(c), to
the extent required by the TIA. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder or any defect in it will not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders.
If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.
If the Issuers mail a notice or communication to Holders, they will mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent 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 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 in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by the 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.
Where this Indenture provides for notice of any event to a Holder of a Global Note, such notice shall be sufficiently given if given to the Depositary for such Note (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.
Section 12.03. Communication by Holders of Notes with Other Holders of Notes.
Holders may communicate pursuant to TIA § 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Issuers, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA § 312(c).
Section 12.04. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.
Upon any request or application by the Issuers to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Issuers shall furnish to the Trustee:
(1) an Officers Certificate in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which must include the statements set forth in Section 12.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent and covenants, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been satisfied; and
(2) an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee (which must include the statements set forth in Section 12.05 hereof) stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent and covenants have been satisfied.
Section 12.05. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.
Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA § 314(a)(4)) must comply with the provisions of TIA § 314(e) and must include:
(1) a statement that the Person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;
(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 such Person, he or she has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him or her to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been satisfied; and
(4) 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 with respect to any Person 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 with respect to any Person stating that the information with respect to such factual matters is in the possession of such Person (or, if such Person is a limited partnership, such Persons general partner) unless such counsel knows, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know, that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to such matters are erroneous.
Where any Person is required to make, give or execute two or more applications, requests, consents, certificates, statements, opinions or other instruments under this Indenture, they may, but need not, be consolidated and form one instrument.
Section 12.06. Rules by Trustee and Agents.
The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or at a meeting of Holders. The Registrar or Paying Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.
Section 12.07. Non-Recourse.
The obligations of the Issuers and the Note Guarantors under this Indenture are non-recourse to Ferrellgas Partners and its Affiliates, other than the Issuers and the Guarantors, and are payable only out of the cash flow and assets of the Issuers and the Guarantors. The Trustee agrees, and each Holder of a Note, by accepting a Note, agrees in this Indenture that Ferrellgas Partners and its other Affiliates will not be liable for any of the Issuers or the Guarantors obligations under this Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees.
Section 12.08. No Personal Liability of Directors, Officers, Employees and Stockholders.
None of the General Partner, Ferrellgas Partners or any partner, director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, manager, unitholder or stockholder or other holder of Capital Stock of the General Partner, the Issuers or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any of the Issuers or Guarantors obligations under the Notes or this Indenture or any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, these obligations. Each Holder, by accepting a Note, waives and releases all such liability. Each Holder of Notes 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 and it is the view of the SEC that such waiver is against public policy.
Section 12.09. Governing Law.
THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THE INDENTURE, THE NOTE GUARANTEES AND THIS NOTE WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT
TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
Section 12.10. Successors.
All agreements of the Issuers in this Indenture and the Notes will bind their successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture will bind its successors. All agreements of each Guarantor in this Indenture will bind its successors, except as otherwise provided in Section 10.05 hereof.
Section 12.11. Severability.
In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Notes is invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions will not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
Section 12.12. Counterpart Originals.
The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy will be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. The exchange of copies of this Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original Indenture for all purposes. Signatures of the parties hereto transmitted by facsimile or PDF shall be deemed to be their original signatures for all purposes.
Section 12.13. Table of Contents, Headings, etc.
The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table and Headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part of this Indenture and will in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.
Section 12.14. Force Majeure.
In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, forces beyond its control, including, without limitation, strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.
Section 12.15. Action by Holders.
(a) Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given, made or taken by the Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in person or by agents duly appointed in writing, and may be given, made or taken in connection with a purchase of, or tender offer or exchange offer for, outstanding Notes; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the Act of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company if made in the manner provided in this Section 12.15.
Without limiting the generality of this Section 12.15, 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 Note, may give, make or take, by an agent or agents duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture to be given, made or taken by the Holders, and a
Depositary or its nominee that is a Holder of a Global Note may duly appoint in writing as its agent or agents members of, or participants in, such Depositary holding interests in such Global Note in the records of such Depositary; and (ii) with respect to any Global Note the Depositary for which is 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 customary procedures of, and pursuant to authorization by, DTC shall be deemed to constitute the Act of the Holder of such Global Note, and such Act shall be deemed to have been delivered to the Company and the Trustee upon the delivery by DTC of an agents message or other notice of such consent or other action having been so given, made or taken in accordance with the customary procedures of DTC.
(b) The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such 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 signing such instrument or writing acknowledged to such witness, notary or officer 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 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.
(c) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 12.15 or elsewhere in this Indenture, the principal amount and serial numbers of Notes held by any Holder, and the date of holding the same, shall be proved by the register of the Notes maintained by the Registrar as provided in Section 2.03.
(d) If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of the Notes any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may, at its option, by or pursuant to a resolution of its Board of Directors, fix in advance a record date for the determination of the Holders entitled to give, make or take such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, but the Company shall have no obligation to do so. Notwithstanding TIA §316(c), such record date shall be the record date specified in or pursuant to such resolution, which shall be a date not earlier than the date 30 days prior to the first solicitation of the Holders generally in connection therewith or the date of the most recent list of the Holders forwarded to the Trustee prior to such solicitation pursuant to Section 2.05 and not later than the date such solicitation is completed. If such a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the second sentence of Section 9.04, any instrument embodying and evidencing such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be executed before or after such record date, but only the Holders of record at the close of business on such record date (whether or not such Persons were Holders before, or continue to be Holders after, such record date) shall be deemed to be Holders for the purposes of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of the then outstanding Notes have given, made or taken such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and (except to the extent otherwise required by the TIA) for that purpose the then outstanding Notes any record date shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than eleven months after such record date.
(e) Subject to Section 9.04, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of the Holder of any Note shall bind every future Holder of the same Note and the Holder of every Note issued upon the registration or 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 Issuers in reliance thereon, whether or not notation of such action is made upon such Note.
(f) Without limiting the foregoing, a Holder entitled hereunder to give, make or take any action hereunder with regard to any particular Note may do so itself with regard to all or any part of the principal amount of such Note or by one or more duly appointed agents each of which may do so pursuant to such appointment with regard to all or any part of such principal amount.
(g) For purposes of this Indenture, any action by the Holders which may be taken in writing may be taken by electronic means or as otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.
Section 12.16. Payment Date Other Than a Business Day.
If any payment with respect to any principal of, premium on, if any, or interest on, any Note (including any payment to be made on any date fixed for redemption or purchase of any Note) is due on a day which is not a Business Day, then the payment need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on such date, and no interest will accrue for the intervening period.
Section 12.17. Benefit of Indenture.
Nothing in this 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 this Indenture.
Section 12.18. Language of Notices, Etc.
Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or Act required 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 12.19. No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.
This Indenture may not be used to interpret any other indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or its Subsidiaries or of any other Person. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.
Section 12.20. U.S.A. Patriot Act.
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 to this Indenture agree that they will provide the Trustee with such information as it may request in order for the Trustee to satisfy the requirements of the U.S.A. Patriot Act.
[Signatures on following page]
SIGNATURES
Dated as of June 8, 2015 |
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Very truly yours, |
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ISSUERS |
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FERRELLGAS, L.P. |
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By: |
Ferrellgas, Inc., its General Partner |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP. |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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GUARANTORS |
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BLUE RHINO GLOBAL SOURCING, INC. |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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SABLE ENVIRONMENTAL, LLC |
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By: |
/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Name: |
Alan C. Heitmann |
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Title: |
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, |
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as Trustee |
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By: |
/s/ William G. Keenan |
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Name: |
William G. Keenan |
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Vice President |
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[Signature Page to Indenture]
EXHIBIT A
[Face of Note]
CUSIP
ISIN
6.75% Senior Notes due 2023
No. |
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$ |
FERRELLGAS, L.P.
FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP.
promises to pay, jointly and severally, to or registered assigns,
the principal sum of Dollars [or such greater or lesser amount as may be indicated on the attached Schedule of Exchanges of Interests in the Global Note] on June 15, 2023.
Interest Payment Dates: June 15 and December 15
Record Dates: June 1 and December 1
[Back of Note]
6.75% Senior Notes due 2023
[Insert the Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]
[Insert Private Placement Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]
Capitalized terms used herein have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.
(1) INTEREST . Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (herein called the Company , which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture), and Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (herein called Finance Corp. , which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture; Finance Corp. and the Company, collectively, the Issuers ), promise to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 6.75% per annum from June 8, 2015 until maturity. The Issuers will pay interest semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each, an Interest Payment Date ). Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from the date of 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 December 15, 2015. The Issuers will 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 a rate that is 1% per annum in excess of the rate then in effect; they will 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 will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.
(2) METHOD OF PAYMENT . The Issuers will pay interest on the Notes to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the June 1 or December 1 next 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 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be payable as to principal, premium, if any, and interest at the office or agency of the Issuers maintained for such purpose within the City and State of New York, or, at the option of the Issuers, payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders at their addresses set forth in the register of Holders; provided that payment by wire transfer of immediately available funds will be required with respect to principal of and interest, premium on, all Global Notes the Holders of which will have provided wire transfer instructions to the Issuers or the Paying Agent. Such payment will be 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.
(3) PAYING AGENT AND REGISTRAR . Initially, U.S. Bank National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Issuers may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. The Issuers or any of their Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.
(4) INDENTURE . The Issuers issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of June 8, 2015 (as amended or supplemented from time to time, the Indenture) among the Issuers, the Guarantors and the Trustee. 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 (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb). 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 Notes are unsecured obligations of the Issuers.
(5) OPTIONAL REDEMPTION .
Prior to June 15, 2018 the Issuers may, at their option, on any one or more occasions redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes (including Additional Notes) issued under the Indenture in an amount
not in excess of the Net Proceeds of one or more Equity Offerings at a redemption price of 106.750% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the 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); provided that:
(1) at least 65% of the original principal amount of the Notes issued on the Issue Date and on any date on which any Additional Notes are originally issued remains outstanding after each such redemption; and
(2) the redemption occurs within 180 days after the closing of the related Equity Offering.
On and after June 15, 2019, the Issuers may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, upon not less than 15 nor more than 60 days notice, at the redemption prices (expressed in percentages of principal amount) listed in the table below, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes to the applicable redemption date, if redeemed during the twelve months beginning on June 15 of the years indicated below:
Year |
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Percentage |
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2019 |
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103.375 |
% |
2020 |
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101.688 |
% |
2021 and thereafter |
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At any time prior to June 15, 2019, the Issuers may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed plus the Applicable Premium (as defined below) as of, and accrued and unpaid interest 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).
