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): December 3, 2015

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Texas

 

000-19797

 

74-1989366

(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation)

 

(Commission File
Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification No.)

 

550 Bowie Street, Austin, Texas

 

78703

(Address of principal executive offices)

 

(Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code:

(512) 477-4455

 

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.

 

On December 3, 2015, Whole Foods Market, Inc. (the “Company”) completed its previously announced offering of $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of its 5.200% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Notes”).  The Notes were offered in the United States to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act.

 

The Notes were issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated December 3, 2015, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated December 3, 2015, among the Company, the guarantors named therein (the “Guarantors”) and the Trustee (as so supplemented, the “Indenture”).

 

The Notes bear interest at a fixed rate equal to 5.200% per year, payable semi-annually in arrears on June 3 and December 3, beginning on June 3, 2016.   The interest rate payable on the Notes is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain credit rating events described in the Indenture.  The Notes will mature on December 3, 2025. The Notes are guaranteed (the “Guarantees”) by each of the Company’s subsidiaries that guarantees Primary Senior Indebtedness (as defined in the Indenture).  The Notes and the Guarantees will be the Company’s and the Guarantors’ senior unsecured obligations and will rank equally with the Company’s and the Guarantors’ other senior unsecured liabilities from time to time outstanding and senior in right of payment to any future subordinated indebtedness.

 

The Notes are subject to customary covenants restricting the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ ability, subject to certain exceptions, to incur debt secured by liens or to enter into sale and leaseback transactions and restricting the Company’s and any Guarantor’s ability or to merge or consolidate with another entity or sell substantially all of its assets to another person. The Indenture provides for customary events of default and further provides that the Trustee or the holders of 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may declare such Notes immediately due and payable upon the occurrence of any event of default after expiration of any applicable grace period.

 

Prior to September 3, 2025, the Company may redeem the Notes at the Company’s option at any time either in whole or in part for a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus the applicable make-whole premium described in the Indenture, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date of redemption.  On or after September 3, 2025, the Company may redeem the Notes at the Company’s option at any time either in whole or in part for a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date of redemption.  If a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined in the Indenture) occurs, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Notes, the Company will be required to make an offer to each holder of the Notes to repurchase such holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the date of repurchase.

 

The Notes have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements or a transaction not subject to the registration requirements of the Securities Act or any state securities laws.

 

In connection with the offering of the Notes, on December 3, 2015, the Company, the Guarantors and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several initial purchasers listed therein, entered in a Registration Rights Agreement relating to the Notes (the

 

2



 

“Registration Rights Agreement”).  Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantors have agreed to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) a registration statement (the “Exchange Offer Registration Statement”) relating to an offer to exchange the Notes for new SEC-registered notes (the “Exchange Notes”) containing terms substantially identical to the Notes (except that the transfer restrictions on the Exchange Notes will be modified or eliminated and there will be no registration rights).  In the event that the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantors are not permitted to file the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or to consummate the exchange offer because the exchange offer is not permitted by applicable law or SEC policy or, in certain other circumstances, including if for any reason the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared effective by the SEC on or prior to the 365th day after the closing date of the offering of the Notes, the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantors will file with the SEC a shelf registration statement with respect to resales of the Notes by the holders thereof.  Pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, the interest rate on the Notes is subject to increase under certain circumstances during any period in which the Company and, if applicable, the Guarantors are not in compliance with their obligations under the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

The above descriptions of the Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture, the Notes and the Registration Rights Agreement are qualified in their entirety by reference to the Indenture, the First Supplemental Indenture, the Notes and the Registration Rights Agreement, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2, 4.3 and 10.1, respectively, and are incorporated by reference herein.

 

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

 

The information contained in Item 1.01 is incorporated by reference herein.

 

Item 9.01.                                         Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d)                                                                                  Exhibits.

 

4.1                                Indenture, dated December 3, 2015, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee.

 

4.2                                First Supplemental Indenture, dated December 3, 2015, among the Company, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee.

 

4.3                                Form of 5.200% Senior Note due 2025 (included in Exhibit 4.2).

 

10.1                         Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 3, 2015, among the Company, the Guarantors and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several Initial Purchasers.

 

3



 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

Date: December 4, 2015

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

4


Exhibit 4.1

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.,

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 


 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of December 3, 2015

 


 

 

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 


 

 

PAGE

 

 

ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

 

 

Section 1.01. Definitions

1

Section 1.02. Other Definitions

7

Section 1.03. Rules of Construction

7

 

 

ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES

 

 

 

Section 2.01. Form, Dating, Title and Terms

8

Section 2.02. Execution and Authentication

14

Section 2.03. Registrar and Paying Agent

15

Section 2.04. Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust

15

Section 2.05. Noteholder Lists

16

Section 2.06. Transfer and Exchange

16

Section 2.07. Business Days

18

Section 2.08. Replacement Notes

18

Section 2.09. Outstanding Notes

18

Section 2.10. Temporary Notes

19

Section 2.11. Cancellation

19

Section 2.12. Defaulted Interest

19

Section 2.13. CUSIP Numbers, etc

20

Section 2.14. Issuance of Additional Notes

20

Section 2.15. One Class of Notes

20

 

 

ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION

 

 

 

Section 3.01. Applicability of this Article

20

Section 3.02. Notices to Trustee; Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed

21

Section 3.03. Notice of Redemption

21

Section 3.04. Effect of Notice of Redemption

22

Section 3.05. Deposit of Redemption Price

22

Section 3.06. Notes Redeemed in Part

23

 

 

ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS

 

 

 

Section 4.01. Payment of Notes

23

Section 4.02. Limitations on Liens

23

Section 4.03. Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

26

Section 4.04. Change of Control Repurchase Event

26

Section 4.05. Compliance Certificate

28

 

i



 

Section 4.06. Maintenance of Office or Agency

29

Section 4.07. Existence

29

 

 

ARTICLE 5
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS

 

 

 

Section 5.01. When the Company and any Guarantor May Merge or Transfer Assets

29

Section 5.02. Successor Person Substituted

29

 

 

ARTICLE 6
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

 

 

Section 6.01. Events of Default

30

Section 6.02. Acceleration

32

Section 6.03. Other Remedies

32

Section 6.04. Waiver of Past Defaults

33

Section 6.05. Control by Majority

33

Section 6.06. Limitation on Suits

33

Section 6.07. Rights of Holders to Receive Payment

34

Section 6.08. Collection Suit by Trustee

34

Section 6.09. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim

34

Section 6.10. Priorities

34

Section 6.11. Undertaking for Costs

35

Section 6.12. Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws

35

 

 

ARTICLE 7
TRUSTEE

 

 

 

Section 7.01. Duties of Trustee

35

Section 7.02. Rights of Trustee

36

Section 7.03. Individual Rights of Trustee

38

Section 7.04. Trustee’s Disclaimer

38

Section 7.05. Notice of Defaults

38

Section 7.06. Reports by Trustee to Holders

38

Section 7.07. Compensation and Indemnity

39

Section 7.08. Replacement of Trustee

39

Section 7.09. Successor Trustee by Merger

40

Section 7.10. Eligibility; Disqualification

41

Section 7.11. Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company

41

 

 

ARTICLE 8
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

 

 

 

Section 8.01. Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance

41

Section 8.02. Conditions to Defeasance

42

Section 8.03. Application of Trust Money

43

Section 8.04. Repayment to the Company

43

 

ii



 

Section 8.05. Indemnity for Government Obligations

44

Section 8.06. Reinstatement

44

 

 

ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENTS

 

 

 

Section 9.01. Without Consent of Holders

44

Section 9.02. With Consent of Holders

45

Section 9.03. Effect of Consents and Waivers

46

Section 9.04. Notation on or Exchange of Notes

47

Section 9.05. Trustee to Sign Amendments

47

 

 

ARTICLE 10
MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

Section 10.01. Notices

47

Section 10.02. Communication by Holders with Other Holders

48

Section 10.03. Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent

49

Section 10.04. Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion

49

Section 10.05. When Notes Disregarded

49

Section 10.06. Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar

49

Section 10.07. Governing Law

49

Section 10.08. No Recourse Against Others

50

Section 10.09. Successors

50

Section 10.10. Multiple Originals

50

Section 10.11. Variable Provisions

50

Section 10.12. Table of Contents; Headings

50

Section 10.13. Waiver of Jury Trial

50

Section 10.14. Force Majeure

50

Section 10.15. U.S.A. Patriot Act

50

 

 

Exhibit A—Form of Note

 

 

iii



 

INDENTURE, dated as of December 3, 2015, between Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “ Company ”), and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

WHEREAS, the Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Company’s unsecured senior debt securities in one or more series (the “ Notes ”) of substantially the tenor hereinafter provided, and to provide the terms and conditions upon which the Notes are to be authenticated, issued and delivered; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered hereunder and duly issued by the Company, the valid obligations of the Company, and to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

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

 

ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

Section 1.01.                           Definitions.

 

Additional Notes ” means Notes of a series issued from time to time after the initial Issue Date for such series under the terms of this Indenture (other than pursuant to Sections 2.06, 2.08, 2.10, 3.06 and 9.04 of this Indenture, in the case of Notes of any series that are not already Additional Notes of such series).

 

Attributable Debt ” means, with respect to any sale and leaseback transaction, at the time of determination, the total obligation (discounted to the present value at the implicit interest factor, determined in accordance with GAAP, included in the rental payments) of the lessee for rental payments (other than amounts required to be paid on account of property taxes as well as maintenance, repairs, insurance, water rates and other items that do not constitute payments for property rights) during the remaining term of the lease included in such transaction, including any period for which such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended.

 

Board of Directors ” or “ Board ” means, with respect to any Person, the Board of Directors of such Person, any management committee of such Person or any committee thereof duly authorized to act on behalf of such Board of Directors or such management committee.

 



 

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

 

Business Day ” means any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies in New York City are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

Capital Stock ” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, rights to purchase, warrants, options, participations or other equivalents of or interests in (however designated) equity of such Person, including any preferred stock, partnership interests and limited liability company membership interests, but excluding any debt securities convertible into such equity.

 

Change of Control ” means (1) any “person” or “group” of related persons (as such terms are used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act, except that such person or group shall be deemed to have “beneficial ownership” of all shares that any such person or group has the right to acquire, whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time), directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the total ordinary voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company (or its successor by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or substantially all of its assets); (2) the merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person or the merger of another Person with or into the Company or the merger of any Person with or into a Subsidiary of the Company, unless the holders of a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power of the Voting Stock of the Company, immediately prior to such transaction, hold securities of the surviving or transferee Person that represent, immediately after such transaction, at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power of the Voting Stock of the surviving or transferee Person; (3) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Board of Directors of the Company are not Continuing Directors; (4) the sale, assignment, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its Subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” (as such term is used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act); or (5) the adoption by the stockholders of the Company of a plan or proposal for the liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

 

Change of Control Repurchase Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Ratings Event.

 

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

 

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

 

2



 

“Consolidated Tangible Assets ” means, to the Company and its Subsidiaries calculated in accordance with GAAP on a consolidated basis, the aggregate amount of assets (less depreciation and valuation reserves and other reserves and items deductible from gross book value of specific asset accounts under GAAP) which under GAAP would be included on a balance sheet after deducting therefrom all goodwill, trade names, trademarks, patents, unamortized debt discount and expense and other like intangibles, which would be so included on such balance sheet.

 

Continuing Director ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the initial Issue Date for the relevant series or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were member of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election.

 

Corporate Trust Office ” means the office of the Trustee at which, at any particular time, this Indenture shall be principally administered; which office at the date of the execution of this Indenture is located at 5555 San Felipe Street, Suite 1150, Houston, TX 77056, Attention: Corporate Trust or at any other time at such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by written notice to the Holders.

 

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

 

DTC ” means The Depository Trust Company, its nominees and their respective successors and assigns.

 

Exchange Act ” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.

 

GAAP ” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America in effect on the date hereof, unless provided otherwise in a supplemental indenture.

 

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 agreements 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 endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “guarantee”, when used as a verb, has a correlative meaning.

 

guarantor ” means any Person that guarantees the Notes.

 

3



 

Holder ” or “ Noteholder ” means the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the security register books of the Registrar.

 

incur ” means issue, assume, guarantee or otherwise become liable for.

 

Indebtedness ” means, with respect to any Person, obligations of such Person for borrowed money (including, without limitation, Indebtedness for borrowed money evidenced by notes, bonds, debentures or similar instruments).

 

Indenture ” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time.

 

Interest Payment Date ” means as to each series of Notes the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on such Notes.

 

Investment Grade ” means a rating of Baa3 or better by Moody’s (or its equivalent under any successor Rating Categories of Moody’s); a rating of BBB- or better by S&P (or its equivalent under any successor Rating Categories of S&P); and the equivalent Investment Grade credit rating from any additional Rating Agency or Rating Agencies selected by the Company.

 

Issue Date ” means, with respect to a series of Notes, the date on which Notes of such series are issued.

 

Lien ” means any mortgage, security interest, pledge, lien, charge or other similar encumbrance.

 

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or any successor thereto.

 

Officer ” means the Chief Executive Officer, President, the Controller, the Chief Operating Officer, any Vice President, the Treasurer, the Assistant Treasurer, the Chief Financial Officer, the Chief Accounting Officer, the General Counsel, the Secretary or the Assistant Secretary, as applicable.

 

Officers’ Certificate ” means a certificate signed by any two Officers of the Company.

 

Opinion of Counsel ” means a written opinion from legal counsel to the Company. The counsel may be an employee of the Company. Opinions of Counsel required to be delivered under this Indenture may have qualifications customary for opinions of the type required and counsel delivering such Opinions of Counsel may rely on certificates of the Company or governmental or other officials customary for opinions of the type required, including certificates certifying as to matters of fact.

 

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

 

4



 

principal ” means the principal of the Notes of each series plus the premium, if any, payable on the Notes of each series that is due or overdue or is to become due at the relevant time; provided , however , that for purposes of calculating any such premium, the term “principal” shall not include the premium with respect to which such calculation is being made.

 

Rating Agency ” means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P; and (2) if either of Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the notes or fails to make a rating of the notes publicly available for reasons outside of the control of the Company, a ‘‘nationally recognized statistical rating organization’’ within the meaning of Section 3(a)(62) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Company (as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company) as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, or both, as the case may be.

 

Rating Category ” means (1) with respect to S&P, any of the following categories: BBB, BB, B, CCC, CC, C and D (or equivalent successor categories); (2) with respect to Moody’s, any of the following categories: Baa, Ba, B, Caa, Ca, C and D (or equivalent successor categories); and (3) the equivalent of any such category of S&P or Moody’s used by another Rating Agency. In determining whether the rating of the Notes has decreased by one or more gradations, gradations within Rating Categories (+ and - for S&P; 1, 2 and 3 for Moody’s; or the equivalent gradations for another Rating Agency) shall be taken into account (e.g., with respect to S&P, a decline in a rating from BB+ to BB, as well as from BB- to B+, will constitute a decrease of one gradation).

 

Rating Date ” means the date that is 60 days prior to the earlier of (1) a Change of Control or (2) public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control or of the intention by the Company to effect a Change of Control.

 

Ratings Event ” means the occurrence of the events described in (a) or (b) below on, or within 60 days after, the earlier of (1) the occurrence of a Change of Control or (2) public notice of the occurrence of a Change of Control or the intention by the Company to effect a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Notes is under publicly announced consideration for a possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies): (a) in the event the Notes are rated by both Rating Agencies on the Rating Date as Investment Grade, the rating of the Notes shall be reduced so that the Notes are rated below Investment Grade by both Rating Agencies, or (b) in the event the Notes (1) are rated Investment Grade by one Rating Agency and below Investment Grade by the other Rating Agency or (2) below Investment Grade by both Rating Agencies on the Rating Date, the rating of the Notes by either Rating Agency shall be decreased by one or more gradations (including gradations within Rating Categories, as well as between Rating Categories).

 

Redemption Date ” shall mean the date specified for redemption of the Notes of any series in accordance with the terms of the Notes of such series and Section 3.01.

 

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or any successor thereto.

 

5



 

SEC ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any successor agency.

 

Securities Act ” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated by the SEC thereunder.

 

Securities Custodian ” means the custodian with respect to a Global Note (as appointed by DTC) or any successor person thereto and shall initially be the Trustee.

 

Stated Maturity ” means, with respect to any Note, the date specified in such security as the fixed date on which the payment of principal of such Note is due and payable, including pursuant to any mandatory redemption provision (but excluding any provision providing for the repurchase of such security at the option of the holder thereof until the exercise of such option by such holder).

 

Subsidiary ” means, with respect to any Person (the “ parent ”) at any date, any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of the parent in the parent’s consolidated financial statements if such financial statements were prepared in accordance with GAAP as of that date, as well as any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, association or other entity of which securities or other ownership interests representing more than 50% of the equity or more than 50% of the ordinary voting power or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the general partnership interests are, as of that date, owned, controlled or held by the parent or one or more Subsidiaries of the parent or by the parent and one or more Subsidiaries of the parent.

 

Trust Indenture Act ” means the U.S. Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb), as in effect on the date of this Indenture; provided , however , that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “Trust Indenture Act” means, to the extent required by any such amendments, the U.S. Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as so amended.

 

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 such successor.

 

Trust Officer ” shall mean, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer within the corporate trust department of the Trustee, including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other officer of the Trustee who customarily performs functions similar to those performed by the persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such person’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

Uniform Commercial Code ” means the New York Uniform Commercial Code as in effect from time to time.

 

6



 

U.S. Government Obligations ” means direct obligations (or certificates representing an ownership interest in such obligations) of the United States of America (including any agency or instrumentality thereof) for the payment of which the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and that are not callable or redeemble at the Company’s option.

 

Voting Stock ” of any specified “person” (as that term is used in Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act) as of any date means the Capital Stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the Board of Directors of such person.

 

Section 1.02.                           Other Definitions.

 

Term

 

Defined in
Section

“Affiliate”

 

10.05

“Agent Members”

 

2.01(d)

“Authenticating Agent”

 

2.02

“Authentication Order”

 

2.02

“Bankruptcy Law”

 

6.01

“Change of Control Offer”

 

4.04

“covenant defeasance option”

 

8.01(b)

“Custodian”

 

6.01

“Definitive Notes”

 

2.01(e)

“Event of Default”

 

6.01

“Global Notes”

 

2.01(a)

“legal defeasance option”

 

8.01(b)

“Notes”

 

Recitals

“Notice of Default”

 

6.01

“Paying Agent”

 

2.03

“Registrar”

 

2.03

“Successor”

 

5.01

 

Section 1.03.                           Rules of Construction .  For purposes of this Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(i)                                      all terms used in this Indenture that are not defined herein and that are used as defined by the Trust Indenture Act, defined by reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule have the meanings assigned to them by such definitions;

 

(ii)                                   a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

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

 

(iv)                               “including” means including without limitation;

 

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(v)                                  words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;

 

(vi)                               all references to Notes of any series shall refer also to any Additional Notes of such series issued in the form of Notes of such series pursuant to Section 2.14;

 

(vii)                            all references to the date the Notes of any series were originally issued shall refer to the Issue Date or the date any Additional Notes of any series were originally issued, as the case may be; and

 

(viii)                         all references herein to particular Sections or Articles shall refer to this Indenture unless otherwise so indicated.

 

ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES

 

Section 2.01.                           Form, Dating, Title and Terms .  (a) The Notes of each series shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A , or in such other form or forms as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate provisions as are required or permitted by this Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with applicable laws or the rules of any securities exchange or DTC or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the Officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution thereof. If the form of Notes of any series is established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Authentication Order contemplated by Section 2.02 with respect to the authentication and delivery of such Notes.

 

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form set forth in this Article.

 

The Definitive Notes shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on a steel engraved border or on steel engraved borders or produced by any combination of these methods, if required by any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, or may be produced in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, all as determined by the Officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of such Notes.

 

The Notes of each series shall be issued on the Issue Date therefor in the form of a permanent global Note (each, a “ Global Note ” and, collectively, the “ Global Notes ”), deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for DTC, duly executed by the Company, authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided and dated the date of their authentication. Each Global Note may be represented by more than one certificate, if so required by DTC’s rules regarding the maximum principal amount to be represented by a

 

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single certificate. The aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for DTC or its nominee, as hereinafter provided.

 

The principal of and interest on the Notes shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose in Austin, Texas, or at such other office or agency of the Company as may be maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.03; provided , however , that at the option of the Company, each installment of interest may be paid by (i) check mailed to addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear on the Note Register or (ii) upon request of any Holder of at least $1,000,000 principal amount of Notes, wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC.

 

(b)           Denominations. The Notes shall be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and only in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(c)            Legend for Global Notes. The Global Notes shall bear the following legend on the face thereof:

 

“UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN. TRANSFERS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, TO NOMINEES OF DTC OR TO A SUCCESSOR THEREOF OR SUCH SUCCESSOR’S NOMINEE AND TRANSFERS OF PORTIONS OF THIS GLOBAL SECURITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO TRANSFERS MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE REFERRED TO ON THE REVERSE HEREOF.”

 

(d)                         Book-Entry Provisions.

 

(i)                                      This Section 2.01(d) shall apply only to Global Notes deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for DTC.

 

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(ii)                                   Each Global Note initially shall (x) be registered in the name of DTC or the nominee of DTC, (y) be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for DTC and (z) bear the legend set forth in Section 2.01(c).

 

(iii)                                Members of, or participants in, DTC (“ Agent Members ”) shall have no rights under this Indenture with respect to any Global Note held on their behalf by DTC or by the Trustee as the custodian of DTC or under such Global Note, and DTC shall be treated by the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the absolute owner of such Global Note for all purposes whatsoever. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by DTC or impair, as between DTC and its Agent Members, the operation of customary practices of DTC governing the exercise of the rights of a holder of a beneficial interest in any Global Note.

 

(iv)                               In connection with any transfer of a portion of the beneficial interest in a Global Note pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 2.01 to beneficial owners who are required to hold Definitive Notes, the Securities Custodian shall reflect on its books and records the date and a decrease in the principal amount of such Global Note in an amount equal to the principal amount of the beneficial interest in the Global Note to be transferred, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, one or more Definitive Notes of the relevant series of like tenor and amount.

 

(v)                                  In connection with the transfer of an entire Global Note to beneficial owners pursuant to subsection (e) of this Section 2.01, such Global Note shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, to each beneficial owner identified by DTC in exchange for its beneficial interest in such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of the relevant series of authorized denominations.

 

(vi)                               The registered holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any person, including Agent Members and persons that may hold interests through Agent Members, to take any action that a Holder is entitled to take under this Indenture or the Notes.

 

(e)                          Definitive Notes.

 

(i)                                      Except as provided below, owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note shall not be entitled to have Notes represented by the Global Note registered in their name or to receive certificated Notes (“ Definitive Notes ”). If required to do so pursuant to any applicable law or regulation, beneficial owners may obtain Definitive Notes in exchange for their beneficial interests in a Global Note upon written request in accordance with DTC’s and the Registrar’s procedures. In addition, Definitive Notes shall be transferred to all beneficial

 

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owners in exchange for their beneficial interests in a Global Note if (a) DTC notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depository for such Global Note or DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, at a time when DTC is required to be so registered in order to act as depository, and in each case a successor depository is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice, (b) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee and Registrar an Officers’ Certificate stating that such Global Note shall be so exchangeable or (c) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to the Notes of a series and the Registrar has received a request from DTC to exchange the Global Note for such series for Definitive Notes of such series.

 

(ii)                                   Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to Section 2.01(d)(iv) or 2.01(d)(v) shall bear the legend regarding transfer restrictions applicable to the Definitive Note set forth in Section 2.01(c).

 

(f)             Certificate of Authentication.  The Trustee’s certificates of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF
AUTHENTICATION

 

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

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee

 

By

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

Dated:            ,

 

 

(g)                          Title and Terms.  The aggregate principal amount of Notes which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

 

The Notes may be issued in one or more series. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Notes of a series:

 

(i)                                      the title of the Notes of such series, which shall distinguish the Notes of the series from all other Notes;

 

(ii)                                   the limit, if any, upon the aggregate principal amount of the Notes of such series that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes of the same series pursuant to Sections 2.06, 2.08, 2.10, 3.06 or 4.04 except for any Notes that, pursuant to Section 

 

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2.02, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder); provided , however , except as otherwise specified as contemplated by this Section 2.01 with respect to the Notes of any series, that the authorized aggregate principal amount of such series may be increased above such amount by a Board Resolution to such effect;

 

(iii)                                the Stated Maturity or Maturities on which the principal of the Notes of such series is payable or the method of determination thereof;

 

(iv)                               the rate or rates, if any, at which the Notes of such series shall bear interest or the method of determining such rate or rates, the Interest Payment Dates on which such interest shall be payable, the right, if any, of the Company to defer or extend an Interest Payment Date, the regular record date (if other than as defined in this Indenture) for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date and the dates from which interest shall accrue and the method of determining these dates;

 

(v)                                  the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the Notes of such series shall be payable, the place or places where the Notes of such series may be presented for registration of transfer or exchange, and the place or places where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Notes of such series may be made;

 

(vi)                               the period or periods within or the date or dates on which, if any, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Notes of such series may be redeemed or prepaid, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

(vii)                            the obligation or the right, if any, of the Company to redeem, repay or purchase the Notes of such series, including pursuant to any sinking fund, purchase fund, amortization or analogous provisions, or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which, the currency or currencies (including currency unit or units) in which and the other terms and conditions upon which Notes of the series shall be redeemed, repaid or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation or right;

 

(viii)                         the denominations in which any Notes of such series shall be issuable, if other than denominations set forth in Section 2.01(b);

 

(ix)                               the additions, modifications or deletions, if any, in the Events of Default or covenants of the Company set forth herein or to Section 9.01 or Section 9.02, in each case with respect to the Notes of such series;

 

(x)                                  if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Notes of such series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Stated Maturity thereof;

 

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(xi)                               the additions or changes, if any, to this Indenture with respect to the Notes of such series as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of the Notes of such series in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons;

 

(xii)                            any index or indices used to determine the amount of payments of principal of and premium, if any, on the Notes of such series or the manner in which such amounts will be determined;

 

(xiii)                         the issuance of a temporary Note (which may include a Global Note) representing all of the Notes of such series and the terms upon which such temporary Global Note may be exchanged for Definitive Notes of such series;

 

(xiv)                        whether the Notes of the series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Notes and, in such case, the identity of the depositary for such Global Notes if not DTC and the legends to be placed on such Global Notes;

 

(xv)                           the appointment of any Paying Agent or Agents for the Notes of such series;

 

(xvi)                        the obligations of the Company in addition to those set forth in Article 8 (if any) that shall not be extinguished upon the discharge or defeasance of Notes of a series pursuant to Article 8 and any different rights or obligations attendant a discharge or defeasance of Notes of a series;

 

(xvii)                     the terms and conditions of any right or obligation on the part of the Company, or any option on the part of the Holders, to convert or exchange Notes of such series into cash or any other securities or property of the Company or any other Person, and the additions or changes, if any, to this Indenture with respect to the Notes of such series to permit or facilitate such conversion or exchange; and

 

(xviii)                  any other terms of the Notes of such series (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, except to the extent otherwise permitted by Section 9.01).

 

All Notes of any one series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided herein or in or pursuant to such Board Resolution and set forth in such Officers’ Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

 

If any of the terms of Notes of any series are established by action taken pursuant to a Board Resolution, a copy of an appropriate record of such action shall be certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Authentication Order contemplated by Section 2.02 with respect to the authentication and delivery of such Notes.

 

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Section 2.02.                           Execution and Authentication .  An Officer of the Company shall sign the Notes for the Company by manual signature.

 

If an Officer whose signature is on a Note no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, the Note shall be valid nevertheless.

 

A Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee manually authenticates the Note. The signature of the Trustee on a Note shall be conclusive evidence that such Note has been duly and validly authenticated and issued under this Indenture.

 

At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery: (1) Notes of a series for original issue on the Issue Date therefor in an aggregate principal amount specified in the applicable Authentication Order and (2) any Additional Notes of such series for original issue from time to time after the initial Issue Date for such series in such principal amounts as set forth in Section 2.14, in each case upon a written order of the Company signed by two Officers of the Company (an “ Authentication Order ”). Such Authentication Order shall specify the principal amount of the Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the issue of Notes is to be authenticated. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Company may from time to time, without notice to or consent of the Holders, issue such additional principal amounts of Additional Notes as may be issued and authenticated pursuant to clause (2) of this paragraph, and Notes authenticated and delivered upon registration or transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Notes of the same series pursuant to Section 2.06, Section 2.08, Section 2.09 , Section 3.06 or Section 9.04.

 

The Trustee may appoint an agent (the “ Authenticating Agent ”) reasonably acceptable to the Company to authenticate the Notes. Unless limited by the terms of such appointment, any such 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 Authenticating Agent.

 

In case the Company, pursuant to Article 5, shall be consolidated or merged with or into any other Person or shall convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of its properties and assets substantially as an entirety to any Person, and the successor Person resulting from such consolidation, or surviving such merger, or into which the Company shall have been merged, or the Person that shall have received a conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition as aforesaid, shall have executed an indenture supplemental hereto (if not otherwise a party to the Indenture) with the Trustee pursuant to Article 5, any of the Notes authenticated or delivered prior to such consolidation, merger, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition may, from time to time, at the request of the successor Person, be exchanged for other Notes executed in the name of the successor Person with such changes in phraseology and form as may be appropriate, but otherwise in substance of like tenor as the Notes surrendered for such exchange and of like principal amount; and the Trustee, upon Authentication Order of the successor Person, shall authenticate and deliver Notes as specified in such order for the purpose of such

 

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exchange. If Notes shall at any time be authenticated and delivered in any new name of a successor Person (if other than the Company) pursuant to this Section 2.02 in exchange or substitution for or upon registration of transfer of any Notes, such successor Person (if other than the Company), at the option of the Holders but without expense to them, shall provide for the exchange of all Notes at the time outstanding for Notes authenticated and delivered in such new name.

 

In connection with the transfer, authentication or cancellation of any Notes by the Trustee, in addition to the other requirements of this Article 2 and Section 10.03, the Trustee may require that the Company deliver to Trustee an Opinion of Counsel as provided in Section 7.02(b).

 

Section 2.03.                           Registrar and Paying Agent .  The Company shall maintain an office or agency where Notes may be presented for registration of transfer or for exchange (the “ Registrar ”) and an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment (the “ Paying Agent ”). The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Company may have one or more additional paying agents. The term “Paying Agent” includes any such additional paying agent. The Company may change the Registrar or appoint one or more co-Registrars without notice.

 

In the event the Company shall retain any Person not a party to this Indenture as an agent hereunder, the Company shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Registrar or Paying Agent not a party to this Indenture. The agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such agent. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the name and address of each such agent. If the Company fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such and shall be entitled to appropriate compensation therefor pursuant to Section 7.07. The Company shall be responsible for the fees and compensation of all agents appointed or approved by it. Either the Company or any of its domestically incorporated wholly-owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent.

 

The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent for the Notes.

 

Section 2.04.                           Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust .  By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal or interest when due. The Company shall require each Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to agree in writing that such Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of Noteholders or the Trustee all money held by such Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Notes and shall notify the Trustee in writing of any Default by the Company in making any such payment. If either of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate the money held by it as Paying Agent and hold it as a separate trust fund. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent (other than the Trustee) to pay all money held by it to the Trustee and to account for any funds disbursed by such Paying Agent. Upon complying with this Section 2.04, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary) shall have no

 

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further liability for the money delivered to the Trustee. Upon any bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding with respect to the Company, the Trustee shall serve as Paying Agent for the Notes.

 

Section 2.05.                           Noteholder Lists .  The Registrar shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Noteholders of each series. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall cause the Registrar to furnish to the Trustee, in writing at least five Business Days before each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, a list in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of Noteholders.

 

Section 2.06.                           Transfer and Exchange .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture or the Notes (other than Section 2.01(e) hereof), transfers and exchanges of Notes of any series and beneficial interests in a Global Note of the kinds specified in this Section 2.06 shall be made only in accordance with this Section 2.06.

 

(a)                         Non-Global Note to Non-Global Note.  A Note that is not a Global Note may be transferred, in whole or in part, to a person who takes delivery in the form of another Note of such series that is not a Global Note in accordance with Section 2.03.

 

The Registrar shall retain copies of all letters, notices and other written communications received pursuant to Section 2.01 or this Section 2.06. The Company shall have the right to inspect and make copies of all such letters, notices or other written communications at any reasonable time upon the giving of reasonable written notice to the Registrar.

 

(b)                         Exchange between Global Note and Non-Global Note. A beneficial interest in a Global Note may be exchanged for a Note of such series that is not a Global Note as provided in Section 2.01(e).

 

(c)                          Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Notes.

 

(i)                                      To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall, subject to the other terms and conditions of this Article 2, execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Registrar’s or co-registrar’s request.

 

(ii)                                   No service charge shall be made to a Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax, assessments, or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes, assessments or similar governmental charges payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Section 3.06 or Section 9.04).

 

(iii)                                The Registrar or co-registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange of any Note for a period beginning (A) 15 days before the mailing of a notice of an offer to repurchase or redeem Notes of any series and

 

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ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing or (B) 15 days before an Interest Payment Date and ending on such Interest Payment Date.

 

(iv)            Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Note, the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the Registrar or any co-registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not such Note is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent, the Registrar or any co-registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

(v)               All Notes of any series issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of this Indenture shall be the valid and legally binding obligation of the Company, shall evidence the same debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as the Notes of such series surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

 

(vi)            Any Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in a Global Note pursuant to Section 2.01(d) shall bear the legend set forth in Section 2.01(c).