Applicable Premium with respect to any Notes to be redeemed, means an amount equal to the greater of:
(1) 1.0% of the principal amount of such Notes; and
(2) the excess, if any, of:
(A) the present value at such redemption date of (i) the redemption price of such Note at June 15, 2019 (such redemption price being set forth in the table appearing above under the caption Optional redemption) plus (ii) all required interest payments (excluding accrued and unpaid interest to such redemption date) due on such Note through June 15, 2019, in each case 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.
Treasury Rate means, as of any redemption date, the yield to maturity at the time of computation of United States Treasury securities with a constant maturity (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)) most nearly equal to the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2019; provided, however, that if the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2019 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 for which such yields are given, except that if the period from the redemption date to June 15, 2019 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 notice of redemption with respect to the foregoing redemption in this clause (5) need not set forth the Applicable Premium but only the manner of calculation thereof. 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.
The Issuers may redeem all (but not a portion of) the Notes when permitted by, and pursuant to the conditions in, Section 4.14(e) of the Indenture in connection with any Change of Control Offer.
(6) MANDATORY REDEMPTION .
Except as set forth in the three immediately following paragraphs of this clause (6), the Issuers will not be required to make mandatory redemption payments with respect to the Notes.
In the event that (i) the Bridger Logistics Acquisition does not take place on or prior to October 1, 2015 (the Outside Date ) or (ii) at any time prior to the Outside Date, the Bridger Logistics Acquisition Agreement is terminated (any such event being a Special Mandatory Redemption Event ), the Issuers will redeem all of the Notes (the Special Mandatory Redemption ) at a price equal to 100.00% of the initial issue price of the Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest from the Issue Date to, but not including, the redemption date (the Special Mandatory Redemption Price ).
Notice of the occurrence of a Special Mandatory Redemption Event and that a Special Mandatory Redemption is to occur (the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice ) shall be delivered to the Trustee and mailed by first class mail to each Holders registered address and, in addition, electronically delivered according to the procedures of DTC, within five Business Days after the Special Mandatory Redemption Event. At the Issuers written request, the Trustee shall give the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice in the Issuers names and at their expense. On such date specified in the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice as shall be no more than five Business Days (or such other minimum period not to exceed 30 days as may be required by DTC) after mailing the Special Mandatory Redemption Notice, the Special Mandatory Redemption shall occur (the date of such redemption, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date ).
If funds sufficient to pay the Special Mandatory Redemption Price of all of the Notes to be redeemed on the Special Mandatory Redemption Date are deposited with a paying agent or the Trustee on or before such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, then on and after such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, the Notes shall cease to bear interest and, other than the right to receive the Special Mandatory Redemption Price, all rights under such Notes shall terminate.
(7) REPURCHASE AT OPTION OF HOLDER .
(a) If there is a Change of Control, the Issuers will be required to make an offer (a Change of Control Offer) to repurchase, in cash, all or any part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of each Holders Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to the date of purchase (the Change of Control Payment). Within 30 days following any Change of Control, the Issuers will mail a notice to each Holder setting forth the procedures governing the Change of Control Offer as required by the Indenture.
(b) If the Company or any of its Restricted Subsidiary consummates any Asset Sales, within 15 days of each date on which the aggregate amount of Excess Proceeds exceeds $20 million, the Issuers will commence an offer to all Holders of Notes and all holders of other Indebtedness that are pari passu with the Notes containing provisions similar to those set forth in the Indenture with respect to offers to purchase or redeem with the proceeds of sales of assets (an Asset Sale Offer) pursuant to Section 3.09 of the Indenture to purchase the maximum principal amount of Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness that may be purchased out of the Excess Proceeds at an offer price in cash in an amount equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon, if any, to the date fixed for purchase, in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Indenture. To the extent that the aggregate amount of Notes tendered pursuant to an Asset Sale Offer is less than the Excess Proceeds, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may use such deficiency for general business purposes. If the aggregate principal amount of Notes and other pari passu Indebtedness surrendered by holders thereof exceeds the amount of Excess Proceeds, the Trustee shall select the Notes and other pari passu
Indebtedness to be purchased on a pro rata basis in proportion to the aggregate principal amount of the Notes and such other pari passu Indebtedness tendered in accordance with the procedures for selection set forth in the Indenture. Upon completion of each Asset Sale Offer, the amount of Excess Proceeds will be reset at zero. Holders of Notes that are the subject of an offer to purchase will receive an Asset Sale Offer from the Issuers prior to any related purchase date and may elect to have such Notes purchased by completing the form entitled Option of Holder to Elect Purchase on the reverse of the Notes.
(8) NOTICE OF REDEMPTION . Notice of redemption will be mailed at least 10 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address, except that redemption notices may be mailed more than 60 days prior to a redemption date if the notice is issued in connection with a covenant defeasance or defeasance of the Notes or a satisfaction and discharge of the Indenture pursuant to Article 8 or 11 thereof. Notes in denominations larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part but only in whole multiples of $1,000, unless all of the Notes held by a Holder are to be redeemed. On and after the redemption date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.
(9) DENOMINATIONS, TRANSFER, EXCHANGE . The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral 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 Issuers may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Issuers need not exchange or register the transfer of any Note or portion of a Note selected for redemption, except for the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part. Also, the Issuers need not exchange or register the transfer of any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed or during the period between a record date and the corresponding Interest Payment Date.
(10) PERSONS DEEMED OWNERS . The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes.
(11) AMENDMENT, SUPPLEMENT AND WAIVER . Subject to certain exceptions, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented with the consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including, consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes), and any existing default or compliance with any provision of the Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes (including, consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for Notes). Without the consent of any Holder of a Note, the Indenture or the Notes may be amended or supplemented to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency; provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provide for the assumption of the obligations of an Issuer or Guarantor to Holders in the case of a merger or consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of an Issuers or a Guarantors properties or assets, as applicable; make any change that could provide any additional rights or benefits to the Holders that does not adversely affect the legal rights under the Indenture of any such holder in any material respect; comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; to provide security for or add Guarantees with respect to the Notes or release a Guarantor from its Note Guarantee and terminate such Note Guarantee; provided, however, that the release and termination is in accord with the applicable provisions of the Indenture; secure the Notes or Note Guarantees; add to the covenants of the Issuers or a Restricted Subsidiary for the benefit of the Holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon the Issuers or a Restricted Subsidiary; make any change that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder in any material respect; evidence or provide for the succession of a successor Trustee; to conform the text of the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees to any provision of the Description of notes in the offering memorandum of the Company dated June 2, 2015 pursuant to which the Notes were offered to the Holders, as set forth in an officers certificate; to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes in accordance with the limitations set forth in the Indenture; or to provide for the reorganization of the Company as any other form of entity in accordance with Section 5.01 (c) of the Indenture.
(12) DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES . Events of Default include: (i) default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Note when the same becomes due and payable, upon stated maturity, acceleration, optional redemption, required purchase, scheduled principal payment or otherwise; (ii) default in the payment of an installment of interest on any of the Notes, when the same becomes due and payable, which default
continues for a period of 30 days; (iii) failure of the Issuers to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement contained in the Notes or the Indenture, other than a default specified in either (i) or (ii) above, and the default continues for a period of 45 days (or, solely in the case of a default under Section 4.03 of the Indenture, 180 days) after written notice of the default requiring the Issuers to remedy the same has been given to the Company by the Trustee or to the Issuers and the Trustee by Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding; (iv) default or defaults under certain other agreements, instruments, mortgages, bonds, debentures or other evidences of Indebtedness under which the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of the Company has outstanding Indebtedness in excess of $50 million if the default (x) is caused by a failure to pay principal of or premium, if any, or interest on to such Indebtedness within the applicable grace period, if any, provided with respect to such Indebtedness or (y) results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness prior to its stated maturity (subject to a cure and waiver period as described in the Indenture); (v) certain final judgment or judgments, which is or are non-appealable and non-reviewable or which has or have not been stayed pending appeal or review or as to which all rights to appeal or review have expired or been exhausted, shall have been rendered against the Company, any Restricted Subsidiary or the General Partner provided such judgment or judgments requires or require the payment of money in excess of $50 million in the aggregate and is not covered by insurance or discharged or stayed pending appeal or review within 60 days after entry of such judgment or in the event of a stay, within 30 days after the stay expires; (vi) specified events of bankruptcy, insolvency, or reorganization with respect to the Issuers or any of their Significant Subsidiaries as more fully set forth in the Indenture; or (vii) any Note Guarantee of a Significant Subsidiary or group of Restricted Subsidiaries that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements for the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary ceases to be in full force and effect (except as contemplated by the terms of the Indenture) or is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding or any Guarantor that is a Significant Subsidiary or group of Guarantors that, taken together (as of the latest audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Restricted Subsidiaries) would constitute a Significant Subsidiary denies or disaffirms (in a manner having legal effect) its obligations under the Indenture or its Note Guarantee. If any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the applicable series of Notes then outstanding Notes may declare all the Notes of that series to be due and payable. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of an Event of Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency, with respect to the Company, Finance Corp. or any Significant Subsidiary, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable without further action or notice. 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 a series of then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee of that series of Notes in its exercise of any trust or power. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of a series of Notes then outstanding by notice to the Trustee for those Notes may on behalf of all Holders of Notes of that series waive any existing Default or Event of Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default or Event of Default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, the Notes. The Issuers are required to deliver to the Trustee annually a statement regarding compliance with the Indenture, and the Issuers are required to deliver to the Trustee, forthwith upon any Officer of the Issuers becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Issuers are taking or propose to take with respect thereto within 10 Business Days after such Officer becomes aware of the occurrence and continuation of such Default or Event of Default unless such Default or Event of Default has been cured before the end of such 10 Business Day period.
(13) TRUSTEE DEALINGS WITH ISSUERS . The Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may make loans to, accept deposits from, and perform services for the Issuers or their Affiliates, and may otherwise deal with the Issuers or their Affiliates, as if it were not the Trustee.
(14) NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS . None of the General Partner, Ferrellgas Partners or any partner, director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, manager, unitholder or stockholder or other holder of Capital Stock of the General Partner, the Issuers or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any of the Issuers or Guarantors obligations under the Notes or the Indenture or any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, these obligations. Each Holder, by accepting a Note, waives and releases all such liability. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.
(15) NON-RECOURSE. The obligations of the Issuers and the Note Guarantors under the Indenture are non-recourse to Ferrellgas Partners and its Affiliates, other than the Issuers and the Guarantors, and are
payable only out of the cash flow and assets of the Issuers and the Guarantors. The Trustee agrees, and each Holder of a Note, by accepting a Note, agrees in this Indenture that Ferrellgas Partners and its other Affiliates will not be liable for any of the Issuers or the Guarantors obligations under the Indenture, the Notes or the Note Guarantees.
(16) AUTHENTICATION . This Note will not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.