 

(d)                                  No Obligation of the Trustee.

 

(i)                   The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in, DTC or other Person in respect of any aspect of the records, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records, relating to beneficial ownership interests of a Global Note, with respect to the accuracy of the records of DTC or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than DTC) of any notice (including any notice of redemption) or the payment of any amount or delivery of any Notes (or other security or property) under or with respect to such Notes. All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders in respect of the Notes shall be given or made only to or upon the order of the registered Holders (which shall be DTC or its nominee in the case of a Global Note). The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through DTC subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC. The Trustee and the Company may conclusively rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by DTC with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

 

(ii)                The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note of any series (including any transfers between or among Agent Members or beneficial owners of interests in any Global Note) other than to

 

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require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of this Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

 

(e)                                   Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes.  A Global Note may not be transferred as a whole except by DTC to a nominee of DTC, by a nominee of DTC to DTC or to another nominee of DTC or by DTC or any such nominee to a successor depositary or to a nominee of such successor depositary.

 

Neither the Trustee nor any agent thereof shall have any responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by DTC or any successor depositary.

 

Section 2.07.                           Business Days .  If a payment date is on a date that is not a Business Day, payment shall be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day, and no interest shall accrue on such payment for the intervening period. If a regular record date is on a day that is not a Business Day, the record date shall not be affected.

 

Section 2.08.                           Replacement Notes .  If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Registrar or if the Holder of a Note shall provide the Company and the Trustee with evidence to their satisfaction that the Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Note of the same series if the requirements of Section 8-405 of the Uniform Commercial Code are met and the Holder satisfies any other reasonable requirements of the Trustee. In addition, such Holder shall furnish an indemnity or surety bond sufficient in the judgment of the Company and the Trustee to protect the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent and the Registrar from any loss that any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Company and the Trustee may charge the Holder for their expenses in replacing a Note, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel. Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Company.

 

Section 2.09.                           Outstanding Notes .  Notes of any series outstanding at any time are all Notes authenticated by the Trustee except for those cancelled, those delivered for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.09 as not outstanding. A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Note.

 

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding unless the Trustee and the Company receive proof satisfactory to them that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser.

 

If the Paying Agent segregates and holds in trust, in accordance with this Indenture, on a Redemption Date or maturity date money sufficient to pay all principal and interest payable on that date with respect to the Notes of any series (or portions thereof) to be redeemed or maturing, as the case may be, then on and after that date such Notes (or portions thereof) cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

 

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Section 2.10.                           Temporary Notes .  Until Definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of Definitive Notes but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Definitive Notes. After the preparation of Definitive Notes, the temporary Notes shall be exchangeable for Definitive Notes upon surrender of the temporary Notes at any office or agency maintained by the Company for that purpose and such exchange shall be without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Notes, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor, one or more Definitive Notes representing an equal principal amount of Notes. Until so exchanged, the Holder of temporary Notes shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as a Holder of Definitive Notes.

 

Section 2.11.                           Cancellation .  The Company at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation and such delivery shall be accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate in which the Company directs the Trustee to cancel such Notes. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee for cancellation any Notes surrendered to them for registration of transfer or exchange or payment. The Trustee and no one else shall cancel (subject to the record retention requirements of the Exchange Act) all Notes surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, payment or cancellation and, upon the written request of the Company, deliver a certificate of such cancellation to the Company. The Company may not issue new Notes to replace Notes it has redeemed, paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, but this shall not prohibit the Company from issuing any Additional Notes. All cancelled Notes held by the Trustee may be disposed of by the Trustee in accordance with its then customary practices and procedures. The Trustee shall provide to the Company a list of all Notes that have been cancelled from time to time as requested in writing by the Company.

 

Section 2.12.                           Defaulted Interest .  If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes of any series, the Company shall pay defaulted interest plus interest on such defaulted interest to the extent lawful at the rate specified therefor in the Notes of such series in any lawful manner. The Company may pay the defaulted interest to the Persons who are Noteholders on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix or cause to be fixed any such special record date and payment date to the reasonable satisfaction of the Trustee, which specified record date shall not be less than 10 days prior to the payment date for such defaulted interest and shall promptly mail or cause to be mailed to each Noteholder a notice that states the special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest to be paid. The Company shall notify the Trustee pursuant to an Officers’ Certificate of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Note of the affected series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such defaulted interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Person entitled to such defaulted interest as provided in this Section 2.12.

 

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Section 2.13.                           CUSIP Numbers, etc .  The Company in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers and/or other similar numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” and/or “ISIN” numbers in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders; provided , however , 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 or exchange and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes, and any such redemption or exchange shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any change in the CUSIP numbers and/or other similar numbers.

 

Section 2.14.                           Issuance of Additional Notes .  The Company shall be entitled to issue, from time to time, Additional Notes of any series under this Indenture, which shall have identical terms as the Notes of such series issued on the initial Issue Date for such series (in each case, other than with respect to the date of issuance, issue price and amount of interest payable on the first payment date applicable thereto), as the case may be; provided that if the Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes of such series for U.S. federal income tax purposes, the Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number.

 

With respect to any Additional Notes, the Company shall set forth in a Board Resolution and an Officers’ Certificate, copies of which shall be delivered to the Trustee, the following information:

 

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

 

(ii)                the issue price, the Issue Date and the “CUSIP” and “ISIN” number of any such Additional Notes and the amount of interest payable on the first payment date applicable thereto.

 

Section 2.15.                           One Class of Notes .  The Notes of any series and any Additional Notes of such series of Notes shall vote and consent together on all matters as one class; and none of the Notes of any series or any Additional Notes of such series shall have the right to vote or consent as a separate class on any matter.

 

ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION

 

Section 3.01.                           Applicability of this Article .  Redemption of Notes of a series, as permitted or required by any form of Note of such series issued pursuant to this Indenture or the documentation providing therefor, shall be made in accordance with such form of Note or documentation and this Article 3; provided , however , that if any provision of any such form of Note or documentation shall conflict with any provision of this Article, the provision of such form of Note or documentation shall govern.

 

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Section 3.02.                           Notices to Trustee; Selection of Notes to Be Redeemed .  If the Company elects to redeem Notes of any series pursuant to the terms thereof, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the Redemption Date and the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed.

 

The Company shall give each notice to the Trustee provided for in this Section 3.02 at least 10 days before the Redemption Date unless the Trustee consents to a shorter period. Such notice shall be accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate from the Company to the effect that such redemption shall comply with the conditions herein. The record date relating to such redemption shall be selected by the Company and set forth in the related notice given to the Trustee, which record date shall be not less than 15 days prior to the date selected for redemption by the Company.

 

If fewer than all the Notes of a series then outstanding are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Notes of such series to be redeemed pro rata or by lot or by such method as the Trustee may deem fair and appropriate and in the case of Notes held in book entry form, in accordance with DTC’s applicable procedures.

 

The Trustee shall make the selection from outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption. Notes and portions thereof that the Trustee selects shall be in amounts of $2,000 or integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Notes called for redemption also apply to portions of Notes called for redemption. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of the Notes or portions of Notes to be redeemed.

 

Section 3.03.                           Notice of Redemption .  At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a date for redemption of Notes, the Company shall mail (or, at the Company’s option in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, send by electronic transmission) a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address.

 

The notice shall identify the Notes to be redeemed and shall state:

 

(a)                                  the aggregate amount of Notes to be redeemed;

 

(b)                                  the Redemption Date;

 

(c)                                   the redemption price (or the method of calculating such price) and the amount of accrued interest to be paid, if any;

 

(d)                                  the name and address of the Paying Agent;

 

(e)                                   that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any;

 

(f)                                    if fewer than all the outstanding Notes of the affected series are to be redeemed, the certificate number (if certificated) and principal amounts of the particular Notes to be redeemed;

 

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(g)                                   that, unless the Company defaults in making such redemption payment, interest on Notes (or portion thereof) called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the Redemption Date;

 

(h)                                  the CUSIP number, or any similar number, if any, printed on the Notes being redeemed; and

 

(i)                                      that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the CUSIP number, or any similar number, if any, listed in such notice or printed on the Notes.

 

At the Company’s written request (which may be rescinded or revoked at any time prior to the time at which the Trustee shall have given such notice to the Holders), the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the name of the Company and at the Company’s expense (which notice shall be sent by electronic transmission in the case of Notes held in book-entry form). In such event, the Company shall provide the Trustee with the information required by this Section 3.03 at least five Business Days prior to the date chosen for giving such notice to the Holders (unless the Trustee shall agree to a shorter period). The notice, if mailed in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Notes.

 

Section 3.04.                           Effect of Notice of Redemption .  Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03, Notes called for redemption shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date and at the redemption price as stated in the notice. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent on the Redemption Date, such Notes shall be paid at the redemption price stated in the notice, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the Redemption Date; provided that the Company shall have deposited the redemption price with the Paying Agent or the Trustee on or before 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Redemption Date; provided , further , that if the Redemption Date is after a regular record date and on or prior to the Interest Payment Date, the accrued and unpaid interest shall be payable to the Noteholder of the redeemed Notes registered on the relevant record date. Failure to give notice or any defect in the notice to any Holder shall not affect the validity of the notice to any other Holder.

 

Section 3.05.                           Deposit of Redemption Price .  By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the Paying Agent, shall segregate and hold in trust) an amount of money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes to be redeemed on that date other than Notes or portions of Notes called for redemption that are owned by the Company or a Subsidiary and have been delivered by the Company or such Subsidiary to the Trustee for cancellation. All money, if any, earned on funds held by the Paying Agent shall be remitted to the Company. In addition, the Paying Agent shall promptly return to the Company any money deposited with the Paying Agent by the Company in excess of the

 

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amounts necessary to pay the redemption price of, and accrued interest, if any, on, all Notes to be redeemed.

 

Unless the Company defaults in the payment of such redemption price, interest on the Notes or portions of Notes to be redeemed shall cease to accrue on and after the applicable Redemption Date, whether or not such Notes are presented for payment.

 

Section 3.06.                           Notes Redeemed in Part .  Upon surrender of a Note that is redeemed in part, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder thereof (at the Company’s expense) a new Note of the same series, equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Note surrendered; provided that each new Note shall be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01.                           Payment of Notes .  The Company covenants and agrees that it shall promptly pay the principal of and interest on the Notes on the dates and in the manner provided in the Notes and in this Indenture. Principal and interest shall be considered paid on the date due if, on or before 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on such date, the Trustee or the Paying Agent (or, if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the Paying Agent, the segregated account or separate trust fund maintained by the Company or such Subsidiary pursuant to Section 2.04) holds in accordance with this Indenture money sufficient to pay all principal and interest then due.

 

The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal at the rate specified therefor in the Notes of each series, and it shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest at the same rate to the extent lawful as provided in Section 2.12.

 

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

 

Section 4.02.                           Limitations on Liens .  (a) So long as any Notes remain outstanding, the Company may not directly or indirectly, incur, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly, incur any Indebtedness secured by a Lien upon (i) any properties or assets (including Capital Stock) of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or (ii) any shares of stock or Indebtedness of any of its Subsidiaries (whether such property, assets, shares of stock or Indebtedness are now existing or owned or hereafter created or acquired), in any such case unless, prior to or concurrently with the incurrence of any such secured Indebtedness, or the grant of a Lien with respect to any such Indebtedness to be so secured, the Notes (together with, at the option of the Company, any other Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries ranking equally in right of payment with the Notes) shall be secured equally and ratably with (or,

 

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at the Company’s option, prior to) such Indebtedness to be so secured; provided , however , that the foregoing restrictions shall not apply to:

 

(i)                   Liens on property, shares of stock or Indebtedness existing with respect to any Person at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary of the Company; provided that such Lien was not incurred in anticipation of such Person becoming a Subsidiary, does not extend to any property, shares of stock or Indebtedness other than those of such Person becoming a Subsidiary and the Indebtedness so secured is not increased;

 

(ii)                Liens on property, shares of stock or Indebtedness existing at the time of acquisition thereof by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or Liens on property, shares of stock or Indebtedness to secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price of such property, shares of stock or Indebtedness, or Liens on property, shares of stock or Indebtedness to secure any Indebtedness incurred prior to, at the time of, or within 18 months after, the latest of the acquisition of such property, shares of stock or Indebtedness, or, in the case of property, the completion of construction, the completion of improvements or the commencement of substantial commercial operation of such property for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price of the property, such construction or the making of the improvements; provided that such Liens do not extend to any property, shares of stock or Indebtedness other than the property, shares of stock or Indebtedness so acquired, completed or constructed;

 

(iii)             Liens securing Indebtedness of the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(iv)            With respect to Notes of a series, Liens existing on the initial Issue Date for such series;

 

(v)               Liens on property or assets of a Person existing at the time such Person is merged into or consolidated with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or at the time of a sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of a Person to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; provided that such Lien was not incurred in anticipation of such merger, consolidation, or sale, lease or other disposition or other such transaction and does not extend to any assets other than such acquired property;

 

(vi)            Liens securing all of the Notes (including any Additional Notes) and any guarantees in respect thereof;

 

(vii)         Liens imposed by law, such as carriers’, warehousemen’s, mechanic’s, repairmen’s Liens and other similar Liens, in each case for sums not yet overdue by more than 30 calendar days (or, if more than 30 calendar days overdue, are unfiled and no other action has been taken to enforce such Liens) or being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or other Liens arising out of judgments or awards against such Person with respect to which such Person

 

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shall then be proceeding with an appeal or other proceedings for review and Liens arising solely by virtue of any statutory or common law provision relating to banker’s Liens, rights of set-off or similar rights and remedies as to deposit accounts or other funds maintained with a creditor depository institution;

 

(viii)  Liens for taxes, assessments or other governmental charges not yet due or payable or subject to penalties for non-payment or that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings;

 

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

 

(x)          Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance and other types of social security laws or regulations;

 

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

 

(xii)         any extension, renewal or replacement, in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (xi), inclusive, without increase of the principal of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien; provided , however , that any Liens permitted by any of the foregoing clauses (i) to (xi), inclusive, shall not extend to or cover any property of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as the case may be, other than the property specified in such clauses and improvements to such property and the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by such Lien is not greater than the principal amount of the Indebtedness secured by the Lien that is extended, renewed or replaced.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.02, the Company and its Subsidiaries may (i) incur Indebtedness secured by Liens that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions without equally and ratably securing the Notes; provided that after giving effect to such Indebtedness, the aggregate amount of all Indebtedness so secured by Liens (not including Liens permitted under clauses (i) through (xii) above), together with all Attributable Debt outstanding pursuant to Section 4.03(b) does not exceed 15% of the Consolidated Tangible Assets of the Company calculated as of the date of the creation or incurrence of the Lien. The Company and its Subsidiaries also may, without equally and ratably securing the Notes, create or incur Liens that extend, renew, substitute or replace (including successive extensions, renewals, substitutions or replacements), in whole or in part, any Lien permitted pursuant to the preceding sentence.

 

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Section 4.03.                           Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .  (a) The Company shall not directly or indirectly, and shall not permit any of its Subsidiaries directly or indirectly to, enter into any sale and leaseback transaction for the sale and leasing back of any property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, unless:

 

(i)                   with respect to Notes of a series, such transaction was entered into prior to the initial Issue Date for such series;

 

(ii)                such transaction was for the sale and leasing back to the Company or any Subsidiary of any property by one of its Subsidiaries;

 

(iii)             such transaction involves a lease for not more than three years (or that may be terminated by the Company or such Subsidiary within a period of not more than three years);

 

(iv)            the Company or such Subsidiary would be entitled to incur Indebtedness secured by a Lien with respect to such sale and leaseback transaction without equally and ratably securing the Notes pursuant to clauses (i) through (xi) of Section 4.02(a); or

 

(v)               the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company applies an amount equal to the net proceeds from the sale of such property to the purchase of other property or assets used or useful in the business of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries or to the retirement of long-term Indebtedness within 270 days before or after the effective date of any such sale and leaseback transaction; provided that, in lieu of applying such amount to the retirement of long-term Indebtedness, the Company may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation, such Notes to be credited at the cost thereof to the Company.

 

(b)                                  Notwithstanding the restrictions set forth in Section 4.03(a), the Company and its Subsidiaries may enter into any sale and leaseback transaction that would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions, if after giving effect to such sale and leaseback transaction, the aggregate amount of all Attributable Debt outstanding with respect to sale and leaseback transactions that would otherwise be subject to the restrictions set forth in Section 4.03(a), together with all Indebtedness outstanding pursuant to Section 4.02(b), does not exceed 15% of the Consolidated Tangible Assets of the Company calculated as of the closing date of the new sale and leaseback transaction.

 

Section 4.04.                           Change of Control Repurchase Event .  Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, the Company shall be required to make an offer to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (in excess of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount thereof on the date of purchase plus any accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of purchase, in accordance with the terms contemplated in this Section 4.04.

 

(a)                                  Within 30 calendar days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the option of the Company, prior to any Change of Control, but after the

 

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public announcement of the Change of Control, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, (the “ Change of Control Offer ”) stating:

 

(i)                   that a Change of Control has occurred or is about to occur and that such Holder has the right to require the Company to purchase such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of purchase (subject to the right of Holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest on the relevant Interest Payment Date);

 

(ii)                the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control Repurchase Event or, if the Change of Control is about to occur, the circumstances and relevant facts regarding such Change of Control;

 

(iii)             the purchase date (which shall be no earlier than 30 calendar days nor later than 60 calendar days from the date such notice is mailed);

 

(iv)            the instructions, as determined by the Company, consistent with this Section 4.04, that a Holder must follow in order to have its Notes purchased; and

 

(v)               that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the specified purchase date, if mailed prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control.

 

(b)           On the purchase date following a Change of Control Repurchase Event, the Company will, to the extent lawful:

 

(i)                   accept for payment all the Notes or portions of the Notes properly tendered pursuant to its offer;

 

(ii)                deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all the Notes or portions of the Notes properly tendered; and

 

(iii)             deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee the Notes properly accepted, together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes of each series being purchased by the Company.

 

(c)                                   The Paying Agent will promptly mail to each holder of Notes properly tendered the purchase price for the Notes, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate after receipt of an Authentication Order and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each holder a new Note of the relevant series equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes surrendered.

 

(d)                                  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 4.04, the Company shall not be required to make a Change of Control Offer following a Change of Control Repurchase Event with respect to a particular series of Notes, if, with respect to

 

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such series of Notes, 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 4.04 applicable to a Change of Control Offer made by the Company and purchases all Notes of such series properly tendered and not withdrawn under such Change of Control Offer.

 

(e)                                   The Company shall comply, to the extent applicable, with the requirements of Section 14(e)(1) of the Exchange Act and any other securities laws or regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of the Notes as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with provisions of this Section 4.04, the Company shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and shall not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 4.04 by virtue of such conflict.

 

(f)                                    If Holders of not less than 90% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes validly tender and do not withdraw such notes in a Change of Control Repurchase Event, and the Company, or any third party making an offer to repurchase the Notes in the Change of Control Repurchase Event in lieu of the Company as set forth in Section 4.04(d), purchases all of the Notes validly tendered and not withdrawn by such Holders, the Company or such third party will have the right, upon not less than 30 nor more than 60 days’ prior notice, given not more than 30 days following such purchase pursuant to the Change of Control Repurchase Event, to redeem all Notes that remain outstanding following such purchase at a price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest to but excluding the date of redemption.

 

(g)                                   Notes repurchased or redeemed by the Company pursuant to a Change of Control Repurchase Event will have the status of Notes issued but not outstanding or will be retired and canceled at the option of the Company. Notes purchased by a third party pursuant to Section 4.04(d) will have the status of Notes issued and outstanding.

 

(h)                                  Any repurchase of Notes pursuant to this Section 4.04 following the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event will be conducted in conformity with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Exchange Act to the extent applicable.

 

Section 4.05.                           Compliance Certificate .  The Company will deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company ending after the date hereof, an Officers’ Certificate signed by its principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer stating whether or not to the knowledge of the signers thereof any Default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder) occurred during the previous fiscal year, specifying all such Defaults and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge.

 

Section 4.06.                           Maintenance of Office or Agency .  The Company shall maintain the office or agency required under Section 2.03. The Company shall give prior written

 

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notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the address of the Trustee set forth in Section 10.01.

 

Section 4.07.                           Existence .  Except as otherwise permitted by Article 5, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its existence as a corporation or other Person.

 

ARTICLE 5
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALE OF ASSETS

 

Section 5.01.                           When the Company and any Guarantor May Merge or Transfer Assets .  The Company or any guarantor shall not consolidate with or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its properties or assets to, or merge with or into, in one transaction or a series of related transactions, any other Person, unless:

 

(a)                                  the Company or such guarantor, as the case may be, shall be the continuing Person or, alternatively, the successor Person formed by or resulting from such consolidation or merger, or the Person that receives the transfer of such properties or assets (the “Successor”) shall be a corporation or limited liability company organized under the laws of the United States of America, any State thereof or the District of Columbia and the Successor (if not the Company) shall expressly assume, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, in form satisfactory to the Trustee, all the obligations of the Company under the Notes and this Indenture or of such guarantor under its guarantee of the Notes by executing a supplemental indenture to this Indenture;

 

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

 

(c)                                   the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such consolidation, merger, conveyance or transfer and such supplemental indenture (if any) comply with clauses (a) and (b) above and that such supplemental indenture constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Successor subject to customary exceptions.

 

Section 5.02.                           Successor Person Substituted .  The Successor will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company or such guarantor, as the case may be, under the Indenture or the respective guarantee of the Notes. The Company or such guarantor, as the case may be, shall be relieved of all obligations and covenants under the Notes of each series, the respective guarantee of the Notes and the Indenture; provided that in the case of a lease of all or substantially all of the Company’s or such guarantor’s, as the case may be, property or assets, the Company or such guarantor, as the case may be, will not be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on the Notes.  Notwithstanding the

 

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provisions of this Article 5, any guarantor may merge with or into or transfer all or part of its properties or assets to another guarantor or to the Company.

 

ARTICLE 6
DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

Section 6.01.                           Events of Default .  An “ Event of Default ” occurs with respect to a series of Notes if:

 

(a)                                  a Default in any payment of interest on any Note of such series when the same becomes due and payable occurs, and such default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

(b)                                  a Default in the payment of the principal of or premium, if any, on any Note of such series when the same becomes due and payable at its Stated Maturity occurs, upon optional redemption or otherwise;

 

(c)                                   the Company fails to repurchase Notes of such series tendered for repurchase following the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event in conformity with the covenant set forth under Section 4.04;

 

(d)                                  the Company or any guarantor fails to comply with any of its agreements in the relevant series of Notes, this Indenture or any guarantee of the Notes, as applicable (other than those referred to in (a) or (b) above) and such failure continues for 90 days after the notice specified below;

 

(e)                                   any guarantee with respect to the Notes of a Series ceases for any reason to be, or is asserted by the Company or the guarantor not to be, in full force and effect and enforceable in accordance with its terms except to the extent contemplated by this Indenture and any such guarantee of the Notes;

 

(f)                                    there is a failure to make any payment at maturity, including any applicable grace period, on any Indebtedness of the Company or Subsidiaries of the Company (other than Indebtedness of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) outstanding in an amount in excess of $100,000,000 and continuance of this failure to pay shall have continued for 30 days after written notice specified below; provided, however, that if any such failure shall cease, or be cured, waived, rescinded or annulled, then the Event of Default by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been cured;

 

(g)                                   a Default on any Indebtedness of the Company, any guarantor or Subsidiary of the Company (other than Indebtedness of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) occurs, which Default results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness in an amount in excess of $100,000,000 without such Indebtedness having been discharged or such acceleration having been cured, waived,

 

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rescinded or annulled for a period of 30 days after written notice specified below; provided, however, that if any such Default or acceleration shall be cured, waived, rescinded or annulled then the Event of Default by reason thereof shall be deemed likewise to have been cured;

 

(h)                                  the Company or any guarantor pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

(i)                   commences a voluntary case;

 

(ii)                consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case in which it is the debtor;

 

(iii)             consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for any substantial part of its property; or

 

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

 

or takes any comparable action under any foreign laws relating to insolvency; or

 

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

 

(i)                   is for relief against the Company or any guarantor in an involuntary case;

 

(ii)                appoints a Custodian of the Company or any guarantor or for any substantial part of the property of the Company or any guarantor; or

 

(iii)             orders the winding up or liquidation of the Company or any guarantor;

 

(or any similar relief is granted under any foreign laws) and the order, decree or relief remains unstayed and in effect for 60 consecutive days.

 

An Event of Default under one series of Notes does not necessarily constitute an Event of Default under any other series of Notes. The foregoing will constitute Events of Default whatever the reason for any such Event of Default and whether it is voluntary or involuntary or is effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body.

 

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

 

A Default with respect to Notes of a series under clause (d), (d) or (g)  of this Section 6.01 is not an Event of Default until the Trustee (by written notice to the Company) or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the

 

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outstanding Notes of such series (by written notice to the Company and the Trustee) gives notice of the Default and the Company does not cure such Default within the time specified in said clause (d), (d) or (g) after receipt of such notice. Such notice must specify the Default, demand that it be remedied and state that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ”.

 

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 30 days after the occurrence thereof, written notice in the form of an Officers’ Certificate of any event that with the giving of notice or the lapse of time would become an Event of Default under clause (d), (d) or (g) of this Section 6.01, its status and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

Section 6.02.                           Acceleration .  If an Event of Default with respect to Notes of a series (other than an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.01(h) or 6.01(i) with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee by written notice to the Company, or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may, and the Trustee at the request of such Holders, shall, declare the principal of and accrued but unpaid interest on all the Notes of such series to be due and payable. Upon such a declaration, such principal and accrued and unpaid interest shall be due and payable immediately. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(h) or 6.01(i) with respect to the Company occurs and is continuing, the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holders. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of a series by written notice to the Trustee may rescind an acceleration and its consequences if all existing Events of Default with respect to Notes of such series have been cured or waived except nonpayment of principal or interest that has become due solely because of such acceleration. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

 

Section 6.03.                           Other Remedies .  If an Event of Default with respect to a series of Notes occurs and is continuing, the Trustee, in conformity with its duties under this Indenture, will exercise all rights or powers under this Indenture at the request or direction of any Holders, provided , that the Holders provide the Trustee with an indemnity or security reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee against any loss, liability or expense.

 

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 Noteholder 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. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are, to the extent permitted by law, cumulative.

 

Section 6.04.                           Waiver of Past Defaults .  The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of a series then outstanding by written notice to the Trustee may, on behalf of the Holders of the Notes of such series, waive any past or existing

 

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Default and its consequences except (a) a Default in the payment of the principal of or interest on a Note or (b) a Default in respect of a provision that under Section 9.02 cannot be amended without the consent of each Noteholder affected. When a Default is waived, it is deemed cured, 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 consequent right.

 

Section 6.05.                           Control by Majority .  Upon provision of security or indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of each series then outstanding may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee with respect to the Notes of such series or of exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. However, the Trustee, which may conclusively rely on opinions of counsel, may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture or that the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of other Noteholders or would involve the Trustee in personal liability; provided , however , that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee that is not inconsistent with such direction.

 

Section 6.06.                           Limitation on Suits .  Except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest when due, a Holder of Notes may not pursue any remedy with respect to this Indenture or the Notes unless:

 

(a)                                  An Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to the relevant series of Notes and the Holder gives to the Trustee prior written notice stating that an Event of Default is continuing;

 

(b)                                  the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the relevant series of Notes then outstanding (including any Additional Notes of the relevant series) make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

(c)                                   such Holder or Holders offer to the Trustee security or indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liabilities or expenses in compliance with such request;

 

(d)                                  the Trustee does not comply with the request within 60 days after receipt of the request and the offer of security or indemnity; and

 

(e)                                   the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the relevant series of Notes then outstanding do not give the Trustee a direction inconsistent with the request during such 60-day period.

 

A Noteholder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Noteholder or to obtain a preference or priority over another Noteholder of the relevant series (it being understood that the Trustee shall not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Noteholders).

 

Section 6.07.                           Rights of Holders to Receive Payment .  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of and interest on the relevant series of the Notes held by such Holder, on or after the respective

 

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due dates expressed in such Notes, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 6.08.                           Collection Suit by Trustee .  If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(a) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Company for the whole amount then due and owing (together with interest on any unpaid interest to the extent lawful) and the amounts provided for in Section 7.07.

 

Section 6.09.                           Trustee May File Proofs of Claim .  The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Noteholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company, its creditors or any other obligor upon the Notes, or any of their creditors or the property of the Company or such other obligor or their creditors and, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, may vote on behalf of the Holders in any election of a trustee in bankruptcy or other Person performing similar functions, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and its counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07.

 

Section 6.10.                           Priorities .  Any money or other property collected by the Trustee pursuant to Article 6 hereof, or any money or other property otherwise distributable in respect of the Company’s obligations under this Indenture, shall be applied in the following order:

 

FIRST: to the Trustee (including any predecessor Trustee) for amounts due under this Indenture;

 

SECOND: to Noteholders for amounts due and unpaid on the Notes for principal and interest, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the relevant series of the Notes for principal and interest, respectively; and

 

THIRD: to the Company.

 

The Trustee may, upon prior written notice to the Company, fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Noteholders pursuant to this Section 6.10. At least 15 days before such record date, the Company shall mail to each Noteholder and the Trustee a notice that states the record date, the payment date and amount to be paid.

 

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 Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party

 

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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 pursuant to Section 6.07 or a suit by Holders of more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes of a series.

 

Section 6.12.                           Waiver of Stay or Extension Laws .  The Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) shall not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and shall not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but shall suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

ARTICLE 7
TRUSTEE

 

Section 7.01.                           Duties of Trustee .  (a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and 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 Person’s own affairs.

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)                in the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture (but need not confirm or investigate the accuracy of mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein).

 

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

 

(i)                   this subsection does not limit the effect of subsections (b) or (f) of this Section 7.01;

 

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

 

(iii)             the Trustee shall 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.

 

(d)                                  Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to subsections (a), (b), (c) and (f) of this Section 7.01.

 

(e)                                   The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money or other property received by it or for holding moneys or other property uninvested, in either case, except as otherwise agreed between the Company and the Trustee. Money and other property held in trust by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be segregated from other money or property except to the extent required by law.

 

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

 

(g)                                   Every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section 7.01 and to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, where applicable.

 

Section 7.02.                           Rights of Trustee .  (a) The Trustee may conclusively rely on, and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting in reliance on, 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 shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on the Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

 

(c)                                   The Trustee may execute any of the trusts or powers or perform any duties hereunder either directly or through attorneys and agents, respectively, and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any attorney or agent appointed with due care by it hereunder.

 

(d)                                  The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes, suffers to exist or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture.

 

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(e)                          The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection, and the advice or opinion of counsel with respect to legal matters relating to this Indenture and the Notes shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect to any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder in good faith and in reliance thereon.

 

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

 

(g)                          The Trustee shall not be charged with knowledge of any Default or Event of Default with respect to the Notes unless either (i) a Trust Officer shall have actual knowledge of such Default or Event of Default or (ii) written notice of such Default or Event of Default shall have been given to a Trust Officer of the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office by the Company or any other obligor on the Notes or by any Holder of the Notes. Any such notice shall reference this Indenture and the Notes.

 

(h)                         The rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee pursuant to this Indenture, including its rights to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities as Registrar and Paying Agent, as the case may be, hereunder.

 

(i)                             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 reasonable inquiry or reasonable investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled, upon reasonable notice and at reasonable times, to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation.

 

(j)                            The Trustee shall not be required to give any bond or surety in respect of the performance of its powers and duties hereunder.

 

(k)                         The Trustee may request that the Company 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.

 

(l)                             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.

 

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

 

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the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Paying Agent, Registrar or co-paying agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Sections 1.01 and 7.10.

 

Section 7.04.                           Trustee’s Disclaimer .  The Trustee shall 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 Company’s use of the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Company in this Indenture or in any document issued in connection with the sale of the Notes or in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication.

 

Section 7.05.                           Notice of Defaults .  If a Default or an Event of Default occurs with respect to the Notes and is continuing and if it is actually known to a Trust Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Noteholder notice of the Default within 90 days after it is known to a Trust Officer or written notice of it is received by a Trust Officer of the Trustee. Except in the case of a Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Note, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as it in good faith determines that withholding the notice is not opposed to the interests of Noteholders.

 

Section 7.06.                           Reports by Trustee to Holders .  As promptly as practicable after each May 15 beginning with the May 15 following the date of this Indenture, and in any event prior to July 15 in each year, the Trustee shall mail to each Noteholder a brief report dated as of such May 15 that complies with Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee also shall comply with Section 313(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee shall promptly deliver to the Company a copy of any report it delivers to Holders pursuant to this Section 7.06.

 

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Noteholders shall be filed by the Trustee with the SEC and each stock exchange (if any) on which the Notes are listed. The Company agrees to notify promptly the Trustee in writing whenever the Notes become listed on any stock exchange and of any delisting thereof.