(17) 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).
(18) ADDITIONAL RIGHTS OF HOLDERS OF TRANSFER RESTRICTED SECURITIES . In addition to the rights provided to Holders of Notes under the Indenture, Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) will have all the rights set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement dated as of June 8, 2015, among the Issuers, the Guarantors and the other parties named on the signature pages thereof or, in the case of Additional Notes, Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement with respect to such Additional Notes) will have the rights set forth in one or more registration rights agreements, if any, among the Issuers and the other parties thereto, relating to rights given by the Issuers and the Guarantors to the purchasers of any Additional Notes (collectively, the Registration Rights Agreement).
(19) CUSIP NUMBERS . Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Issuers have 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.
(20) GOVERNING LAW . THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THE INDENTURE, THE NOTES AND THE NOTE GUARANTEES WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
The Issuers will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture. Requests may be made to:
Ferrellgas, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard
Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Attention: Investor Relations
(913) 661-1537
ASSIGNMENT FORM
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Signature Guarantee*: |
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* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).
OPTION OF HOLDER TO ELECT PURCHASE
If you want to elect to have this Note purchased by the Issuers pursuant to Section 4.10 or 4.14 of the Indenture, check the appropriate box below:
o Section 4.10 o Section 4.14
If you want to elect to have only part of the Note purchased by the Issuers pursuant to Section 4.10 or Section 4.14 of the Indenture, state the amount you elect to have purchased:
$
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Signature Guarantee*: |
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* Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor acceptable to the Trustee).
SCHEDULE OF EXCHANGES OF INTERESTS IN THE GLOBAL NOTE*
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:
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* This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.
EXHIBIT B
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
Ferrellgas, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard
Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Attention: Investor Relations
U.S. Bank National Association
Global Corporate Trust Services
100 Wall Street, Suite 1600
New York, NY 10005
Re: 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of June 8, 2015 (the Indenture), among Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. (together, the Issuers), as Issuers, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
, (the Transferor) owns and proposes to transfer the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified in Annex A hereto, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the Transfer), to (the Transferee), as further specified in Annex A hereto. In connection with the Transfer, the Transferor hereby certifies that:
[CHECK ALL THAT APPLY]
1. o Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the 144A Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to Rule 144A . The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that the beneficial interest or Definitive Note is being transferred to a Person that the Transferor reasonably believes is purchasing the beneficial interest or Definitive Note for its own account, or for one or more accounts with respect to which such Person exercises sole investment discretion, and such Person and each such account is a qualified institutional buyer within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A, and such Transfer is in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the 144A Global Note and/or the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
2. o Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the Regulation S Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to Regulation S . The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and, accordingly, the Transferor hereby further certifies that (i) the Transfer is not being made to a Person in the United States and (x) at the time the buy order was originated, the Transferee was outside the United States or such Transferor and any Person acting on its behalf reasonably believed and believes that the Transferee was outside the United States or (y) the transaction was executed in, on or through the facilities of a designated offshore securities market and neither such Transferor nor any Person acting on its behalf knows that the transaction was prearranged with a buyer in the United States, (ii) no directed selling efforts have been made in contravention of the requirements of Rule 903(b) or Rule 904(b) of Regulation S under the Securities Act and (iii) the transaction is not part of a plan or scheme to evade the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on
Transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Regulation S Global Note, and/or the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
3. o Check and complete if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in the IAI Global Note or a Restricted Definitive Note pursuant to any provision of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A or Regulation S . The Transfer is being effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in Restricted Global Notes and Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States, and accordingly the Transferor hereby further certifies that (check one):
(a) o such Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act;
or
(b) o such Transfer is being effected to the Issuers or a subsidiary thereof;
or
(c) o such Transfer is being effected pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act and in compliance with the prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act;
or
(d) o such Transfer is being effected to an Institutional Accredited Investor and pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144A, Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904, and the Transferor hereby further certifies that it has not engaged in any general solicitation within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act and the Transfer complies with the transfer restrictions applicable to beneficial interests in a Restricted Global Note or Restricted Definitive Notes and the requirements of the exemption claimed, which certification is supported by (1) a certificate executed by the Transferee in the form of Exhibit D to the Indenture and (2) if such Transfer is in respect of a principal amount of Notes at the time of transfer of less than $250,000, an Opinion of Counsel provided by the Transferor or the Transferee (a copy of which the Transferor has attached to this certification), to the effect that such Transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the IAI Global Note and/or the Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
4. o Check if Transferee will take delivery of a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note or of an Unrestricted Definitive Note .
(a) o Check if Transfer is pursuant to Rule 144 . (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(b) o Check if Transfer is Pursuant to Regulation S . (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 903 or Rule 904 under the Securities Act and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United
States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will no longer be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes, on Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
(c) o Check if Transfer is Pursuant to Other Exem ption. (i) The Transfer is being effected pursuant to and in compliance with an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act other than Rule 144, Rule 903 or Rule 904 and in compliance with the transfer restrictions contained in the Indenture and any applicable blue sky securities laws of any State of the United States and (ii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act. Upon consummation of the proposed Transfer in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the transferred beneficial interest or Definitive Note will not be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Global Notes or Restricted Definitive Notes and in the Indenture.
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuers.
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ANNEX A TO CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER
1. The Transferor owns and proposes to transfer the following:
[CHECK ONE OF (a) OR (b)]
o a beneficial interest in the:
(i) o 144A Global Note (CUSIP ), or
(ii) o Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP ), or
(iii) o IAI Global Note (CUSIP ); or
(b) o a Restricted Definitive Note.
2. After the Transfer the Transferee will hold:
[CHECK ONE]
(a) o a beneficial interest in the:
(i) o 144A Global Note (CUSIP ), or
(ii) o Regulation S Global Note (CUSIP ), or
(iii) o IAI Global Note (CUSIP ); or
(iv) o Unrestricted Global Note (CUSIP ); or
(b) o a Restricted Definitive Note; or
(c) o an Unrestricted Definitive Note,
in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.
EXHIBIT C
FORM OF CERTIFICATE OF EXCHANGE
Ferrellgas, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard
Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Attention: Investor Relations
U.S. Bank National Association
Global Corporate Trust Services
100 Wall Street, Suite 1600
New York, NY 10005
Re: 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of June 8, 2015 (the Indenture ), among Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. (together, the Issuers ), as Issuers, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
, (the Owner ) owns and proposes to exchange the Note[s] or interest in such Note[s] specified herein, in the principal amount of $ in such Note[s] or interests (the Exchange ). In connection with the Exchange, the Owner hereby certifies that:
1. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in a Restricted Global Note for Unrestricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in an Unrestricted Global Note
(a) o Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owners beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note in an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owners own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act ), (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(b) o Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owners beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owners own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(c) o Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note . In connection with the Owners Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in an Unrestricted Global Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owners own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the beneficial interest is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
(d) o Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to Unrestricted Definitive Note. In connection with the Owners Exchange of a Restricted Definitive Note for an Unrestricted Definitive Note, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owners own account without transfer, (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to Restricted Definitive Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, (iii) the restrictions on transfer contained in the Indenture and the Private Placement Legend are not required in order to maintain compliance with the Securities Act and (iv) the Unrestricted Definitive Note is being acquired in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States.
2. Exchange of Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes for Restricted Definitive Notes or Beneficial Interests in Restricted Global Notes
(a) o Check if Exchange is from beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note to Restricted Definitive Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owners beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note for a Restricted Definitive Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies that the Restricted Definitive Note is being acquired for the Owners own account without transfer. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the Restricted Definitive Note issued will continue to be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the Restricted Definitive Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
(b) o Check if Exchange is from Restricted Definitive Note to beneficial interest in a Restricted Global Note . In connection with the Exchange of the Owners Restricted Definitive Note for a beneficial interest in the [CHECK ONE] o 144A Global Note, o Regulation S Global Note, o IAI Global Note with an equal principal amount, the Owner hereby certifies (i) the beneficial interest is being acquired for the Owners own account without transfer and (ii) such Exchange has been effected in compliance with the transfer restrictions applicable to the Restricted Global Notes and pursuant to and in accordance with the Securities Act, and in compliance with any applicable blue sky securities laws of any state of the United States. Upon consummation of the proposed Exchange in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, the beneficial interest issued will be subject to the restrictions on transfer enumerated in the Private Placement Legend printed on the relevant Restricted Global Note and in the Indenture and the Securities Act.
This certificate and the statements contained herein are made for your benefit and the benefit of the Issuers.
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EXHIBIT D
FORM OF CERTIFICATE FROM
ACQUIRING INSTITUTIONAL ACCREDITED INVESTOR
Ferrellgas, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard
Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Attention: Investor Relations
U.S. Bank National Association
Corporate Trust Services
100 Wall Street, Suite 1600
New York, NY 10005
Re: 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023
Reference is hereby made to the Indenture, dated as of June 8, 2015 (the Indenture), among Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. (together, the Issuers), as Issuers, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
In connection with our proposed purchase of $ aggregate principal amount of:
(a) o a beneficial interest in a Global Note, or
(b) o a Definitive Note,
we confirm that:
1. We understand that any subsequent transfer of the Notes or any interest therein is subject to certain restrictions and conditions set forth in the Indenture and the undersigned agrees to be bound by, and not to resell, pledge or otherwise transfer the Notes or any interest therein except in compliance with, such restrictions and conditions and the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act).
2. We understand that the offer and sale of the Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act, and that the Notes and any interest therein may not be offered or sold except as permitted in the following sentence. We agree, on our own behalf and on behalf of any accounts for which we are acting as hereinafter stated, that if we should sell the Notes or any interest therein, we will do so only (A) to the Issuers or any subsidiary thereof, (B) in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act to a qualified institutional buyer (as defined therein), (C) to an institutional accredited investor (as defined below) that, prior to such transfer, furnishes (or has furnished on its behalf by a U.S. broker-dealer) to you and to the Issuers a signed letter substantially in the form of this letter and, if such transfer is in respect of a principal amount of Notes, at the time of transfer of less than $250,000, an Opinion of Counsel in form reasonably acceptable to the Issuers to the effect that such transfer is in compliance with the Securities Act, (D) outside the United States in accordance with Rule 904 of Regulation S under the Securities Act, (E) pursuant to the provisions of Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act or (F) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, and we further agree to provide to any Person purchasing the Definitive Note or beneficial interest in a Global Note from us in a transaction meeting the requirements of clauses (A) through (E) of this paragraph a notice advising such purchaser that resales thereof are restricted as stated herein.
3. We understand that, on any proposed resale of the Notes or beneficial interest therein, we will be required to furnish to you and the Issuers such certifications, legal opinions and other information
as you and the Issuers may reasonably require to confirm that the proposed sale complies with the foregoing restrictions. We further understand that the Notes purchased by us will bear a legend to the foregoing effect.