 

Section 7.07.                           Compensation and Indemnity .  The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee (and any predecessor Trustee) from time to time such compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time mutually agree in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses (including attorneys’ fees and expenses), disbursements and advances incurred or made by it in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture, including costs of collection, in addition to such compensation for its services, except any such expense, disbursement or advance as shall be determined to have been caused by its own negligence, willful misconduct or bad faith. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee’s agents and counsel. The Trustee shall provide the Company reasonable notice of any expenditure not in the ordinary course of business. The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee, its officers, directors, employees and any predecessor Trustees against any and all loss, damage, claim (whether asserted by the Company, a

 

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Holder or any other Person) liability or expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) (other than taxes applicable to the Trustee’s compensation hereunder) incurred by it in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust and the performance of its duties hereunder. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim of which a Trust Officer has received written notice and for which it may seek indemnity. Failure by the Trustee so to notify the Company shall not relieve the Company of its obligations hereunder, except to the extent that the Company has been prejudiced by such failure. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate, to the extent reasonable, in the defense of any such claim, and, if (in the opinion of counsel to the Trustee) the facts and/or issues surrounding the claim are reasonably likely to create a conflict with the Company, the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of separate counsel to the Trustee. The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss, liability or expense incurred by the Trustee through the Trustee’s own willful misconduct, negligence or bad faith. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed.

 

To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee (including any predecessor trustee) shall have a Lien prior to the Notes on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee other than money or property held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Notes.

 

The Company’s payment obligations pursuant to this Section 7.07 shall survive the satisfaction, discharge and termination of this Indenture, the resignation or removal of the Trustee and any discharge of this Indenture including any discharge under any bankruptcy law. In addition to and without prejudice to the rights provided to the Trustee under any of the provisions of this Indenture, when the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after the occurrence of a Default specified in Section   6.01(h) or 6.01(i) with respect to the Company, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under the Bankruptcy Law.

 

Section 7.08.                           Replacement of Trustee .  The Trustee may resign at any time upon 30 days’ written notice to the Company. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, may remove the Trustee upon 30 days’ written notice to the Trustee and may appoint a successor Trustee, which successor Trustee shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company. The Company shall remove the Trustee if:

 

(a)                         the Trustee fails to comply with Section 1.01;

 

(b)                         the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent;

 

(c)                          a receiver or other public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

(d)                         the Trustee otherwise becomes incapable of acting.

 

If the Trustee resigns, is removed by the Company or by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes and such Holders do not reasonably promptly appoint a

 

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successor Trustee, or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason (the Trustee in such event being referred to herein as the retiring Trustee), the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.

 

A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company and the Company shall pay all amounts due and owing to the Trustee under Section 7.07 of the Indenture. Thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. The successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to Noteholders affected by such resignation or removal. The retiring Trustee shall promptly transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the Lien provided for in Section 7.07.

 

If a successor Trustee does not take office with respect to the Notes within 30 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee or the Holders of 10% in principal amount of the Notes may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 1.01, any Noteholder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

Notwithstanding the replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee.

 

Section 7.09.                           Successor Trustee by Merger .  If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all its corporate trust business or assets to, another corporation or banking association, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee; provided that such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article 7 and Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the parties hereto.

 

In case at the time such successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation to the Trustee shall succeed to the trusts created by this Indenture any of the Notes shall have been authenticated but not delivered, any such successor to the Trustee may adopt the certificate of authentication of any predecessor trustee, and deliver such Notes so authenticated; and in case at that time any of the Notes shall not have been authenticated, any successor to the Trustee may authenticate such Notes either in the name of any predecessor hereunder or in the name of the successor to the Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates shall have the full force which it is anywhere in the Notes or in this Indenture; provided that the certificate of the Trustee shall have.

 

Section 7.10.                           Eligibility; Disqualification .  The Trustee shall at all times satisfy the requirements of Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act. The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $50,000,000 as set forth in its most recent

 

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published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act; provided , however , that there shall be excluded from the operation of Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and any indenture or indentures under which other securities or certificates of interest or participation in other securities of the Company are outstanding if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in Section 310(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act are met.

 

Nothing herein shall prevent the Trustee from filing with the Commission the application referred to in the second to last paragraph of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 7.11.                           Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company .  The Trustee shall comply with Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, excluding any creditor relationship listed in Section 311(b) of the Trust Indenture Act. A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Section 311(a) of the Trust Indenture Act to the extent indicated.

 

ARTICLE 8
DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

 

Section 8.01.                           Discharge of Liability on Notes; Defeasance .  (a) With respect to a series of Notes, when (i) the Company delivers to the Trustee all outstanding Notes of such series that have not already been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation or (ii) (A) all outstanding Notes of such series have become due and payable, whether at maturity, as a result of repayment at the option of the Holders or as a result of the mailing of a notice of redemption pursuant to Article 3 hereof or (B) the Notes of such series shall become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or the Notes of such series are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company, and, in each case of this clause (ii), the Company or any guarantor, if applicable, irrevocably deposits or causes to be deposited with the Trustee funds sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all outstanding Notes of such series, including interest thereon to maturity or such Redemption Date, and if in the case of either clause (i) or (ii) the Company or any guarantor, if applicable, pays all other sums payable hereunder by the Company and any guarantor, if applicable, then this Indenture shall, subject to Section 8.01(c), cease to be of further effect. The Trustee shall acknowledge satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture on demand of the Company or any guarantor, if applicable, accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate from the Company and an Opinion of Counsel from the Company that all conditions precedent provided herein for satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with at the cost and expense of the Company.

 

(b)                                  Subject to Section 8.01(c) and Section 8.02, the Company at any time may terminate (i) all of its obligations and the obligations of any guarantors under the Notes of a series, the applicable guarantees and this Indenture as it relates to such Notes and related guarantees (“ legal defeasance option ”) or (ii) its obligations, and the obligations of any guarantor, under Section 4.02 and Section 4.03 and the operation of Sections 6.01(b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d)

 

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and 6.01(f) as it relates to a series of Notes and related guarantees (“ covenant defeasance option ”). The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option as it relates to a series of Notes notwithstanding its prior exercise of its covenant defeasance option as it relates to such Notes.

 

If the Company exercises its legal defeasance option with respect to the Notes of a series, payment of the Notes of such series may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default. If the Company exercises its covenant defeasance option, payment of the Notes of such series may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in Sections 6.01(b), 6.01(c), 6.01(d) or 6.01(f).

 

Upon satisfaction of the conditions set forth herein and upon request of the Company the Trustee shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of those obligations that the Company terminates.

 

(c)                                   Notwithstanding clauses (a) and (b) above, the Company’s or any guarantor’s, if applicable, obligations in Sections 2.03, 2.04, 2.05, 2.08, 4.01, 4.06, 7.07, 7.08, 8.04, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive until the Notes of each series have been paid in full. Thereafter, the Company’s and the Trustee’s obligations in Sections 7.07, 8.04 and 8.05 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

 

Section 8.02.                           Conditions to Defeasance.   The Company may exercise its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option with respect to a series of the Notes only if:

 

(a)                         the Company or any guarantor, if applicable, irrevocably deposits or causes to be deposited in trust with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations that through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms shall provide cash at such times and in such amounts as shall be sufficient to pay principal and interest when due on all outstanding Notes of such series (except Notes replaced pursuant to Section 2.08) to maturity or redemption, as the case may be;

 

(b)                         the Company delivers to the Trustee a certificate from a nationally recognized firm of independent accountants or valuation consultants expressing their opinion that the payments of principal and interest when due and without reinvestment on the deposited U.S. Government Obligations plus any deposited money without investment shall provide cash at such times and in such amounts as shall be sufficient to pay principal and interest when due on all outstanding Notes of such series to maturity or redemption, as the case may be;

 

(c)                          91 days pass after the deposit is made and during the 91-day period no Default specified in Sections 6.01(h) or 6.01(i) occurs that is continuing at the end of the period;

 

(d)                         the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company or any guarantor, if applicable,

 

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with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any creditors of the Company or any guarantor, if applicable;

 

(e)                          in the case of the legal defeasance option, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel stating that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in the applicable federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of Notes of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred;

 

(f)                           in the case of the covenant defeasance option, the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of Notes of such series will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred; and

 

(g)                          the Company delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance and discharge of the Notes as contemplated by this Article 8 have been complied with.

 

Before or after a deposit, the Company may make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the redemption of any of the Notes at a future date in accordance with Article 3.

 

Section 8.03.                           Application of Trust Money .  The Trustee shall hold in trust money or U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to this Article 8. It shall apply the deposited money and the money from U.S. Government Obligations either directly or through the Paying Agent as the Trustee may determine and in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of principal of and interest on the series of the Notes that was defeased.

 

Section 8.04.                           Repayment to the Company .  The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall promptly turn over to the Company upon request any excess money or securities held by them at any time.

 

Subject to any applicable abandoned property law, the Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal or interest that remains unclaimed for two years after the date of payment of such principal and interest, and, thereafter, Noteholders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors.

 

Any unclaimed funds held by the Trustee pursuant to this Section 8.04 shall be held uninvested and without any liability for interest.

 

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Section 8.05.                           Indemnity for Government Obligations .  The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against deposited U.S. Government Obligations or the principal and interest received on such U.S. Government Obligations other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the defeased Notes; provided that the Trustee shall be entitled to charge any such tax, fee or other charge to such Holder’s account.

 

Section 8.06.                           Reinstatement .  If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article 8 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture as it relates to the defeased Notes and such Notes shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article 8 until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article 8; provided , however , that (a) if the Company has made any payment of interest on or principal of any series of the Notes following the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of the particular Notes to receive such payment from the money or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent and (b) unless otherwise required by any legal proceeding or any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall return all such money and U.S. Government Obligations to the Company promptly after receiving a written request therefor at any time, if such reinstatement of the Company’s obligations has occurred and continues to be in effect.

 

ARTICLE 9
AMENDMENTS

 

Section 9.01.                           Without Consent of Holders .  The Company and the Trustee may amend this Indenture or the Notes of a series without notice to or consent of any Noteholder of such series:

 

(a)                         to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency;

 

(b)                         to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company (or any guarantor) and the assumption by any such successor of the obligations of the Company (or those of any guarantor) in accordance with the provisions of Article 5;

 

(c)                          to add any additional Events of Default;

 

(d)                         to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all the Notes of such series or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company;

 

44



 

(e)                          to add one or more guarantees for the benefit of Holders of the Notes or to release one or more guarantees in accordance with this Indenture or any Supplemental Indenture hereto;

 

(f)                           add collateral security with respect to the Notes of such series;

 

(g)                          to add or appoint a successor or separate Trustee or other agent;

 

(h)                         to provide for the issuance of any Notes or Additional Notes of such series;

 

(i)                             to comply with any requirements in connection with qualifying this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(j)                            to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository;

 

(k)                         to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes; provided, however, that the uncertificated Notes are issued in registered form for purposes of Section 163(f) of the Code;

 

(l)                             to conform the provisions of this Indenture to the “Description of Notes,” “Description of the Notes and Guarantees” and “Description of Debt Securities” sections of any offering memorandum or prospectus prepared in connection with the issuance of the Notes (with the basis for any such annulment pursuant to this clause (l) to be set forth in an Officers’ Certificate);

 

(m)                     to make changes to this Indenture applicable only to other series of Notes issuable hereunder; and

 

(n)                         to change any other provision if the change does not adversely affect the interests of any Noteholder of such series.

 

After an amendment under this Section 9.01 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Noteholders a notice briefly describing such amendment. The failure to give such notice to all Noteholders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section 9.01.

 

Section 9.02.                           With Consent of Holders .  The Company and the Trustee may amend this Indenture or the Notes of a series without notice to any Noteholder but with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Notes then outstanding of such series (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange for Notes). However, without the consent of each Noteholder affected, an amendment may not:

 

(i)                   change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or installment of interest on, any Note;

 

(ii)                reduce the principal amount of, or the rate of interest on, any Notes;

 

45



 

(iii)             reduce any premium, if any, payable on the redemption or required repurchase of any Note or change the date on which any Note may or must be redeemed, repaid or required to be repurchased;

 

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

 

(v)               impair the right of any Holder to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the Stated Maturity of any Note;

 

(vi)            reduce the percentage in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, the consent of whose Holders is required in order to take certain actions;

 

(vii)         reduce the requirements for quorum or voting by Holders in this Indenture or the Notes;

 

(viii)      after the time an offer to repurchase the Notes in the Change of Control Repurchase Event is required to have been made, reduce the purchase amount or purchase price, or extend the latest expiration date or purchase date thereunder;

 

(ix)            modify any of the provisions of this Indenture regarding the waiver of past defaults and the waiver of certain covenants by Holders except to increase any percentage vote required or to provide that certain other provisions of the Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the holder of each Note affected thereby; or

 

(x)          modify any of the above provisions of this Section 9.02.

 

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof.

 

After an amendment under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Company shall mail to Noteholders a notice briefly describing such amendment. The failure to give such notice to all Noteholders, or any defect therein, shall not impair or affect the validity of an amendment under this Section 9.02.

 

Section 9.03.                           Effect of Consents and Waivers .  A consent to an amendment, supplement or a waiver by a Holder of a Note shall bind the Holder and every subsequent Holder of that Note or portion of the Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent or waiver is not made on the Note. After an amendment or waiver becomes effective with respect to the Notes, it shall bind every Noteholder.

 

The Company may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Noteholders entitled to give their consent or take any other action described above or required or permitted to be taken pursuant to this Indenture. If a

 

46



 

record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Noteholders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to give such consent or to take any such action, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date.

 

Section 9.04.                           Notation on or Exchange of Notes .  If an amendment changes the terms of a Note, the Trustee may require the Holder of the Note to deliver it to the Trustee. The Company shall provide in writing to the Trustee an appropriate notation to be placed on the Note regarding the changed terms and return it to the Holder. Alternatively, if the Company or the Trustee so determine, the Company in exchange for the Note shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or to issue a new Note shall not affect the validity of such amendment.

 

Section 9.05.                           Trustee to Sign Amendments .  The Trustee shall sign any amendment authorized pursuant to this Article 9 if the amendment does not adversely affect the rights, duties, liabilities or immunities of the Trustee. If it does, the Trustee may but need not sign it. In signing such amendment the Trustee shall receive indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it and to receive, and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in conclusively relying upon, in addition to the documents required by Section 10.03, an Officers’ Certificate of the Company and an Opinion of Counsel stating that such amendment complies with the provisions of this Article 9 and that such supplemental indenture constitutes the legal valid and binding obligation of the Company in accordance with its terms subject to customary exceptions.

 

Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture under this Article 9, this Indenture shall be modified in accordance therewith, and such supplemental Indenture shall form a part of this Indenture for all purposes; and every Noteholder theretofore or thereafter authenticated and delivered hereunder shall be bound thereby.

 

ARTICLE 10
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 10.01.                    Notices .  Any notice or communication shall be in writing (including facsimile and electronic communications in PDF format) and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail addressed as follows:

 

if to the Company and any guarantors:

 

Whole Foods Market, Inc.
550 Bowie Street

Austin, Texas 78703
(facsimile: 512-482-7000)

Attention: General Counsel

 

with a copy to:

 

47



 

Morrison & Foerster LLP
2000 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006-1888
(facsimile: 202-785-7533)
Attention: Justin R. Salon, Esq.

 

if to the Trustee:

 

Corporate Trust
5555 San Felipe Street, Suite 1150
Houston, TX 77056
713-235-9213

 

Any notices between the Company and the Trustee may be by facsimile or electronically in PDF format or certified first class mail, receipt confirmed and the original to follow by guaranteed overnight courier. The Company or the Trustee by written notice to the others may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. The Trustee agrees to accept and act upon facsimile transmission of written instructions and/or directions pursuant to this Indenture given by the Company; provided , however , that: (1) the Company, subsequent to such facsimile transmission of written instructions and/or directions, shall provide the originally executed instructions and/or directions to the Trustee in a timely manner and (2) such originally executed instructions and/or directions shall be signed by an authorized Officer of the Company.

 

Any notice or communication mailed to a Noteholder shall be mailed to the Noteholder at the Noteholder’s address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given if so mailed within the time prescribed.

 

Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Noteholder or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Noteholders. If a notice or communication is mailed in the manner provided above, it is duly given, whether or not the addressee receives it.

 

Section 10.02.                    Communication by Holders with Other Holders .  Noteholders may communicate pursuant to Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with other Noteholders with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Notes. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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

 

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

 

48



 

(b)                         an Opinion of Counsel of the Company in form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

 

Section 10.04.                    Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion .  The certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a covenant or condition provided for in this Indenture shall include:

 

(a)                         a statement that the individual making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

 

(b)                         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;

 

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

 

(d)                         a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such individual, such covenant or condition has been complied with.

 

Section 10.05.                    When Notes Disregarded .  In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes of a series have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes of such series owned by the Company or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company (an “ Affiliate ”) shall be disregarded and deemed not to be outstanding, except that, for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in conclusively relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes of such series which a Trust Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Also, subject to the foregoing, only Notes of such series outstanding at the time shall be considered in any such determination.

 

Section 10.06.                    Rules by Trustee, Paying Agent and Registrar .  The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Noteholders. The Registrar and the Paying Agent may make reasonable rules for their functions.