4. We are an institutional accredited investor (as defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) of Regulation D under the Securities Act) and have such knowledge and experience in financial and business matters as to be capable of evaluating the merits and risks of our investment in the Notes, and we and any accounts for which we are acting are each able to bear the economic risk of our or its investment.
5. We are acquiring the Notes or beneficial interest therein purchased by us for our own account or for one or more accounts (each of which is an institutional accredited investor) as to each of which we exercise sole investment discretion.
You and the Issuers are entitled to rely upon this letter and are irrevocably authorized to produce this letter or a copy hereof to any interested party in any administrative or legal proceedings or official inquiry with respect to the matters covered hereby.
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EXHIBIT E
FORM OF SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE
TO BE DELIVERED BY SUBSEQUENT GUARANTORS
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE (this Supplemental Indenture ), dated as of , among (the Guaranteeing Subsidiary ), a subsidiary of Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited liability partnership (the Company ), the Company, Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation ( Finance Corp. , and together with the Company, the Issuers ), the other Guarantors (as defined in the Indenture referred to herein) and U.S. 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 Issuers have heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee an indenture (the Indenture ), dated as of June 8, 2015 providing for the issuance of 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023 (the Notes );
WHEREAS, the Indenture provides that under certain circumstances the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture pursuant to which the Guaranteeing Subsidiary shall unconditionally Guarantee all of the Issuers Obligations under the Notes and the Indenture on the terms and conditions set forth herein (the Note Guarantee ); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Indenture, the Trustee is authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture.
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Guaranteeing Subsidiary, the other Guarantors, the Issuers and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:
1. CAPITALIZED TERMS. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Indenture.
2. AGREEMENT TO GUARANTEE. The Guaranteeing Subsidiary hereby agrees to provide an unconditional Guarantee on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Indenture including but not limited to Article 10 thereof.
3. NO RECOURSE AGAINST OTHERS. None of the General Partner, Ferrellgas Partners or any partner, director, officer, employee, incorporator, member, manager, unitholder or stockholder or other holder of Capital Stock of the General Partner, the Issuers or any Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any of the Issuers or Guarantors obligations under the Notes or the Indenture or any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, these obligations. Each Holder, by accepting a Note, waives and releases all such liability. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.
4. THE INTERNAL LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WILL GOVERN AND BE USED TO CONSTRUE THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAW TO THE EXTENT THAT THE APPLICATION OF THE LAWS OF ANOTHER JURISDICTION WOULD BE REQUIRED THEREBY.
5. 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.
6. EFFECT OF HEADINGS. The Section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.
7. 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 Guaranteeing Subsidiary, the other Guarantors and the Issuers.
[Signature page follows]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Supplemental Indenture to be duly executed and attested, all as of the date first above written.
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FERRELLGAS, L.P. |
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By: Ferrellgas, Inc., its General Partner |
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FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP. |
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[EXISTING GUARANTORS] |
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U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, |
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Exhibit 4.2
EXECUTION VERSION
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
by and among
Ferrellgas, L.P.
Ferrellgas Finance Corp.
and
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC,
as Representative of the several Initial Purchasers
Dated as of June 8, 2015
REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
This Registration Rights Agreement (this Agreement) is made and entered into as of June 8, 2015, by and among Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Company), Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation (Finance Corp. and, together with the Company, the Issuers), the subsidiaries of the Company listed on Schedule I (the Guarantors) and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as the representative (the Representative) of the several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement (as defined below) (the Initial Purchasers), each of whom has agreed to purchase the Issuers 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023 (the Notes) fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Guarantors (the Guarantees) pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. The Notes and the Guarantees attached thereto are herein collectively referred to as the Securities.
Upon consummation of the Companys pending acquisition (the Acquisition) of Bridger Logistics, LLC (the Target) and its subsidiaries, the Target and the Targets subsidiaries acquired by the Company on the closing date of the Acquisition (collectively, the Additional Guarantors) will execute and deliver a Joinder Agreement hereto substantially in the form attached as Annex A hereto (the Joinder Agreement) and shall thereby join this Agreement and all references herein to the Guarantors shall thereafter include each of the undersigned and their respective successors, as applicable.
This Agreement is made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated June 2, 2015 (the Purchase Agreement), among the Issuers, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers (i) for the benefit of the Initial Purchasers and (ii) for the benefit of the holders from time to time of Transfer Restricted Securities (as defined below), including the Initial Purchasers. In order to induce the Initial Purchasers to purchase the Securities, the Issuers have agreed to provide the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the obligations of the Initial Purchasers set forth in Section 4(h) of the Purchase Agreement.
The parties hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Definitions .
As used in this Agreement, the following capitalized terms shall have the following meanings:
Acquisition: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Additional Guarantors: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Additional Interest Payment Date: With respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities, each Interest Payment Date.
Advice: As defined in the last paragraph of Section 6(c) hereof.
Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Broker-Dealer: Any broker or dealer registered under the Exchange Act.
Business Day: Any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or U.S. federal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies located in New York, New York are authorized or obligated to be closed.
Commission: The Securities and Exchange Commission.
Company: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Consummate: A registered Exchange Offer shall be deemed Consummated for purposes of this Agreement upon the occurrence of (i) the filing and effectiveness under the Securities Act of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer, (ii) the maintenance of such Registration Statement continuously effective and the keeping of the Exchange Offer open for a period not less than the minimum period required pursuant to Section 3(b) hereof, and (iii) the delivery by the Issuers to the Registrar under the Indenture of Exchange Securities in the same aggregate principal amount as the aggregate principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities that were tendered by Holders thereof pursuant to the Exchange Offer.
Exchange Act: The Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Exchange Date: As defined in Section 3(b) hereto.
Exchange Offer: The registration by the Issuers under the Securities Act of the Exchange Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement pursuant to which the Issuers offer the Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities the opportunity to exchange all such outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities held by such Holders for Exchange Securities in an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities tendered in such exchange offer by such Holders.
Exchange Offer Registration Statement: The Registration Statement relating to the Exchange Offer, including the related Prospectus.
Exchange Securities: The 6.75% Senior Notes due 2023, of the same series under the Indenture as the Transfer Restricted Securities, to be issued to Holders in exchange for Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to this Agreement.
Finance Corp.: As defined in the preamble hereto.
FINRA: Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.
Guarantees : As defined in the preamble hereto.
Guarantors: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Holders: As defined in Section 2(b) hereof.
Indemnified Holder: As defined in Section 8(a) hereof.
Indenture: The Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of June 8, 2015 among the Issuers, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the Trustee ), as the same may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.
Initial Purchasers: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Initial Placement: The issuance and sale by the Issuers of the Securities to the Initial Purchasers pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.
Interest Payment Date: As defined in the Indenture and the Securities.
Issuers: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Joinder Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Notes: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Person: An individual, partnership, corporation, limited liability company, trust or unincorporated organization or other legal entity, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.
Prospectus: The prospectus included in a Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement and by all other amendments thereto, including post-effective amendments, and all material incorporated by reference into such Prospectus.
Purchase Agreement: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Registration Default: As defined in Section 5 hereof.
Registration Statement: Any registration statement of the Issuers relating to (a) an offering of Exchange Securities pursuant to an Exchange Offer or (b) the registration for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, which is filed pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, in each case, including the Prospectus included therein, all amendments and supplements thereto (including post-effective amendments) and all exhibits and material incorporated by reference therein.
Representative: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Rule 144: Rule 144 as promulgated under the Securities Act.
Securities: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Securities Act: The Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
Shelf Filing Deadline: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.
Shelf Registration Statement: As defined in Section 4(a) hereof.
Target: As defined in the preamble hereto.
Transfer Restricted Securities: The Securities; provided that the Securities shall cease to be Transfer Restricted Securities on the earliest to occur of (i) the date on which a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and such Securities have been exchanged or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) the date on which such Securities cease to be outstanding and (iii) except in the case of Securities that otherwise remain Transfer Restricted Securities and that are held by an Initial Purchaser and that are ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the date on which the Exchange Offer is Consummated.
Trust Indenture Act: The Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.
Underwritten Registration or Underwritten Offering: A registration in which securities of the Issuers are sold to an underwriter for reoffering to the public.
SECTION 2. Securities Subject to this Agreement .
(a) Transfer Restricted Securities . The securities entitled to the benefits of this Agreement are the Transfer Restricted Securities.
(b) Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities . A Person is deemed to be a holder of Transfer Restricted Securities (each, a Holder) whenever such Person owns Transfer Restricted Securities.
SECTION 3. Registered Exchange Offer .
(a) Unless the Exchange Offer shall not be permissible under applicable law or Commission policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) hereof have been complied with) or there are no Transfer Restricted Securities outstanding, each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall (i) cause to be filed with the Commission, a Registration Statement under the Securities Act relating to the Exchange Securities and the Exchange Offer, (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective, (iii) in connection with the foregoing, file (A) all pre-effective amendments to such Registration Statement as may be necessary in order to cause such Registration Statement to become effective under the Securities Act, (B) if applicable, a post-effective amendment to such Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 430A under the Securities Act and (C) cause all necessary filings in connection with the registration and qualification of the Exchange Securities to be made under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as are necessary to permit Consummation of the Exchange Offer, and (iv) upon the effectiveness of such Registration Statement, promptly commence the Exchange Offer. The Exchange Offer shall be on the appropriate form permitting registration of the Exchange Securities to be offered in exchange for the Transfer Restricted Securities and to permit resales of Transfer Restricted Securities held by Broker-Dealers as contemplated by Section 3(c) hereof.
(b) If an Exchange Offer Registration Statement is required to be filed and declared effective pursuant to Section 3(a) above, the Issuers and the Guarantors shall cause the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be effective continuously and shall keep the Exchange Offer open for a period of not less than the minimum period required under applicable federal and state securities laws to Consummate the Exchange Offer; provided , however , that in no event shall such period be less than 30 days after the date notice of the Exchange Offer is mailed to the Holders. The Issuers shall cause the Exchange Offer to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws. No securities other than the Exchange Securities shall be included in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. The Issuers shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Exchange Offer to be Consummated no later than 300 days from the date of this Agreement (the Exchange Date).
(c) The Issuers shall indicate in a Plan of Distribution section contained in the Prospectus forming a part of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement that any Broker-Dealer who holds Transfer Restricted Securities that were acquired for its own account as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities (other than Transfer Restricted Securities acquired directly from the Issuers), may exchange such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer; however, such Broker-Dealer may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act and must, therefore, deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resales of the Exchange Securities received by such Broker-Dealer in the Exchange Offer, which prospectus delivery requirement may be satisfied by the delivery by such Broker-Dealer of the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement. Such Plan of Distribution section shall also contain all other information with respect to such resales by Broker-Dealers that the Commission may require in order to permit such resales pursuant thereto, but such Plan of Distribution shall not name any such Broker-Dealer or disclose the amount of Transfer Restricted Securities held by any such Broker-
Dealer except to the extent required by the Commission as a result of a change in policy after the date of this Agreement.
Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Exchange Offer Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Transfer Restricted Securities acquired by Broker-Dealers for their own accounts as a result of market-making activities or other trading activities, and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period ending on the earlier of (i) 180 days from the date on which the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective and (ii) the date on which a Broker-Dealer is no longer required to deliver a prospectus in connection with market-making or other trading activities.
The Issuers shall provide sufficient copies of the latest version of such Prospectus to Broker-Dealers promptly upon request at any time during such 180-day (or shorter as provided in the foregoing sentence) period in order to facilitate such resales.
SECTION 4. Shelf Registration .
(a) Shelf Registration . If (i) the Issuers are not required to file an Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the Exchange Offer solely because the Exchange Offer is not permitted by applicable law or Commission policy (after the procedures set forth in Section 6(a) hereof have been complied with), (ii) for any reason the Exchange Offer is required by Section 3 hereof to be, but is not, Consummated by the Exchange Date, or (iii) prior to the Exchange Date: (A) the Initial Purchasers request from the Issuers with respect to Transfer Restricted Securities not eligible to be exchanged for Exchange Securities in the Exchange Offer, (B) any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities that notifies the Issuers that (1) such Holder is prohibited by applicable law or Commission policy from participating in the Exchange Offer, (2) such Holder may not resell the Exchange Securities acquired by it in the Exchange Offer to the public without delivering a prospectus and that the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not appropriate or available for such resales by such Holder, or (3) such Holder is a Broker-Dealer and holds Transfer Restricted Securities acquired directly from either of the Issuers or one of their respective affiliates or (C) in the case of any Initial Purchaser, such Initial Purchaser notifies the Issuers it will not receive freely tradable Exchange Securities in exchange for Transfer Restricted Securities constituting any portion of such Initial Purchasers unsold allotment, then the Issuers and the Guarantors shall
(x) cause to be filed a shelf registration statement pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act, which may be an amendment to the Exchange Offer Registration Statement (in either event, the Shelf Registration Statement) on or prior to the 90th day after the date such obligation arises (or if such 90th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day) (such date being the Shelf Filing Deadline), which Shelf Registration Statement shall provide for resales of all Transfer Restricted Securities the Holders of which shall have provided the information required pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof; and
(y) use their reasonable best efforts to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective by the Commission on or before the 90th day after the Shelf Filing Deadline (or if such 90th day is not a Business Day, the next succeeding Business Day).
Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended as required by the provisions of Sections 6(b) and (c) hereof to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for resales of Transfer
Restricted Securities by the Holders of such Securities entitled to the benefit of this Section 4(a), and to ensure that it conforms in all material respects with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the Commission as announced from time to time, for a period of two years following the effective date of such Shelf Registration Statement (or shorter period that will terminate when all the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement).
(b) Provision by Holders of Certain Information in Connection with the Shelf Registration Statement . No Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities may include any of its Transfer Restricted Securities in any Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to this Agreement unless and until such Holder furnishes to the Issuers in writing, within 20 Business Days after receipt of a request therefor, such information as the Issuers may reasonably request for use in connection with any Shelf Registration Statement or Prospectus or preliminary Prospectus included therein. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration Statement is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Issuers all information required to be disclosed in order to make the information previously furnished to the Issuers by such Holder not materially misleading.
SECTION 5. Additional Interest .
If (i) the Exchange Offer has not been Consummated on or prior to the Exchange Date, (ii) any Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, has not been filed or declared effective by the Commission (or otherwise automatically becomes effective) when so required or (iii) any Registration Statement required by this Agreement has been declared effective but ceases to be effective at any time at which it is required to be effective under this Agreement (each such event referred to in clauses (i) through (iii), a Registration Default), each of the Issuers hereby agree that the interest rate borne by the Transfer Restricted Securities shall be increased by 0.25% per annum during the 90-day period immediately following the occurrence of any Registration Default and shall increase by 0.25% per annum at the end of each subsequent 90-day period, but in no event shall such increase exceed 1.00% per annum. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults relating to the particular Transfer Restricted Securities, the interest rate borne by the relevant Transfer Restricted Securities will be reduced to the original interest rate borne by such Transfer Restricted Securities; provided , however , that, if after any such reduction in interest rate, a different Registration Default occurs, the interest rate borne by the relevant Transfer Restricted Securities shall again be increased pursuant to the foregoing provisions. The Issuers shall not be required to pay additional interest pursuant to this Section 5 for more than one Registration Default at any given time.
All obligations of the Issuers and the Guarantors set forth in the preceding paragraph that are outstanding with respect to any Transfer Restricted Security at the time such security ceases to be a Transfer Restricted Security shall survive until such time as all such obligations with respect to such security shall have been satisfied in full.
SECTION 6. Registration Procedures .
(a) Exchange Offer Registration Statement. In connection with the Exchange Offer, the Issuers and the Guarantors shall comply with all of the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof, shall use their reasonable best efforts to effect such exchange to permit the sale of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and shall comply with all of the following provisions:
(i) If in the reasonable opinion of counsel to the Issuers there is a question as to whether the Exchange Offer is permitted by applicable law, each of the Issuers and the
Guarantors hereby agrees to seek a no-action letter or other favorable decision from the Commission allowing the Issuers and the Guarantors to Consummate an Exchange Offer for such Transfer Restricted Securities. Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors hereby agrees to pursue the issuance of such a decision to the Commission staff level but shall not be required to take commercially unreasonable action to effect a change of Commission policy. Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors hereby agrees, however, to (A) participate in telephonic conferences with the Commission, (B) deliver to the Commission staff an analysis prepared by counsel to the Issuers setting forth the legal bases, if any, upon which such counsel has concluded that such an Exchange Offer should be permitted and (C) diligently pursue a favorable resolution by the Commission staff of such submission. Notwithstanding the above in this clause (i), after the Exchange Date, the Issuers shall not be precluded from complying with the provision of Section 4 hereof and abandoning the requirement of this clause (i).
(ii) As a condition to its participation in the Exchange Offer pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities shall furnish, upon the request of the Issuers, prior to the Consummation thereof, a written representation to the Issuers (which may be contained in the letter of transmittal contemplated by the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to the effect that (A) it is not an affiliate of either of the Issuers, (B) it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, and has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in, a distribution of the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer and (C) it is acquiring the Exchange Securities in its ordinary course of business. In addition, all such Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities shall otherwise cooperate in the Issuers preparations for the Exchange Offer. Each Holder hereby acknowledges and agrees that any Broker-Dealer and any such Holder using the Exchange Offer to participate in a distribution of the securities to be acquired in the Exchange Offer (1) could not under Commission policy as in effect on the date of this Agreement rely on the position of the Commission enunciated in Morgan Stanley and Co., Inc. (available June 5, 1991) and Exxon Capital Holdings Corporation (available May 13, 1988), as interpreted in the Commissions letter to Shearman & Sterling dated July 2, 1993, and similar no-action letters (which may include any no-action letter obtained pursuant to clause (i) above), and (2) must comply with the registration and prospectus delivery requirements of the Securities Act in connection with a secondary resale transaction and that such a secondary resale transaction should be covered by an effective registration statement containing the selling security holder information required by Item 507 or 508, as applicable, of Regulation S-K if the resales are of Exchange Securities obtained by such Holder in exchange for Transfer Restricted Securities acquired by such Holder directly from the Issuers.
(b) Shelf Registration Statement . If required pursuant to Section 4, in connection with the Shelf Registration Statement, each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall comply with all the provisions of Section 6(c) hereof and shall use its reasonable best efforts to effect such registration to permit the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities being sold in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof, and pursuant thereto each of the Issuers and the Guarantors will as expeditiously as possible prepare and file with the Commission a Registration Statement relating to the registration on any appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form shall be available for the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution thereof.