 

Section 10.07.                    Governing Law .  This Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

Section 10.08.                    No Recourse Against Others .  A director, Officer, employee or stockholder (other than the Company), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes of any series or this Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Noteholder shall waive and release all such liability. The waiver and release shall be part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

49



 

Section 10.09.                    Successors .  All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors and assigns. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

Section 10.10.                    Multiple Originals .  The parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this Indenture. 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 and signature pages for all purposes.

 

Section 10.11.                    Variable Provisions .  The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent and Registrar and custodian with respect to any Global Notes.

 

Section 10.12.                    Table of Contents; Headings .  The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

Section 10.13.                    Waiver of Jury Trial .  EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

Section 10.14.                    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 10.15.                    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.

 

50



 

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

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title:   Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 



 

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

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Shazia Flores

 

 

Name: Shazia Flores

 

 

Title:   Vice President

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

% SENIOR NOTES DUE

 

No.   

Principal Amount $                   

 

[(subject to adjustment as reflected in the Schedule of Increases and Decreases in Global Note attached hereto)](1)

 

CUSIP NO.         

ISIN NO.         

 

Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation, for value received, promises to pay to                                   , or registered assigns, the principal sum of                  Dollars [(subject to adjustment as reflected in the Schedule of Increases and Decreases in Global Note attached hereto)]* on                       , 20   .

 

Interest Payment Dates:                         and                          of each year, commencing on [                            ] [first interest payment date relating to any Additional Notes].

 

Record Dates:                  and                 of each year.

 

Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.

 


(1)  To be inserted if a Global Note.

 

A- 1



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC. has caused this Note to be duly executed.

 

Dated:                           ,

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF
AUTHENTICATION

 

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

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

Dated:                              ,

 

A- 2



 

[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

 

[Reverse of Note]

 

     % Senior Notes due

 

1. Interest

 

Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (together with its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “ Company ”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate of     % per annum.

 

The Company shall pay interest semiannually on                  and                  of each year (each such date, an “ Interest Payment Date ”), commencing on                 , 20    . Interest on the Notes shall accrue from [                , 20    ] [date of issuance of any Notes], or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on the Notes. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

2. Method of Payment

 

By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Company shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee or the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay such principal and/or interest. The Company shall pay interest (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the [                ] or [                ] immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date even if Notes are cancelled, repurchased or redeemed after the record date and on or before the Interest Payment Date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Company shall pay principal and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by the transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by The Depository Trust Company. The Company may make all payments in respect of a Definitive Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by mailing a check to the registered address of each Holder thereof or by wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee.

 

3. Paying Agent and Registrar

 

U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association (the “ Trustee ”), shall initially act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may appoint and change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Noteholder. The Company or any of its domestically organized wholly-owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent.

 

A- 3



 

4. Indenture

 

The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of                 , 2015 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Indenture ”), between the Company 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 (15 U.S.C. §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of the Indenture (the “ Trust Indenture Act ”).] Terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Noteholders are referred to the Indenture for a statement of those 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 senior unsecured obligations of the Company. The Note is one of the Notes referred to in the Indenture. The Notes of this series include the Notes of this series issued on the Issue Date and any Additional Notes of this series issued in accordance with Section 2.14 of the Indenture. The Notes of this series and any Additional Notes of this series are treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture. The Indenture imposes certain limitations on the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens, enter into sale and leaseback transactions and enter into mergers and consolidations.

 

5. Change of Control Repurchase Event

 

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, the Company will be required to make an offer to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (in excess of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of purchase, in accordance with the terms contemplated in Section 4.04 of the Indenture.

 

6. Redemption

 

The Notes shall be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date; provided that if the Company redeems any Notes on or after                 , 20     ([            ] months prior to the stated maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price for those Notes will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date.

 

In determining the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, the Company will discount such payments to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus [   ] basis points.

 

A- 4



 

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.

 

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (1) the arithmetic average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the arithmetic average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date.

 

Independent Investment Banker ” means [                ] Incorporated or their respective successors as may be appointed from time to time by the Company; provided , however , that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

Primary Treasury Dealer ” means a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means [                ] and [                ] or their respective successors as may be appointed from time to time by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the arithmetic average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer as of 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Remaining Scheduled Payments ” means, with respect to any Note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Note that would be due after the related Redemption Date but for such redemption; provided, however, that, if such Redemption Date is not an Interest Payment Date with respect to such Note, the amount of the next scheduled interest payment thereon will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued thereon to such Redemption Date.

 

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding that Redemption Date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue. In determining this rate, the Company will assume a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.

 

A- 5



 

Except as set forth above and in Section 5 of the Notes, the Notes shall not be redeemable by the Company prior to maturity.

 

The Notes shall not be entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

7. Notice of Redemption

 

At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a date for redemption of Notes of this series, the Company shall mail (or, at the Company’s option in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, send by electronic transmission) a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations of principal amount larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part but only in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. If money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes (or portions thereof) to be redeemed on the Redemption Date is deposited with the Paying Agent on or before 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the Redemption Date (or, if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the Paying Agent, such money is segregated and held in trust) and certain other conditions are satisfied, on and after such date interest shall cease to accrue on such Notes (or such portions thereof) called for redemption.

 

8. Denominations; Transfer; Exchange

 

The Notes are in fully registered form without coupons in denominations of principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may register, transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of a Note to be redeemed in part, the portion of the Note not to be redeemed) for a period beginning 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed and ending on the date of such mailing.

 

9. Persons Deemed Owners

 

The registered holder of this Note shall be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

 

10. Unclaimed Money

 

If money for the payment of principal or interest remains unclaimed for two years after the date of payment of principal and interest, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Company at its request. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Company and not to the Trustee for payment.

 

11. Defeasance

 

Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Company or any guarantor, as applicable, at any time may terminate some or all of its obligations under

 

A- 6



 

the Notes of this series and the Indenture as it relates to the Notes of this series if the Company or any guarantor, as applicable, deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.

 

12. Amendment, Waiver

 

Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, (i) the Indenture or the Notes may be amended with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes and (ii) any default or noncompliance with any provision of the Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange for Notes). However, the Indenture requires the consent of each Noteholder that would be affected for certain specified amendments or modifications of the Indenture and the Notes. Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, without the consent of any Noteholder, the Company and the Trustee may amend the Indenture or the Notes, among other things, to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency, or to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company (or any guarantor) and the assumption by any such Person of the obligations of the Company (or any guarantor) in accordance with Article 5 of the Indenture, or to add any additional Events of Default, or to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or surrender rights and powers conferred on the Company, or to add one or more guarantees for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or to release one or more guarantees in accordance with the Indenture, or to add collateral security with respect to the Notes, or to add or appoint a successor or separate trustee or other agent, or to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes, or to comply with any requirements in connection with qualifying the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, or to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, or to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository or to conform the provisions of the Indenture to the “Description of Notes,” “Description of the Notes and Guarantees” or “Description of Debt Securities” sections of any offering memorandum or prospectus prepared in connection with the issuance of the Notes (with the basis for any such annulment to be set forth in an Officers’ Certificate), or to make changes to the Indenture applicable only to other series of Notes issuance thereunder, or to change any other provision if the change does not adversely affect the interests of any Noteholder.

 

13. Defaults and Remedies

 

Under the Indenture, Events of Default include (i) default in payment of interest on the Notes of this series that continues for 30 days; (ii) default in payment of principal of or premium, if any, on the Notes of this series at its stated maturity, upon optional redemption or otherwise; (iii) failure by the Company to repurchase Notes of this series tendered for repurchase following a Change of Control Repurchase Event, (iv) failure by the Company or any guarantor to comply with any covenant or agreement in the Indenture or the Notes, which continues for 90 days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of not less than 25% in

 

A- 7



 

principal amount of outstanding notes; (v) failure to make any payment at maturity, including any applicable grace period, in respect of Indebtedness of the Company or the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) with an aggregate principal amount then outstanding in excess of $100,000,000, subject to certain conditions; (vi) default in respect of other Indebtedness of the Company or the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) in an amount in excess of $100,000,000, which results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness, subject to certain conditions; and (vii) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency involving the Company.

 

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to Notes of this series, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of this series may declare all the Notes of this series to be due and payable immediately. Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency involving the Company are Events of Default which will result in the Notes of this series being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.

 

Noteholders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless it receives indemnity or security satisfactory to it. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes of this series may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Noteholders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) if it in good faith determines that withholding notice is not opposed to their interest.

 

14. Trustee Dealings with the Company

 

Subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Company and may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.

 

15. No Recourse Against Others

 

A director, officer, employee or stockholder (other than the Company), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Noteholder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

A- 8



 

16. Authentication

 

This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

 

17. Abbreviations

 

Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Noteholder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (tenants in common), TEN ENT (tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (custodian) and U/G/M/A (Uniform Gift to Minors Act).

 

18. CUSIP and ISIN Numbers

 

The Company has caused CUSIP and ISIN numbers and/or other similar numbers to be printed on the Notes and has directed the Trustee to use CUSIP and ISIN numbers and/or other similar numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Noteholders. 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.

 

19. Governing Law

 

This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

A- 9



 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

 

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

 

(Insert assignee’s Social Security or Tax I.D. No.)

 

and irrevocably appoint               as agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

 

 

Date:

 

Your Signature:

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

(Signature must be guaranteed by a participant in a recognized Signature
Guarantee Medallion Program or other signature guarantor program reasonably
acceptable to the Trustee)

 

 

Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.

 

A- 10



 

[TO BE ATTACHED IF A GLOBAL NOTE]

 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES AND DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

 

The following increases and decreases in this Global Note have been made:

 

Date of
Decrease
or Increase

 

Amount of decrease
in Principal Amount
of this Global Note

 

Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of
this Global Note

 

Principal Amount of
this Global Note
following such
decrease or increase

 

Signature of
authorized signatory
of Trustee or
Securities Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A- 11


Exhibit 4.2

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.,

 

as Issuer

 

EACH OF THE GUARANTORS PARTY HERETO,

 

as Guarantors and

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 


 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of December 3, 2015

 

$1,000,000,000 5.200% Senior Notes due 2025

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

 

 

Section 1.01.

Provisions of the Base Indenture

1

Section 1.02.

Definitions

2

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES

 

 

 

Section 2.01.

Designation and Principal Amount

5

Section 2.02.

Stated Maturity

6

Section 2.03.

Interest

6

Section 2.04.

Form, Dating, Title and Terms

8

Section 2.05.

Transfer and Exchange

9

Section 2.06.

Definitive Notes

18

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION

 

 

 

Section 3.01.

Redemption by the Company

19

 

ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01.

Limitations on Liens

19

Section 4.02.

Limitation on Sale Leaseback Transactions

19

Section 4.03.

Future Guarantors

19

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5
REPURCHASE

 

 

 

Section 5.01.

Change of Control Repurchase Event

20

 

 

 

ARTICLE 6
DEFEASANCE

 

 

 

Section 6.01.

Defeasance by the Company

20

 

 

 

ARTICLE 7
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES

 

 

 

Section 7.01.

Guarantees

20

Section 7.02.

Continuing Guarantee

21

Section 7.03.

Release of Guarantee

21

Section 7.04.

Notation Not Required

22

Section 7.05.

Waiver of Subrogation

22

Section 7.06.

Execution and Delivery of Guarantees

22

 

i



 

Section 7.07.

Notices

23

 

 

 

ARTICLE 8
MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

Section 8.01.

Priority of First Supplemental Indenture

23

Section 8.02.

Governing Law

23

Section 8.03.

Successors

23

Section 8.04.

Multiple Originals

23

Section 8.05.

Variable Provisions

23

Section 8.06.

Table of Contents; Headings

23

Section 8.07.

Waiver of Jury Trial

23

Section 8.08.

Force Majeure

24

Section 8.09.

U.S.A. Patriot Act

24

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A.

Form of 2025 Note

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT B.

Form of Supplemental Indenture in Respect of Guarantees

 

 

ii



 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of December 3, 2015 (this “ First Supplemental Indenture ”), between WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC., a Texas corporation (the “ Company ”), the GUARANTORS (as defined herein) and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, a national banking association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ”), to the Indenture, dated as of December 3, 2015 (the “ Base Indenture ” and, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), by and between the Company and the Trustee.

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

WHEREAS, the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee the Base Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of the Company’s unsecured senior debt securities in one or more series (the “ Securities ”) and providing the terms and conditions upon which the Securities are to be authenticated, issued and delivered; and

 

WHEREAS, Section 2.01 of the Base Indenture provides for the Company and the Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Base Indenture to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series as permitted therein; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 2.01 of the Base Indenture, as supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the issuance of a new series of Securities to be known as its 5.200% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “ Notes ”), which are to be initially limited in aggregate principal amount as specified in this First Supplemental Indenture and the terms, conditions and provisions of which are to be as specified in this First Supplemental Indenture; and

 

WHEREAS, the conditions set forth in the Indenture for the execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture have been complied with; and

 

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered hereunder and duly issued by the Company, the valid obligations of the Company, and to make this First Supplemental Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

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

 

ARTICLE 1
DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

Section 1.01.                           Provisions of the Base Indenture .  Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all the definitions, provisions, terms and conditions of the Base Indenture shall remain in full force and effect with respect to the Notes. The Base Indenture, as amended and supplemented by this First Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and

 

1



 

the Base Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture shall be read, taken and considered as one and the same instrument for all purposes.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this First Supplemental Indenture, all provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture are expressly and solely for the benefit of the holders of the Notes, and any such provisions shall not be deemed to apply to any other Securities issued under the Base Indenture and shall not be deemed to amend, modify or supplement the Base Indenture for any purpose other than with respect to the Notes.

 

Section 1.02.                           Definitions .  For purposes of this First Supplemental Indenture, except as otherwise expressly provided herein or unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(i)                                      Capitalized terms used in this First Supplemental Indenture and not defined in this First Supplemental Indenture have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Base Indenture;

 

(ii)                                   the term “Notes” as defined in the Base Indenture and as used in any definition therein shall be deemed to include or refer to, as applicable, the Notes;

 

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

 

(iv)                               “including” means including without limitation;

 

(v)                                  words in the singular include the plural and words in the plural include the singular;

 

(vi)                               all references to Notes shall refer also to any Additional Notes issued in the form of Notes pursuant to Section 2.14 of the Base Indenture;

 

(vii)                            all references to the date the Notes were originally issued shall refer to the Original Issue Date or the date any Additional Notes were originally issued, as the case may be;

 

(viii)                         all references herein to particular Sections or Articles shall refer to this First Supplemental Indenture unless otherwise so indicated; and

 

(ix)                               the following terms have the meanings given to them in this Section 1.02:

 

Applicable Procedures ” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Regulation S Global Note or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of DTC for such Global Note, Euroclear and Clearstream, in each case to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.

 

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in

 

2



 

accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.

 

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (1) the arithmetic average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the arithmetic average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date.

 

Definitive Note ” means a certificated Initial Note or certificated Exchange Note (bearing the Restricted Notes Legend if the transfer of such Note is restricted by applicable law) that does not include the Global Notes Legend.

 

Euroclear ” means Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V., as operator of the Euroclear System.

 

Exchange Notes ” means the Notes of the Company issued in exchange for Initial Notes pursuant to the Base Indenture and this First Supplemental Indenture in connection with the Registered Exchange Offer.

 

Guarantee ” has the meaning ascribed to such term in Section 7.01 of this First Supplemental Indenture.

 

Guarantors ” means, initially, Whole Foods Market California, Inc., Whole Foods Market Pacific Northwest, Inc., Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets, Inc., Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/Southwest, L.P., Whole Foods Market Group, Inc., WFM-WO, Inc., Whole Foods Market Services, Inc., WFM IP Investments, Inc., Whole Foods Market IP, L.P., WFM Northern Nevada, Inc., WFM Southern Nevada, Inc., WFM Hawaii, LLC, WFM Kansas, LLC and WFM Nebraska, LLC, but subject to Sections 7.03 and 7.06 hereof.

 

Independent Investment Banker ” means each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC or their respective successors as may be appointed from time to time by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

Initial Notes ” means the Rule 144A Notes and the Regulation S Notes.

 

Initial Purchasers ” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and the other initial purchasers listed on Schedule 1 to the Purchase Agreement.

 

Original Issue Date ” means December 3, 2015.

 

Primary Treasury Dealer ” has the meaning set forth in the definition of “Reference Treasury Dealer”.

 

Primary Senior Indebtedness ” means indebtedness under any existing or future credit, loan or borrowing facility or any indenture, note purchase agreement or similar agreement by the Company providing for the incurrence of Indebtedness, in each case in a principal amount equal to or greater than $100 million.

 

3



 

Purchase Agreement ” means the Purchase Agreement dated November 30, 2015, among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers.

 

QIB ” means a “qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144A.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC or Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and two other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company, and each of their respective successors and any other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the arithmetic average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer as of 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Remaining Scheduled Payments ” means, with respect to any Note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Note that would be due after the related Redemption Date but for such redemption; provided , however , that, if such Redemption Date is not an Interest Payment Date with respect to such Note, the amount of the next scheduled interest payment thereon will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued thereon to such Redemption Date.