(c) General Provisions . In connection with any Registration Statement and any Prospectus required by this Agreement to permit the sale or resale of Transfer Restricted Securities (including, without limitation, any Registration Statement and the related Prospectus required to permit resales of Transfer Restricted Securities by Broker-Dealers), each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall:
(i) use its reasonable best efforts to keep such Registration Statement continuously effective and provide all requisite financial statements (including, if required by the Securities Act or any regulation thereunder, financial statements of the Guarantors) for the period specified in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable; upon the occurrence of any event that would cause any such Registration Statement or the Prospectus contained therein (A) to contain a material misstatement or omission or (B) not to be effective and usable for resale of Transfer Restricted Securities during the period required by this Agreement, the Issuers and the Guarantors shall file promptly an appropriate amendment to such Registration Statement, in the case of clause (A), correcting any such misstatement or omission, and, in the case of either clause (A) or (B), use its reasonable best efforts to cause such amendment to be declared effective and such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus to become usable for their intended purpose(s) as soon as practicable thereafter;
(ii) prepare and file with the Commission such amendments and post-effective amendments to the applicable Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep the Registration Statement effective for the applicable period set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, or such shorter period as will terminate when all Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement have been sold; cause the Prospectus to be supplemented by any required Prospectus supplement, and as so supplemented to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act, and to comply fully with the applicable provisions of Rules 424 and 430A under the Securities Act in a timely manner; and comply in all material respects with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all securities covered by such Registration Statement during the applicable period in accordance with the intended method or methods of distribution by the sellers thereof set forth in such Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus;
(iii) advise the underwriter(s), if any, and selling Holders promptly and, if requested by such Persons, to confirm such advice in writing, (A) when the Prospectus or any Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment has been filed, and, with respect to any Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto, when the same has become effective, (B) of any request by the Commission for amendments to the Registration Statement or amendments or supplements to the Prospectus or for additional information relating thereto, (C) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement under the Securities Act or of the suspension by any state securities commission of the qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, or the initiation of any proceeding for any of the preceding purposes, (D) of the existence of any fact or the happening of any event that makes any statement of a material fact made in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, any amendment or supplement thereto, or any document incorporated by reference therein untrue, or that requires the making of any additions to or changes in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus in order to make the statements therein (with respect to the Prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading. If at any time the Commission shall issue any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, or any state securities commission or other regulatory authority shall issue an order suspending the qualification or exemption from qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under state securities or blue sky laws, each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal or lifting of such order at the earliest possible time;
(iv) furnish without charge to each of the Initial Purchasers, each selling Holder named in any Registration Statement, and each of the underwriter(s), if any, before filing with the Commission, copies of any Registration Statement or any Prospectus included therein or any
amendments or supplements to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all documents incorporated by reference after the initial filing of such Registration Statement), which documents will be subject to the review and comment of such Holders and underwriter(s) in connection with such sale, if any, for a period of at least five Business Days, and none of the Issuers or the Guarantors will file any such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any amendment or supplement to any such Registration Statement or Prospectus (including all such documents incorporated by reference) to which an Initial Purchaser of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by such Registration Statement or the underwriter(s), if any, shall reasonably object in writing within five Business Days after the receipt thereof (such objection to be deemed timely made upon confirmation of telecopy transmission within such period); provided , however , that this clause (iv) shall not apply to any filing by the Issuers or the Guarantors of any Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q or Current Report on Form 8-K with respect to matters unrelated to the Securities and the offering or exchange therefor. The objection of an Initial Purchaser or underwriter, if any, shall be deemed to be reasonable if such Registration Statement, amendment, Prospectus or supplement, as applicable, as proposed to be filed, contains a material misstatement or omission;
(v) make available, during normal business hours upon reasonable prior notice, for inspection by the Initial Purchasers, the managing underwriter(s), if any, participating in any disposition pursuant to such Registration Statement and any attorney or accountant retained by such Initial Purchasers or any of the underwriter(s), all financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of each of the Issuers and the Guarantors and cause the Issuers and the Guarantors officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Holder, underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto subsequent to the filing thereof and prior to its effectiveness and to participate in meetings with investors to the extent requested by the managing underwriter(s), if any;
(vi) if requested by any selling Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, promptly incorporate in any Registration Statement or Prospectus, pursuant to a supplement or post-effective amendment if necessary, such information as such selling Holders and underwriter(s), if any, may reasonably request to have included therein, including, without limitation, information relating to the Plan of Distribution of the Transfer Restricted Securities, information with respect to the principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being sold to such underwriter(s), the purchase price being paid therefor and any other terms of the offering of the Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold in such offering; and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as soon as practicable after the Issuers are notified of the matters to be incorporated in such Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;
(vii) cause the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be rated with the appropriate rating agencies, if so requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities covered thereby or the underwriter(s), if any;
(viii) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, at least one copy of the Registration Statement, as first filed with the Commission, and of each amendment thereto, including, if they so request, financial statements and schedules, all documents incorporated by reference therein and all exhibits (including exhibits incorporated therein by reference);
(ix) deliver to each selling Holder and each of the underwriter(s), if any, without charge, as many copies of the Prospectus (including each preliminary prospectus) and any amendment or supplement thereto as such Persons reasonably may request; each of the Issuers and the Guarantors hereby consents to the use of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto by each of the selling Holders and each of the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the offering and the sale of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto;
(x) enter into such customary agreements (including an underwriting agreement in form, scope and substance as is customary in underwritten offerings of debt securities similar to the Transfer Restricted Securities, as may be appropriate in the circumstances), and make such representations and warranties, and take all such other actions in connection therewith as is customary in offerings of debt securities similar to the Transfer Restricted Securities in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of the Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement, all to such extent as may be reasonably requested by any Initial Purchaser or by any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or underwriter in connection with any sale or resale pursuant to any Shelf Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement; and
whether or not an underwriting agreement is entered into and whether or not the registration is an Underwritten Registration, each of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall:
(A) furnish to each Initial Purchaser, each selling Holder and each underwriter, if any, in such substance and scope as they may request and as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in primary underwritten offerings, upon the date of the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement:
(1) a certificate, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement signed by (y) the President or any Vice President and (z) a principal financial or accounting officer of each of the Issuers and the Guarantors (or their general partner or sole member, as applicable), confirming, as of the date thereof, the matters set forth in paragraphs (i), (ii) and (iii) of Section 4(e) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as such parties may reasonably request;
(2) an opinion, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement of counsel for the Issuers and the Guarantors, covering the relevant matters set forth in Section 4(c) of the Purchase Agreement and such other matters as such parties may reasonably request, and in any event including a statement to the effect that such counsel has participated in conferences and teleconferences with representatives of each of the Issuers and the Guarantors, representatives of the independent public accountants for the Issuers, representatives of the underwriter(s), if any, and representatives of counsel to the underwriter(s), if any, in connection with the preparation of such Registration Statement and the related Prospectus and have considered the matters required to be stated therein and the statements contained therein, although such counsel has not independently verified the accuracy, completeness or fairness of such statements; and that such counsel confirms that, on the basis of the foregoing, no information came to such counsels attention that caused such counsel to believe that the applicable Registration Statement, at the time such Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto became effective contained
an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, or that the Prospectus contained in such Registration Statement as of its date contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. Without limiting the foregoing, such counsel may state further that such counsel assumes no responsibility for, and has not independently verified, the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the financial statements, notes and schedules and other financial data contained or incorporated by reference in any Registration Statement contemplated by this Agreement or the related Prospectus; and
(3) a customary comfort letter, dated the date of effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement, from the Issuers independent accountants, in the customary form and covering matters of the type customarily requested to be covered in comfort letters by underwriters in connection with primary underwritten offerings, and covering or affirming the matters set forth in the comfort letters delivered pursuant to Sections 4(a) and 4(f) of the Purchase Agreement, without exception;
(B) set forth in full or incorporate by reference in the underwriting agreement, if any, the indemnification provisions and procedures of Section 8 hereof with respect to all parties to be indemnified pursuant to said Section; and
(C) deliver such other documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by such parties to evidence compliance with Section 6(c)(x)(A) hereof and with any customary conditions contained in the underwriting agreement or other agreement entered into by the Issuers or any of the Guarantors pursuant to this Section 6(c)(x), if any.
If at any time the representations and warranties of the Issuers and the Guarantors contemplated in Section 6(c)(x)(A)(1) hereof cease to be true and correct, the Company or Finance Corp. shall so advise the Initial Purchasers and the underwriter(s), if any, and each selling Holder promptly and, if requested by such Persons, shall confirm such advice in writing;
(xi) prior to any public offering of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement, cooperate with the selling Holders, the underwriter(s), if any, and their respective counsel in connection with the registration and qualification of the Transfer Restricted Securities under the state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as the selling Holders or underwriter(s), if any, may reasonably request and do any and all other acts or things necessary or advisable to enable the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement; provided , however , that none of the Issuers or the Guarantors shall be required to register or qualify as a foreign entity where it is not then so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to the service of process in suits or to taxation in any jurisdiction where it is not then so subject;
(xii) shall issue, upon the request of any Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement, Exchange Securities having an aggregate principal amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities surrendered to the Issuers by such Holder in exchange therefor or being sold by such Holder; such Exchange Securities to be registered in the name of such Holder or in the name of the purchaser(s) of such
Securities, as the case may be; in return, the Transfer Restricted Securities held by such Holder shall be surrendered to the Issuers for cancellation;
(xiii) cooperate with the selling Holders and the underwriter(s), if any, to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Transfer Restricted Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends; and enable such Transfer Restricted Securities to be in such denominations and registered in such names as the Holders or the underwriter(s), if any, may request at least two Business Days prior to any sale of Transfer Restricted Securities made by such Holders or underwriter(s);
(xiv) use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be registered with or approved by such other United States governmental agencies or authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter(s), if any, to consummate the disposition of such Transfer Restricted Securities, subject to the proviso contained in Section 6(c)(xii) hereof;
(xv) if any fact or event contemplated by Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof shall exist or have occurred, prepare a supplement or post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or related Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered to the purchasers of Transfer Restricted Securities, the Prospectus will not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;
(xvi) provide a CUSIP number for all Securities not later than the effective date of the Registration Statement covering such Securities and provide the Trustee under the Indenture with printed certificates for such Securities which are in a form eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company and take all other action necessary to ensure that all such Securities are eligible for deposit with the Depository Trust Company;
(xvii) cooperate and assist in any filings required to be made with the FINRA and in the performance of any due diligence investigation by any underwriter (including any qualified independent underwriter) that is required to be retained in accordance with the rules and regulations of the FINRA;
(xviii) otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the Commission, and make generally available to its security holders, as soon as practicable, a consolidated earnings statement meeting the requirements of Rule 158 under the Securities Act (which need not be audited) for the twelve-month period (A) commencing at the end of any fiscal quarter in which Transfer Restricted Securities are sold to underwriters in a firm commitment or best efforts Underwritten Offering or (B) if not sold to underwriters in such an offering, beginning with the first month of the Issuers first fiscal quarter commencing after the effective date of the Registration Statement;
(xix) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act not later than the effective date of the first Registration Statement required by this Agreement, and, in connection therewith, cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders of Securities to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for such Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and to execute and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents that may be required to effect such changes and all
other forms and documents required to be filed with the Commission to enable such Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner; and
(xx) cause all Securities covered by the Registration Statement to be listed on each securities exchange or automated quotation system on which similar securities issued by the Issuers are then listed if requested by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities or the managing underwriter(s), if any.
Each Holder agrees by acquisition of a Transfer Restricted Security that, upon receipt of any notice from the Issuers of the existence of any fact of the kind described in Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to the applicable Registration Statement until such Holders receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xv) hereof, or until it is advised in writing (the Advice) by the Issuers that the use of the Prospectus may be resumed, and has received copies of any additional or supplemental filings that are incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. If so directed by the Issuers, each Holder will deliver to the Issuers (at the Issuers expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Holders possession, of the Prospectus covering such Transfer Restricted Securities that was current at the time of receipt of such notice. In the event the Issuers shall give any such notice, the time period regarding the effectiveness of such Registration Statement set forth in Section 3 or 4 hereof, as applicable, shall be extended by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice pursuant to Section 6(c)(iii)(D) hereof to and including the date when each selling Holder covered by such Registration Statement shall have received the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus contemplated by Section 6(c)(xv) hereof or shall have received the Advice; provided , however , that no such extension shall be taken into account in determining whether additional interest is due pursuant to Section 5 hereof or the amount of such additional interest, it being agreed that the Issuers option to suspend use of a Registration Statement pursuant to this paragraph shall be treated as a Registration Default for purposes of Section 5 hereof.
SECTION 7. Registration Expenses .