 

Registered Exchange Offer ” means the offer by the Company, pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement, to certain Holders of Initial Notes, to issue and deliver to such Holders, in exchange for their Initial Notes, a like aggregate principal amount of Exchange Notes registered under the Securities Act.

 

Registration Rights Agreement ” means the Registration Rights Agreement to be dated as of December 3, 2015, among the Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers.

 

Regulation S ” means Regulation S under the Securities Act.

 

Regulation S Global Notes ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04.

 

Regulation S Notes ” means all Notes offered and sold outside the United States in reliance on Regulation S.

 

Restricted Notes Legend ” means the legend set forth in Section 2.05(e).

 

Restricted Period ” with respect to any Notes means the period of 40 consecutive days beginning on and including the later of (i) the day on which such Notes are first offered to persons other than distributors (as defined in Regulation S under the Securities Act) in reliance on Regulation S and (ii) the Original Issue Date.

 

Rule 144A ” means Rule 144A under the Securities Act.

 

Rule 144A Global Notes ” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.04.

 

4



 

Rule 144A Notes ” means all Notes offered and sold to QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A.

 

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. or any successor thereto.

 

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

 

Shelf Registration Statement ” means a registration statement filed by the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Initial Notes pursuant to the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Transfer Restricted Notes ” means Definitive Notes and any other Notes that bear or are required to bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

 

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding that Redemption Date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue. In determining this rate, the Company will assume a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.

 

Other Definitions .

 

Term

 

Defined in Section

“Additional Notes”

 

Section 2.01

“Base Indenture”

 

Preamble

“Company”

 

Preamble

“Global Notes”

 

Section 2.03(b)Section 2.04Section 2.04(a)

“Indenture”

 

Recitals

“Interest Payment Date”

 

Section 2.03(a)

“Notes”

 

Recitals

“Note Interest Rate”

 

Section 2.03(a)

“First Supplemental Indenture”

 

Preamble

“Rating Agency”

 

Section 2.03(b)

“Regulation S Global Notes”

 

Section 2.04(a)

“Rule 144A Global Notes”

 

Section 2.04(a)

“Substitute Rating Agency”

 

Section 2.03(b)(iii)

“Trustee”

 

Preamble

 

ARTICLE 2
THE NOTES

 

Section 2.01.                           Designation and Principal Amount .  The Notes are hereby authorized and are designated the “5.200% Senior Notes due 2025”, in an initial aggregate principal amount of $1,000,000,000, which amount shall be specified in an Authentication Order for the authentication and delivery of Notes pursuant to Article II of the Base Indenture. In addition, the

 

5



 

Company shall be entitled to issue, from time to time, without the consent of the Holders, additional Notes (“ Additional Notes ”), which shall have identical terms as the Notes issued on the Original Issue Date (in each case, other than with respect to the date of issuance, issue price and amount of interest payable on the first payment date applicable thereto), as the case may be, in an unlimited aggregate principal amount, which Additional Notes shall be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes previously issued; provided that if any Additional Notes are not fungible with the Notes issued on the Original Issue Date for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number. At any time and from time to time, the Trustee shall, upon receipt of an Authentication Order, authenticate and deliver any Additional Notes in an aggregate principal amount specified in such Authentication Order for such Additional Notes issued hereunder.

 

The Initial Notes issued on the date hereof will be (i) offered and sold pursuant to the Purchase Agreement and (ii) resold initially only to (a) QIBs in reliance on Rule 144A and (b) Persons other than U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S) in reliance on Regulation S.  Such Initial Notes may thereafter be transferred to, among others, QIBs and purchasers in reliance on Regulation S.

 

All Notes issued on the Original Issue Date and Additional Notes, if any, will be treated as a single class for all purposes of this Indenture, including waivers, amendments, redemptions and offers to purchase. The Notes shall be subject to the terms of the Registration Rights Agreement, including the payment of additional interest in accordance with and subject to the terms thereof.

 

Section 2.02.                           Stated Maturity .  The Stated Maturity of the Notes shall be December 3, 2025.

 

Section 2.03.                           Interest .

 

(a)                         The Notes shall bear interest at the rate of 5.200 % per annum from December 3, 2015 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid on the Notes, subject to adjustment in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.04 (the per annum rate at which the Notes shall bear interest at any time, the “ Note Interest Rate ”). Interest shall be payable semiannually on June 3 and December 3 of each year (each such date, an “ Interest Payment Date ”), commencing on June 3, 2016, to the Holders in whose names the Notes are registered at the close of business on the regular record date immediately preceding the related Interest Payment Date. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

(b)                         The Note Interest Rate will be subject to adjustment from time to time if Moody’s or S&P (or in either case as applicable, any Substitute Rating Agency) (each, a “ Rating Agency ,” and collectively, the “ Rating Agencies ”) downgrades (or subsequently upgrades) the debt rating assigned to the Notes, as set forth in this Section 2.04(b).

 

(i)                                      If the rating from a Rating Agency with respect to the Notes is decreased to a rating set forth in the immediately following table with respect to that Rating Agency,

 

6



 

the Note Interest Rate will increase from 5.200% by the percentage set forth opposite that rating:

 

 

 

Rating Agency

 

 

 

Rating Level

 

Moody’s*

 

S&P*

 

Percentage

 

1

 

Ba1

 

BB+

 

0.25

%

2

 

Ba2

 

BB

 

0.50

%

3

 

Ba3

 

BB-

 

0.75

%

4

 

B1 or below

 

B+ or below

 

1.00

%

 


*Including the equivalent ratings of any Substitute Rating Agency

 

(ii)                                                      If at any time the Note Interest Rate has been adjusted upward as a result of a decrease in a rating by a Rating Agency and that Rating Agency subsequently increases its rating with respect to the Notes to any of the threshold ratings set forth above, the Note Interest Rate will be decreased such that the per annum interest rate equals 5.200% plus the percentage set forth opposite the rating for such Rating Agency in effect immediately following the increase in the table above; provided that if Moody’s or any Substitute Rating Agency subsequently increases its rating of the Notes to “Baa3” (or its equivalent if with respect to any Substitute Rating Agency) or higher and S&P or any Substitute Rating Agency subsequently increases its rating of the Notes to “BBB-” (or its equivalent if with respect to any Substitute Rating Agency) or higher, the Note Interest Rate will be decreased to 5.200%.

 

(iii)                                                   No adjustment in the Note Interest Rate shall be made solely as a result of a Rating Agency ceasing to provide a rating. If at any time less than two Rating Agencies provide a rating of the Notes for a reason outside of the Company’s control, the Company will use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain a rating of the Notes from another nationally recognized statistical rating organization, to the extent one exists, and if another nationally recognized statistical rating organization rates the Notes (such organization, as certified by a resolution of the Board of Directors of the Company, a “ Substitute Rating Agency ”), for purposes of determining any increase or decrease in the Note Interest Rate pursuant to the table above (a) such Substitute Rating Agency will be substituted for the last Rating Agency to provide a rating of the Notes but which has since ceased to provide such rating, (b) the relative ratings scale used by such Substitute Rating Agency to assign ratings to senior unsecured debt will be determined in good faith by an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company and, for purposes of determining the applicable ratings included in the table above with respect to such Substitute Rating Agency, such ratings shall be deemed to be the equivalent ratings used by Moody’s or S&P, as applicable, in such table and (c) the Note Interest Rate will increase or decrease, as the case may be, such that the interest rate equals 5.200% plus the appropriate percentage, if any, set forth opposite the rating from such Substitute Rating Agency in the table above (taking into account the provisions of clause (b) above).  Subject to the second to last paragraph of this section, for so long as (i) only one Rating Agency provides a rating of the Notes, any increase or decrease in the Note Interest Rate necessitated by a reduction or increase in the rating by that Rating Agency shall be twice the applicable percentage set forth in the table above and (ii) no

 

7



 

Rating Agency provides a rating of the Notes, the Note Interest Rate will increase to, or remain at, as the case may be, 7.200%.

 

(iv)                                                  If Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Notes or make a rating of the Notes publicly available for reasons within the Company’s control, the Company will not be entitled to obtain a rating from a Substitute Rating Agency and the increase or decrease in the Note Interest Rate shall be determined in the manner described in this Section 2.03(b) as if either only one or no Rating Agency provides a rating on the Notes, as the case may be.

 

(v)                                                     Each adjustment required by any decrease or increase in a rating set forth in this Section 2.03(b), whether occasioned by the action of Moody’s, S&P or any Substitute Rating Agency, shall be made independent of (and in addition to) any and all other adjustments. For example, if only one of the Rating Agencies decreases its rating of the Notes to Rating Level 1 (and the rating provided by the other Rating Agency is above Rating Level 1), then the Note Interest Rate will increase by 0.25%, and if each of the Rating Agencies decreases its rating of the Notes to Rating Level 1, then the Note Interest Rate will increase by 0.25% on account of each such rating provided by both Rating Agencies, or 0.50% in the aggregate. In no event shall (1) the Note Interest Rate be reduced below 5.200% or (2) the Note Interest Rate exceed 7.200%.

 

(vi)                                                  Any interest rate increase or decrease described above will take effect on the first day of the interest period following the period in which the rating change has occurred. If any Rating Agency changes its rating of the Notes more than once during any particular interest period, the last such change to occur will control in the event of a conflict.

 

(vii)                                               The Note Interest Rate will permanently cease to be subject to any adjustment described above (notwithstanding any subsequent decrease in the ratings by any Rating Agency) if the Notes become rated “Baa1” (or its equivalent) or higher by Moody’s (or any Substitute Rating Agency) and “BBB+” (or its equivalent) or higher by S&P (or any Substitute Rating Agency), or one of those ratings if only rated by one Rating Agency, in each case with a stable or positive outlook.

 

Section 2.04.                           Form, Dating, Title and Terms .  (a) The Notes shall be substantially in the form attached as Exhibit A, in each case with such appropriate provisions as are required or permitted by this First Supplemental Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with applicable laws or the rules of any securities exchange or DTC or as may, consistently herewith, be determined by the Officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution thereof.

 

The Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form set forth in Article II of the Base Indenture.

 

The definitive Notes shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on a steel engraved border or on steel engraved borders or produced by any combination of these methods, if required by

 

8



 

any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, or may be produced in any other manner permitted by the rules of any securities exchange on which the Notes may be listed, all as determined by the Officers executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of such Notes.

 

The Rule 144A Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more Notes in registered, global form (collectively, the “ Rule 144A Global Notes ”) and the Regulation S Notes shall be issued initially in the form of one or more Notes in registered, global form (collectively, the “ Regulation S Global Notes ”), in each case without interest coupons and bearing the Global Notes Legend and Restricted Notes Legend, which shall be deposited on behalf of the purchasers of the Notes represented thereby with the Notes Custodian, and registered in the name of DTC or a nominee of DTC, duly executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee as provided in Article 2 of the Base Indenture and dated the date of their authentication. Each Global Note may be represented by more than one certificate, if so required by DTC rules regarding the maximum principal amount to be represented by a single certificate. Beneficial ownership interests in the Regulation S Global Notes shall not be exchangeable for interests in the Rule 144A Global Notes or any other Note without a Restricted Notes Legend until the expiration of the Restricted Period, except as and to the extent expressly provided in Section 2.05(l) of this First Supplemental Indenture.  The Rule 144A Global Notes and the Regulation S Global Notes are collectively referred to herein as “ Global Notes .”  The aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for DTC or its nominee as hereinafter provided.

 

The principal of and interest on the Notes shall be payable at the office or agency of the Company maintained for such purpose in Austin, Texas, or at such other office or agency of the Company as may be maintained for such purpose pursuant to Section 2.01(a) of the Base Indenture; provided , however , that at the option of the Company, each installment of interest may be paid by (i) check mailed to addresses of the Persons entitled thereto as such addresses shall appear on the Note Register or (ii) upon request of any Holder of at least $1,000,000 principal amount of Notes, wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC.

 

(b)                         Denominations .  The Notes shall be issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and only in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

(c)                          Legend for Global Notes .  The Global Notes shall bear the legend set forth in Section 2.01(c) of the Base Indenture on the face thereof.

 

(d)                         Registrar and Paying Agent;

 

Section 2.05.                           Transfer and Exchange .  The Notes shall be subject to the provisions set forth in Sections 2.03 and 2.06 of the Base Indenture governing (i) payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes, (ii) registration of transfer or exchange and (iii) maintenance of an office or agency where Notes may be presented for payment.

 

9



 

(a)                         Transfer and Exchange of Definitive Notes. When Definitive Notes are presented to the Security Registrar with a request:

 

(i)                                      to register the transfer of such Definitive Notes; or

 

(ii)                                   to exchange such Definitive Notes for an equal principal amount of Definitive Notes of other authorized denominations, the Security Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its reasonable requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however , that the Definitive Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange:

 

(A)                                    shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing; and

 

(B)                                    are accompanied by the following additional information and documents, as applicable:

 

(1)                        if such Definitive Notes are being delivered to the Security Registrar by a Holder for registration in the name of such Holder, without transfer, a certification from such Holder to that effect (in the form set forth on the reverse side of the Initial Note); or

 

(2)                        if such Definitive Notes are being transferred to the Company, a certification to that effect (in the form set forth on the reverse side of the Initial Note); or

 

(iii)                                in the case of Transfer Restricted Notes, if such Definitive Notes are being transferred pursuant to an exemption from registration in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act or in reliance upon another exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act, (i) a certification to that effect (in the form set forth on the reverse side of the Initial Note) and (ii) if the Company or Security Registrar so requests, an opinion of counsel or other evidence reasonably satisfactory to it as to the compliance with the restrictions set forth in the legend set forth in Section 2.05(e)(i).

 

(b)                         Restrictions on Exchange of a Definitive Note for a Beneficial Interest in a Global Note .  A Definitive Note may not be exchanged for a beneficial interest in a Global Note except upon satisfaction of the requirements set forth below.  Upon receipt by the Trustee of a Definitive Note, duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form reasonably satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar, together with:

 

(i)                                      (A) certification (in the form set forth on the reverse side of the Initial Note) that such Definitive Note is being transferred (a) to a QIB in accordance with Rule 144A or (b) outside the United States in an offshore transaction within the meaning of Regulation S and in compliance with Rule 904 under the Securities Act or (B) such other certification and opinion of counsel as the Company shall require; and

 

10



 

(ii)                                   written instructions directing the Trustee to make, or to direct the Notes Custodian to make, an adjustment on its books and records with respect to such Global Note to reflect an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the Notes represented by the Global Note, such instructions to contain information regarding DTC account to be credited with such increase, then the Trustee shall cancel such Definitive Note and cause, or direct the Notes Custodian to cause, in accordance with the standing instructions and procedures existing between DTC and the Notes Custodian, the aggregate principal amount of Notes represented by the Global Note to be increased by the aggregate principal amount of the Definitive Note to be exchanged and shall credit or cause to be credited to the account of the Person specified in such instructions a beneficial interest in the Global Note equal to the principal amount of the Definitive Note so canceled.  If no Global Notes are then outstanding and the Global Note has not been previously exchanged for certificated securities pursuant to Section 2.06, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon receipt of a Company Order, a new Global Note in the appropriate principal amount.

 

(c)                          Transfer and Exchange of Global Notes.

 

(i)                                      The transfer and exchange of Global Notes or beneficial interests therein shall be effected through DTC, in accordance with this First Supplemental Indenture (including applicable restrictions on transfer set forth herein, if any) and the procedures of DTC and its direct and indirect participants (including, if applicable, those of Euroclear and Clearstream) therefor, which may change from time to time.  A transferor of a beneficial interest in a Global Note shall deliver a written order given in accordance with DTC’s procedures containing information regarding the participant account of DTC to be credited with a beneficial interest in such Global Note or another Global Note and such account shall be credited in accordance with such order with a beneficial interest in the applicable Global Note and the account of the Person making the transfer shall be debited by an amount equal to the beneficial interest in the Global Note being transferred.  Transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in a Rule 144A Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through a Regulation S Global Note, whether before or after the expiration of the Restricted Period, shall be made only upon receipt by the Trustee of a certification from the transferor to the effect that such transfer is being made in accordance with Rules 903 or 904 of Regulation S or (if available) Rule 144 under the Securities Act and that, if such transfer is being made prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, the interest transferred shall be held immediately thereafter through Euroclear or Clearstream.

 

(ii)                                   If the proposed transfer is a transfer of a beneficial interest in one Global Note to a beneficial interest in another Global Note, the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and an increase in the principal amount of the Global Note to which such interest is being transferred in an amount equal to the principal amount of the interest to be so transferred, and the Security Registrar shall reflect on its books and records the date and a corresponding decrease in the principal amount of the Global Note from which such interest is being transferred. Any beneficial interest in one of the Global Notes that is transferred to a Person who takes delivery in the form of an interest in another Global Note will, upon transfer, cease to be an interest in such Global Note and

 

11



 

will become an interest in such other Global Note and, accordingly, will thereafter be subject to all transfer restrictions and other procedures applicable to beneficial interests in such other Global Note for so long as it remains such an interest.  The policies and practices of DTC may prohibit transfers of beneficial interests in a Regulation S Global Note prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period.