(a) All expenses incident to the Issuers and the Guarantors performance of or compliance with this Agreement will be borne by the Issuers and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, regardless of whether a Registration Statement becomes effective, including, without limitation: (i) all registration and filing fees and expenses (including filings made by any Initial Purchaser or Holder with the FINRA (and, if applicable, the fees and expenses of any qualified independent underwriter and its counsel that may be required by the rules and regulations of the FINRA)); (ii) all fees and expenses of compliance with federal securities and state securities or blue sky laws; (iii) all expenses of printing (including printing certificates for the Exchange Securities to be issued in the Exchange Offer and printing of Prospectuses), messenger and delivery services and telephone; (iv) all fees and disbursements of counsel for the Issuers and the Guarantors and, subject to Section 7(b) hereof, the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; (v) all application and filing fees in connection with listing the Exchange Securities on a securities exchange or automated quotation system pursuant to the requirements thereof; (vi) all fees and disbursements of independent certified public accountants of the Issuers and the Guarantors (including the expenses of any special audit and comfort letters required by or incident to such performance); (vii) all rating agency fees; (viii) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws; and (ix) all fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel; provided that all underwriting discounts and commission and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or dispositions of a Holders Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement shall be the responsibility of each Holder.
Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors will, in any event, bear its internal expenses (including, without limitation, all salaries and expenses of its officers and employees performing legal or accounting duties), the expenses of any annual audit and the fees and expenses of any Person, including special experts, retained by the Issuers or the Guarantors.
(b) In connection with any Registration Statement required by this Agreement (including, without limitation, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement and the Shelf Registration Statement), the Issuers and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, will reimburse the Initial Purchasers and the Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered in the Exchange Offer and/or resold pursuant to the Plan of Distribution contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or registered pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement, as applicable, for the reasonable fees and disbursements of not more than one counsel, who shall be Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP, or such other counsel as may be chosen by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities for whose benefit such Registration Statement is being prepared.
SECTION 8. Indemnification .
(a) The Issuers and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless (i) each Initial Purchaser and Holder, (ii) each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any Initial Purchaser or any Holder (any of the Persons referred to in this clause (ii) being hereinafter referred to as a controlling person) and (iii) the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of any Initial Purchaser or any Holder or any controlling person (any Person referred to in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) may hereinafter be referred to as an Indemnified Holder), to the fullest extent lawful, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions and expenses (including, without limitation, and as incurred, reimbursement of all reasonable costs of investigating, preparing, pursuing, settling, compromising, paying or defending any claim or action, or any investigation or proceeding by any governmental agency or body, commenced or threatened, including the reasonable fees and expenses of not more than one counsel to the Indemnified Holders related to any particular situation), joint or several, directly or indirectly caused by, related to, based upon, arising out of or in connection with any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except insofar as such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses are caused by an untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission that is made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any of the Holders furnished in writing to the Issuers by any of the Holders expressly for use therein. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 11, the Issuers and the Guarantors, jointly and severally, will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any, selling brokers, dealers and similar securities industry professionals participating in the distribution, their respective affiliates and each Person, if any, who controls (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) such Persons to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Indemnified Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement or Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto). This indemnity agreement shall be in addition to any liability which the Issuers or any of the Guarantors may otherwise have.
In case any action or proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation or proceeding) shall be brought or asserted against any of the Indemnified Holders with respect to which indemnity may be sought against the Issuers or the Guarantors, such Indemnified Holder (or the Indemnified Holder controlled by such controlling person) shall promptly notify the Issuers and the Guarantors in writing; provided , however , that the omission so to notify the Issuers or the Guarantors will
not relieve them from any liability which they may have to any Indemnified Holder hereunder to the extent it is not materially prejudiced as a proximate result of such failure and in any event shall not relieve it from any liability which it may have otherwise than under the indemnity agreement contained in this Section 8. Such Indemnified Holder shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such action and the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be paid, as incurred, by the Issuers and the Guarantors (regardless of whether it is ultimately determined that an Indemnified Holder is not entitled to indemnification hereunder). The Issuers and the Guarantors shall not, in connection with any one such action or proceeding or separate but substantially similar or related actions or proceedings in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, be liable for the reasonable fees and expenses of more than one separate firm of attorneys (in addition to any local counsel) at any time for such Indemnified Holders. Any such separate firm (i) for any Initial Purchaser, its respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and (ii) for any Holder, its respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities held by Indemnified Holders. The Issuers and the Guarantors shall be liable for any settlement of any such action or proceeding effected with the Issuers and the Guarantors prior written consent, which consent shall not be withheld unreasonably, and each of the Issuers and the Guarantors agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Indemnified Holder from and against any loss, claim, damage, liability or expense by reason of any settlement of any action effected with the written consent of the Issuers and the Guarantors. The Issuers and the Guarantors shall not, without the prior written consent of each Indemnified Holder, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any pending or threatened action, claim, litigation or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not any Indemnified Holder is a party thereto), unless such settlement, compromise, consent or termination (i) includes an unconditional release of each Indemnified Holder from all liability arising out of such action, claim, litigation or proceeding and (ii) does not include any statement as to any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Holder.
(b) Each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Issuers, the Guarantors and their respective directors, officers of the Issuers and the Guarantors who sign a Registration Statement, and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) either such Issuer or any of the Guarantors, the respective officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of each such Person, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders and any Person controlling (within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act) any Initial Purchasers or any other selling Holder, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Issuers and the Guarantors to each of the Indemnified Holders, but only with respect to claims and actions based upon any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance on and in conformity with information relating to such Holder furnished in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement or Prospectus. In case any action or proceeding shall be brought against the Issuers, the Guarantors or their respective directors or officers or any such controlling person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against a Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities or an Initial Purchaser, such Holder or Initial Purchaser shall have the rights and duties given the Issuers, the Guarantors and their respective directors and officers and such controlling person shall have the rights and duties given to each Holder and Initial Purchaser by the preceding paragraph.
(c) If the indemnification provided for in this Section 8 is unavailable to an indemnified party under Section 8(a) or (b) hereof (other than by reason of exceptions provided in those Sections) or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments, actions or expenses referred to therein, then each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall
contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Issuers and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, from the Initial Placement (which in the case of the Issuers and the Guarantors shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds to the Issuers and the Guarantors from the Initial Placement), the amount of additional interest which did not become payable as a result of the filing of the Registration Statement resulting in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities, judgments actions or expenses, and such Registration Statement, or if such allocation is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to above, but also the relative fault of the Issuers and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders, on the other hand, in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Issuers and the Guarantors on the one hand and of the Indemnified Holder on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Issuers or any of the Guarantors, on the one hand, or the Indemnified Holders, on the other hand, and the parties relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses referred to above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth in the second paragraph of Section 8(a) hereof, any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating or defending any action or claim.
The Issuers, the Guarantors and each Holder of Transfer Restricted Securities agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 8(c) were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 8, none of the Holders (and its related Indemnified Holders) shall be required to contribute, in the aggregate, any amount in excess of the amount by which the total discount or proceeds received by such Holder with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities exceeds the amount of any damages which such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 8(c) are several in proportion to the respective principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities held by each of the Holders hereunder and not joint.
(d) The remedies provided for in this Section 8 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to the Issuers, the Guarantors or any Indemnified Holder at law or equity.
(e) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 8 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Issuers, the Guarantors or the officers, directors, partners, employees, representatives and agents of or any Person controlling the Issuers or any of the Guarantors, (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.
SECTION 9. Rule 144A .
Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors hereby agrees with each Holder, for so long as any Transfer Restricted Securities remain outstanding, to make available to any Holder or beneficial owner of Transfer Restricted Securities in connection with any sale thereof and any prospective purchaser of such Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder or beneficial owner, the information required by Rule 144A(d)(4) under the Securities Act in order to permit resales of such Transfer Restricted Securities pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act.
SECTION 10. Participation in Underwritten Registrations .
No Holder may participate in any Underwritten Registration hereunder unless such Holder (a) agrees to sell such Holders Transfer Restricted Securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled hereunder to approve such arrangements and (b) completes and executes all reasonable questionnaires, powers of attorney, indemnities, underwriting agreements, lock-up letters and other documents required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.
SECTION 11. Selection of Underwriters .
The Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Transfer Restricted Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) that will administer such offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Transfer Restricted Securities included in such offering; provided , however , that such investment banker(s) and managing underwriter(s) must be reasonably satisfactory to the Issuers.
SECTION 12. Miscellaneous .
(a) Remedies . Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors hereby agrees that monetary damages would not be adequate compensation for any loss incurred by reason of a breach by it of the provisions of this Agreement and hereby agree to waive the defense in any action for specific performance that a remedy at law would be adequate.
(b) No Inconsistent Agreements . Each of the Issuers and the Guarantors will not on or after the date of this Agreement enter into any agreement with respect to its securities that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof. The rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of any of the Issuers or any of the Guarantors securities under any agreement in effect on the date hereof.
(c) Adjustments Affecting the Securities . The Issuers and the Guarantors will not take any action with respect to the Securities that would materially and adversely affect the ability of the Holders to Consummate any Exchange Offer to the extent such Exchange Offer is required to and can be Consummated pursuant to the terms hereof.
(d) Amendments and Waivers . The provisions of this Agreement may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to or departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Issuers and the Guarantors have (i) in the case of Section 5 hereof and this Section 12(d)(i), obtained the written consent of Holders of all outstanding Transfer Restricted Securities and (ii) in the case of all other provisions hereof, obtained the written consent of Holders of a majority of
the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities (excluding any Transfer Restricted Securities held by the Issuers, the Guarantors or their respective Affiliates). Notwithstanding the foregoing, a waiver or consent to departure from the provisions hereof that relates exclusively to the rights of Holders whose securities are being tendered pursuant to the Exchange Offer and that does not affect directly or indirectly the rights of other Holders whose securities are not being tendered pursuant to such Exchange Offer may be given by the Holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of Transfer Restricted Securities being tendered or registered; provided , however , that, with respect to any matter that directly or indirectly affects the rights of any Initial Purchaser hereunder, the Issuers shall obtain the written consent of each such Initial Purchaser with respect to which such amendment, qualification, supplement, waiver, consent or departure is to be effective.
(e) Notices . All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, first-class mail (registered or certified, return receipt requested), telex, telecopier, or air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery:
(i) if to a Holder, at the address set forth on the records of the Registrar under the Indenture, with a copy to the Registrar under the Indenture; and
(ii) if to the Issuers:
Ferrellgas, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard, Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Facsimile: (816) 792-7985
Attention: Alan C. Heitmann
With a copy to:
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP
1111 Louisiana Street
44
th
Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
Facsimile: (713) 236-0822
Attention: John Goodgame
All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day, if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery.
Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee at the address specified in the Indenture.
(f) Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and assigns of each of the parties, including, without limitation, and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders of Transfer Restricted Securities; provided , however , that this Agreement shall not inure to the benefit of or be binding upon a successor or assign of a Holder unless and to the extent such successor or assign acquired Transfer Restricted Securities from such Holder.
(g) Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.
(h) Headings . The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
(i) Governing Law . THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, WITHOUT REGARD TO THE CONFLICTS OF LAW RULES THEREOF.
(j) Severability . In the event that any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions contained herein shall not be affected or impaired thereby.
(k) Entire Agreement . This Agreement is intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein with respect to the registration rights granted by the Issuers with respect to the Transfer Restricted Securities. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings among the parties with respect to such subject matter.
[Signature Pages Follow]
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.
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FERRELLGAS, L.P. |
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Ferrellgas, Inc., its general partner |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Alan C. Heitmann |
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Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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FERRELLGAS FINANCE CORP. |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Alan C. Heitmann |
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Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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SABLE ENVIRONMENTAL, LLC |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Alan C. Heitmann |
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Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
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BLUE RHINO GLOBAL SOURCING, INC. |
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/s/ Alan C. Heitmann |
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Alan C. Heitmann |
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Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer |
The foregoing Registration Rights Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:
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J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC, |
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as Representative of the Several Initial Purchasers |
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J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC |
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Catherine ODonnell |
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Executive Director |
Annex A
FORM OF JOINDER AGREEMENT TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT
[ ], 2015
Reference is hereby made to the Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2015 (the Registration Rights Agreement), by and among Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, Ferrellgas Finance Corp., a Delaware corporation, the subsidiaries of the Company party thereto and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as the representative of the several Initial Purchasers listed in Schedule A to the Purchase Agreement. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Registration Rights Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given them in the Registration Rights Agreement.
1. Joinder of the Guarantor . Each signatory hereto (each, an Additional Guarantor) hereby agrees to become bound by the terms, conditions and other provisions of the Registration Rights Agreement applicable to a Guarantor with all attendant rights, duties and obligations stated therein, with the same force and effect as if originally named as Guarantor therein and as if such Additional Guarantor executed the Registration Rights Agreement on the date thereof.
2. Governing Law . This Joinder Agreement, and any claim, controversy or dispute arising under or related to this Joinder Agreement, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.
3. Counterparts . This agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Joinder Agreement by facsimile, email or other electronic transmission ( i.e ., pdf) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Joinder Agreement.
4. Amendments . No amendment or waiver of any provision of this Joinder Agreement, nor any consent or approval to any departure therefrom, shall in any event be effective unless the same shall be in writing and signed by the parties hereto.
5. Headings . The headings in this Joinder Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.
[Signature Page Follows]
Exhibit 5.1
June 8, 2015
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard, Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Re: Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
Registration Statement on Form S-3
(File No. 333-204620)
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ), in connection with the registration, pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-204620) (the Registration Statement ), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act ), of the offering and sale by the Partnership of up to 7,273,750 common units (including up to 948,750 common units subject to the Underwriters (as defined below) option to purchase additional Units) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the Units ), pursuant to the terms of an underwriting agreement (the Underwriting Agreement ), dated June 2, 2015, among the Partnership, Ferrellgas, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and Ferrellgas, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, as representative of the underwriters named therein (the Underwriters ). This opinion is being furnished in accordance with the requirements of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Act.
We have examined originals or certified copies of such partnership records of the Partnership and other certificates and documents of officials of the Partnership or its general partner, public officials and others as we have deemed appropriate for purposes of this letter. We have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to authentic original documents of all copies submitted to us as conformed, certified or reproduced copies. We have also assumed that, upon sale and delivery, the certificates for the Units will conform to the specimen thereof included as an exhibit to the partnership agreement of the Partnership filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement and will have been duly countersigned by the transfer agent and duly registered by the registrar for the common units of the Partnership or, if uncertificated, valid book-entry notations for the issuance of the Units in uncertificated form will have been duly made in the register of common units of the Partnership. As to various questions of fact relevant to this letter, we have relied, without independent investigation, upon certificates of public officials and certificates of officers of the general partner of the Partnership, all of which we assume to be true, correct and complete.
Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, exceptions, qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion that when the Units have been issued and delivered in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement against payment in full of the consideration payable therefor as determined in accordance with the partnership agreement of the Partnership by the Board of Directors of the general partner of the Partnership or a duly authorized committee thereof and as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement, the Units will have been duly authorized and validly issued, and holders of the Units will have no obligation to make any further payments to the Partnership for the issuance of the Units or contributions to the Partnership solely by reason of their ownership of the Units, except for their obligation to repay any funds wrongfully distributed to them.
The opinions and other matters in this letter are qualified in their entirety and subject to the following:
A. We express no opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act of the State of Delaware (the Delaware LP Act ). As used herein, the term Delaware LP Act includes the statutory provisions contained therein and all applicable provisions of the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting these laws.
B. This opinion letter is limited to the matters expressly stated herein and no opinion is to be inferred or implied beyond the opinion expressly set forth herein. We undertake no, and hereby disclaim any, obligation to make any inquiry after the date hereof or to advise you of any changes in any matter set forth herein, whether based on a change in the law, a change in any fact relating to the Partnership or any other person or any other circumstance.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Partnership with the Commission on or about the date hereof, to the incorporation by reference of this opinion into the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, dated June 1, 2015 and the Final Prospectus Supplement, dated June 3, 2015, forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption Legal matters. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P. |
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AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P. |
Exhibit 8.1
June 8, 2015
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
7500 College Boulevard, Suite 1000
Overland Park, Kansas 66210
Re: Ferrellgas Partners, L.P.
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We have acted as special counsel to Ferrellgas Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (the Partnership ), in connection with the registration, pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-204620) (the Registration Statement ), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission ) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Act ), of the offering (the Offering ) and sale by the Partnership of up to 7,273,750 common units (including up to 948,750 common units subject to the underwriters option to purchase additional Common Units) representing limited partner interests in the Partnership (the Common Units ). In connection therewith, we have participated in the preparation of the discussions set forth under the caption Material U.S. federal income tax consequences (the Discussion ) in the Registration Statement, the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated June 1, 2015 (the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement ) and the final prospectus supplement, dated June 3, 2015 (the Final Prospectus Supplement ), as applicable.
The Discussion, subject to the qualifications and assumptions stated in the Discussion and the limitations and qualifications set forth herein, constitutes our opinion as to the material United States federal income tax consequences for purchasers of the Common Units pursuant to the Offering.
This opinion letter is limited to the matters set forth herein, and no opinions are intended to be implied or may be inferred beyond those expressly stated herein. Our opinion is rendered as of the date hereof and we assume no obligation to update or supplement this opinion or any matter related to this opinion to reflect any change of fact, circumstances, or law after the date hereof. In addition, our opinion is based on the assumption that the matter will be properly presented to the applicable court.
Furthermore, our opinion is not binding on the Internal Revenue Service or a court. In addition, we must note that our opinion represents merely our best legal judgment on the matters presented and that others may disagree with our conclusion. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will not take a contrary position or that a court would agree with our opinion if litigated.
We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Partnership with the Commission on or about the date hereof, to the incorporation by reference of this opinion into the Registration Statement and to the use of our name in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and the Final Prospectus Supplement, forming a part of the Registration Statement under the caption Material U.S. federal income tax consequences. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
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Very truly yours, |
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/s/ AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P. |
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AKIN, GUMP, STRAUSS, HAUER & FELD, L.L.P. |
Exhibit 99.1
June 2, 2015
Ferrellgas, L.P. Announces Pricing of $500 Million Offering of Senior Notes
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS, June 2, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Ferrellgas, L.P., the operating subsidiary of Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE: FGP), and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ferrellgas Finance Corp., announced today the pricing of their offering of $500 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.75% senior unsecured notes due 2023 (the Notes). The Notes mature on June 15, 2023 and will be issued at an offering price of 100% of par. The offering is expected to close on June 8, 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.
Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. intend to use the net proceeds from the private placement offering to fund a portion of the cash portion of the consideration for the pending acquisition of all of the outstanding membership interests in Bridger Logistics, LLC and its subsidiaries with remaining amounts being used to repay outstanding borrowings under our secured credit facility after the closing of the acquisition.
The securities to be sold have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the Securities Act), or any state securities laws and, unless so registered, may not be offered or sold in the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Ferrellgas, L.P. and Ferrellgas Finance Corp. offered the securities only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act and to non-U.S. persons in transactions outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction.
CONTACT: Jack Herrold, Investor Relations, 913-661-1851
Jim Saladin, Media Relations, 913-661-1833
Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 913-661-1830
Exhibit 99.2
June 2, 2015
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Common Units
OVERLAND PARK, Kansas, June 2, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. (NYSE:FGP) announced today that it has priced its public offering of 6,325,000 common units representing limited partner interests in FGP at a price to the public of $23.00 per unit. FGP has granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 948,750 common units. The offering is expected to close on June 8, 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.
FGP intends to use the net proceeds from the offering, including its general partners proportionate capital contribution and after deducting underwriting discounts but before estimated offering expenses, of approximately $139.7 million (or approximately $160.6 million if the underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional units in full) to fund a portion of the cash portion of the consideration for the pending acquisition of all of the outstanding membership interests in Bridger Logistics, LLC and its subsidiaries.
J.P. Morgan, UBS Investment Bank, Barclays, BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays, RBC Capital Markets and Jefferies are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Capital One Securities, Fifth Third Securities, MUFG and Simmons & Company International are acting as co-managers for the offering.
The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus. A copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering may be obtained from the offices of:
J.P. Morgan
c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions
1155 Long Island Avenue
Edgewood, New York 11717
Attn: Prospectus Department
Telephone: (866) 803-9204
E-mail: prospectus-eq_fi@jpmorgan.com
UBS Investment Bank
Attn: Prospectus Department
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019
Telephone: (888) 827-7275
Barclays
c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions
1155 Long Island Avenue
Edgewood, NY 11717
E-mail: Barclaysprospectus@broadridge.com
Telephone: (888) 603-5847
BofA Merrill Lynch
222 Broadway
New York, NY 10038
Attn: Prospectus Department
E-mail: dg.prospectus_requests@baml.com
RBC Capital Markets
Attention: Equity Syndicate
200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10281-8098
Telephone: (877) 822-4089
Email: equityprospectus@rbccm.com
Jefferies
520 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor
New York, NY 10022
Attn: Prospectus Department
Telephone: (877) 547-6340
E-mail: Prospectus_Department@Jefferies.com
An electronic copy of the prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus may also be obtained at no charge at the Securities and Exchange Commissions (SEC) website at www.sec.gov.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. The offering may be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, each of which is part of an effective shelf registration statement filed by FGP with the SEC.
Ferrellgas Partners, L.P. is a publicly traded partnership serving propane customers and providing midstream services to major energy companies in the United States. FGP is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.
CONTACT: Jack Herrold, Investor Relations, 913-661-1851
Jim Saladin, Media Relations, 913-661-1833
Scott Brockelmeyer, Media Relations, 913-661-1830