 

(iii)                                Notwithstanding any other provisions of this First Supplemental Indenture (other than the provisions set forth in Section 2.06), a Global Note may not be transferred in part, and may not be transferred as a whole except by DTC to a nominee of DTC or by a nominee of DTC to DTC or another nominee of DTC or by DTC or any such nominee to a successor to DTC or a nominee of such successor to DTC.

 

(iv)                               In the event that a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes pursuant to Section 4.03 prior to the consummation of the Registered Exchange Offer or the effectiveness of the Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Notes, such Notes may be exchanged only in accordance with such procedures as are substantially consistent with the provisions of this Section 2.05 (including the certification requirements set forth on the reverse of the Initial Notes intended to ensure that such transfers comply with Rule 144, Rule 144A, Regulation S or such other applicable exemption from registration under the Securities Act, as the case may be) and such other procedures as may from time to time be adopted by the Company.

 

(d)                         Restrictions on Transfer and Exchange of Regulation S Global Notes.

 

(i)                                      Prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, interests in a Regulation S Global Note may only be held through Euroclear or Clearstream (as indirect participants in DTC).  During the Restricted Period, beneficial ownership interests in a Regulation S Global Note may only be sold, pledged or transferred through Euroclear or Clearstream in accordance with the Applicable Procedures and only (a) to the Company, (b) so long as such security is eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A, to a person whom the selling holder reasonably believes is a QIB that purchases for its own account or for the account of a QIB to whom notice is given that the resale, pledge or transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A, (c) in an offshore transaction in accordance with Regulation S, (d) pursuant to an available exemption from registration under the Securities Act or (e) pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act, in each case in accordance with any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States.  Prior to the expiration of the Restricted Period, transfers by an owner of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note to a transferee who takes delivery of such interest through a Rule 144A Global Note shall be made only in accordance with the Applicable Procedures, upon receipt by the Trustee of a written certification from the transferor of the beneficial interest in the form provided on the reverse of the Initial Note to the effect that such transfer is being made to a (a) QIB within the meaning of Rule 144A in a transaction meeting the requirements of Rule 144A and (b) in accordance with all applicable securities laws of the states of the United States and any other applicable jurisdictions.  Such written certification shall no longer be required after the expiration of the Restricted Period.  In the case of a transfer of a beneficial interest in a Regulation S Global Note for an interest in a Rule 144A Global Note, the transferee must, at the

 

12



 

request of the Company, deliver an opinion of counsel reasonably acceptable to the Company stating that the proposed transfer is being made pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

 

(ii)                                   Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period, beneficial ownership interests in a Regulation S Global Note shall be transferable in accordance with applicable law and the other terms of the Indenture.

 

(e)                          Legends for Notes.

 

(i)                                      Except as permitted by the following paragraphs (ii), (iii), (iv) or (v) each Note certificate evidencing the Global Notes and the Definitive Notes (and all Notes issued in exchange therefor or in substitution thereof) shall bear a legend in substantially the following form (each defined term in the legend being defined as such for purposes of the legend only):

 

THIS NOTE AND THE RELATED GUARANTEES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE ‘‘SECURITIES ACT’’), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC. (THE ‘‘COMPANY’’) THAT THIS NOTE OR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ONLY (1) TO THE COMPANY, (2) SO LONG AS THIS NOTE IS ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (‘‘RULE 144A’’), TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A ‘‘QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER’’ (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A) IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 144A, (3) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (4) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) OR (5) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, AND IN EACH OF SUCH CASES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, REPRESENTS AND AGREES THAT IT SHALL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE.

 

PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2) OR (3) ABOVE, A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH IS AN EXHIBIT TO THE INDENTURE) MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THE INDENTURE UNDER WHICH THIS NOTE WAS ISSUED. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (4) ABOVE, THE COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO

 

13



 

REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY RULE 144 EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

THE FOREGOING LEGEND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THIS NOTE ONLY AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY.

 

Each Regulation S Note shall bear an additional legend in substantially the following form:

 

THIS NOTE IS A TEMPORARY OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTE. PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR PHYSICAL NOTES OTHER THAN A PERMANENT OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE UNDER WHICH THE NOTES WERE ISSUED. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. NO BENEFICIAL OWNER OF THIS TEMPORARY OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST HEREON UNTIL SUCH BENEFICIAL INTEREST IS EXCHANGED OR TRANSFERRED FOR AN INTEREST IN ANOTHER NOTE.

 

THE FOREGOING LEGEND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THIS NOTE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY AFTER 40 DAYS BEGINNING ON AND INCLUDING THE LATER OF (A) THE DATE ON WHICH THE NOTES ARE OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND (B) THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE NOTES.

 

Each Definitive Note shall bear the following additional legend:

 

IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

 

(ii)                                   Upon any sale or transfer of a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note, the Security Registrar shall permit the Holder thereof to exchange such Transfer Restricted Note for a Definitive Note that does not bear the legends set forth above and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Security Registrar that its request for such exchange was made in reliance on Rule 144 (such certification to be in the form set forth on the reverse of the Initial Note).

 

(iii)                                After a transfer of any Initial Notes during the period of the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement with respect to such Initial Notes, all requirements

 

14



 

pertaining to the Restricted Notes Legend on such Initial Notes shall cease to apply and the requirements that any such Initial Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply.

 

(iv)                               Upon the consummation of a Registered Exchange Offer with respect to the Initial Notes pursuant to which Holders of such Initial Notes are offered Exchange Notes in exchange for their Initial Notes, all requirements pertaining to Initial Notes that Initial Notes be issued in global form shall continue to apply, and Exchange Notes in global form without the Restricted Notes Legend shall be available to Holders that exchange such Initial Notes in such Registered Exchange Offer.

 

(v)                                  Upon a sale or transfer after the expiration of the Restricted Period of any Initial Note acquired pursuant to Regulation S, all requirements that such Initial Note bear the Restricted Notes Legend shall cease to apply and the requirements requiring any such Initial Note be issued in global form shall continue to apply.

 

(vi)                               To the extent that any Notes are represented by one or more Global Notes held by or on behalf of DTC, the Company may cause the Restrictive Notes Legend on any such Global Notes to be removed (or deemed removed) and cause such Global Notes to be identified by an unrestricted CUSIP at any time on or after the one year anniversary of the later of (x) the Original Issue Date and (y) the date on which additional Notes bearing the same CUSIP were last issued (it being understood that, if additional Notes bear a different CUSIP, the date after which the Company may cause the Restrictive Notes Legend to be removed with respect to such additional Notes shall be the one year anniversary of their date of issuance), without delivering an Opinion of Counsel, by:

 

(A)                                    delivering to the Trustee a written notice (x) certifying that all Notes represented by such Global Notes would be freely tradable under Rule 144 by a person who is not an affiliate of the Company (within the meaning of Rule 144) and has not been an affiliate of the Company (within the meaning of Rule 144) during the immediately preceding 90 days, (y) instructing the Trustee to take any actions as may be necessary so that the Restricted Notes Legend set forth on the Global Notes shall be deemed removed from the Global Notes in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Notes and the Indenture, without further action on the part of Noteholders and (z) instructing the Trustee to take any actions as may be necessary so that the restricted CUSIP number for the Notes shall be removed from the Global Notes and replaced with an unrestricted CUSIP number. Immediately upon receipt of such notice by the Trustee the Restricted Notes Legend will be deemed removed from each of the Global Notes specified in such notice and the restricted CUSIP number will be deemed removed from each of such Global Notes and deemed replaced with an unrestricted CUSIP number; and

 

(B)                                    providing DTC an instruction letter for DTC’s mandatory exchange process (or any successor notice, form or action required pursuant to the Applicable Procedures) to the extent required.

 

15



 

(vii)                            From and after the one year anniversary of the issue date of any Transfer Restricted Note, upon written direction of the Company:

 

(A)                                    the Registrar shall permit the Noteholder thereof to exchange any Transfer Restricted Note that is a Definitive Note for a Definitive Note that does not bear the legends set forth above and rescind any restriction on the transfer of such Transfer Restricted Note if the Holder certifies in writing to the Registrar and the Company that its request for such exchange was made in reliance on Rule 144 and that such Holder is not an affiliate (as defined under Rule 144) of the Company; and

 

(B)                                    beneficial interests in a Transfer Restricted Note that is a Global Note may be exchanged for beneficial interests in a Global Note that does not bear the Restricted Notes Legend if the Noteholder certifies in writing to the Registrar and the Company that its request for such exchange was made in reliance on Rule 144 and that such Noteholder is not an “affiliate” of the Company within the meaning of Rule 144.

 

(f)                           Cancellation or Adjustment of Global Note .  At such time as all beneficial interests in a Global Note have either been exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, such Global Note shall be returned by DTC to the Trustee for cancellation or retained and canceled by the Trustee.  At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for Definitive Notes, transferred in exchange for an interest in another Global Note, redeemed, repurchased or canceled, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced and an adjustment shall be made on the books and records of the Trustee (if it is then the Notes Custodian for such Global Note) with respect to such Global Note, by the Trustee or the Notes Custodian, to reflect such reduction.

 

(g)                          Obligations with Respect to Transfers and Exchanges of Notes.

 

(i)                                      To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon receipt of a Company Order, Definitive Notes and Global Notes at the Security Registrar’s request.

 

(ii)                                   No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax, assessments, or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer taxes, assessments or similar governmental charge payable upon exchange or transfer pursuant to Sections 3.01 or 5.01 of this First Supplemental Indenture).

 

(h)                         Prior to the due presentation for registration of transfer of any Note, the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar may deem and treat the person in whose name a Note is registered as the absolute owner of such Note for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of and interest on such Note and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether

 

16



 

or not such Note is overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee, the Paying Agent or the Security Registrar shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

(i)                             The Company shall not be required to make and the Security Registrar need not register transfers or exchanges of Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of Notes to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed) or any Notes for a period of 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed.

 

(j)                            All Notes issued upon any transfer or exchange pursuant to the terms of this First Supplemental Indenture shall evidence the same Debt and shall be entitled to the same benefits under the Indenture as the Notes surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

 

(k)                         No Obligation of the Trustee.

 

(i)                                      The Trustee shall have no responsibility or obligation to any beneficial owner of a Global Note, a member of, or a participant in DTC or any other Person with respect to the accuracy of the records of DTC or its nominee or of any participant or member thereof, with respect to any ownership interest in the Notes or with respect to the delivery to any participant, member, beneficial owner or other Person (other than DTC) of any notice (including any notice of redemption or repurchase) or the payment of any amount, under or with respect to such Notes.  All notices and communications to be given to the Holders and all payments to be made to Holders under the Notes shall be given or made only to the registered Holders (which shall be DTC or its nominee in the case of a Global Note).  The rights of beneficial owners in any Global Note shall be exercised only through DTC subject to the applicable rules and procedures of DTC.  The Trustee may rely and shall be fully protected in relying upon information furnished by DTC with respect to its members, participants and any beneficial owners.

 

(ii)                                   The Trustee shall have no obligation or duty to monitor, determine or inquire as to compliance with any restrictions on transfer imposed under this First Supplemental Indenture or under applicable law with respect to any transfer of any interest in any Note (including any transfers between or among DTC participants, members or beneficial owners in any Global Note) other than to require delivery of such certificates and other documentation or evidence as are expressly required by, and to do so if and when expressly required by, the terms of this First Supplemental Indenture, and to examine the same to determine substantial compliance as to form with the express requirements hereof.

 

(l)                             Upon the occurrence of the Exchange Offer in accordance with the Registration Rights Agreement, the Company shall issue and, upon receipt of a Company Order , the Trustee shall authenticate (i) one or more Global Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amounts of the beneficial interests in the Global Notes tendered for acceptance by Persons that certify in the applicable letters of transmittal that (x) they are not broker dealers, (y) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (z) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer and (ii) Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Definitive

 

17



 

Notes, if any, tendered for acceptance by Persons that certify in the applicable letters of transmittal that (x) they are not broker dealers, (y) they are not participating in a distribution of the Exchange Notes and (z) they are not affiliates (as defined in Rule 144) of the Company, and accepted for exchange in the Exchange Offer.  Concurrently with the issuance of such Notes, the Trustee shall cause the aggregate principal amount of the applicable Global Notes with the Restricted Notes Legend to be reduced accordingly, and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and mail to the Persons designated by the Holders of the Definitive Notes so accepted Definitive Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in the applicable principal amount.  Any Notes that remain outstanding after the consummation of the Exchange Offer, and Exchange Notes issued in connection with the Exchange Offer, shall be treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture.

 

(m)                     In connection with any exchange of beneficial interests in a Global Note that bears a Restricted Notes Legend for any Global Note that does not bear a Restricted Notes Legend in accordance with Section 2.05(e)(i), if a Global Note that does not bear a Restricted Notes Legend is not then outstanding (or an insufficient principal amount of such Global Notes are outstanding to permit such exchange) and the Global Notes have not been previously exchanged for certificated securities pursuant to Section 2.06, the Company shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate, upon receipt of a Company Order, one or more new Global Notes without the Restricted Notes Legend in the appropriate principal amounts.

 

Section 2.06.                           Definitive Notes.

 

(a)                         A Global Note deposited with DTC or with the Trustee as Notes Custodian pursuant to Section 2.05 shall be transferred to the beneficial owners thereof in the form of Definitive Notes in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such Global Note, in exchange for such Global Note, only if such transfer complies with Section 2.05 and (i) DTC (A) notifies the Company that DTC is no longer willing or able to act as a depositary or clearing system for the Global Notes or (B) ceases to be a “clearing agency” registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either event, a successor depositary or clearing system is not appointed by the Company within 90 days of such notice or becoming aware that DTC is no longer so registered, (ii) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines not to have the Notes represented by a Global Note and provide written notice to the Trustee, or (iii) upon the occurrence and continuation of an Event of Default.

 

(b)                         Any Global Note that is transferable to the beneficial owners thereof pursuant to this Section 2.06 shall be surrendered by DTC to the Trustee, to be so transferred, in whole or from time to time in part, without charge, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, upon such transfer of each portion of such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Definitive Notes of authorized denominations.  Any portion of a Global Note transferred pursuant to this Section 2.06 shall be executed, authenticated and delivered only in denominations of $2,000 of principal amount and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof and registered in such names as DTC shall direct.  Any certificated Initial Note in the form of a Definitive Note delivered in exchange for an interest in the Global Note shall, except as otherwise provided by Section 2.05, bear the Restricted Notes Legend.

 

18



 

(c)                          The registered Holder of a Global Note may grant proxies and otherwise authorize any Person, including Participants and Persons that may hold interests through Participants, to take any action which a Holder is entitled to take under the Indenture or the Notes.

 

(d)                         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary provided herein, in no event shall any Regulation S Global Note be exchanged for Definitive Notes prior to (a) the expiration of the Restricted Period and (b) the receipt of any certificates required under the provisions of Regulation S.

 

(e)                          In the event of the occurrence of any of the events specified in Section 2.06(a)(i), (ii) or (iii), the Company will promptly make available to the Trustee a reasonable supply of Definitive Notes in fully registered form without interest coupons.

 

ARTICLE 3
REDEMPTION

 

Section 3.01.                           Redemption by the Company .  (a) The Notes may be redeemed at the option of the Company on the terms and conditions set forth in Article III of the Base Indenture and Section 6 of the Notes.

 

(b)                         The Notes shall be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the aggregate principal amount of such Notes to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date; provided that if the Company redeems any Notes on or after September 3, 2025 (three months prior to the stated maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price for those Notes will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date.

 

(c)                          In determining the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, the Company will discount such payments to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 45 basis points.

 

ARTICLE 4
COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01.                           Limitations on Liens .  For the purposes of the Notes, the text of Section 4.02 of the Base Indenture will apply to the Notes.

 

Section 4.02.                           Limitation on Sale Leaseback Transactions .  For the purposes of the Notes, the text of Section 4.03 will apply to the Notes.

 

Section 4.03.                           Future Guarantors.  From and after the Original Issue Date, the Company shall cause any Subsidiary that guarantees payment of the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ Primary Senior Indebtedness to promptly execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental

 

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indenture pursuant to which such Subsidiary shall guarantee payment of the Notes, whereupon such Subsidiary shall become a Guarantor for all purposes under the Indenture.

 

ARTICLE 5
REPURCHASE

 

Section 5.01.                           Change of Control Repurchase Event .  Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, the Company shall be required to make a Change of Control Offer in accordance with the terms and conditions of Section 4.04 of the Base Indenture.

 

ARTICLE 6
DEFEASANCE

 

Section 6.01.                           Defeasance by the Company .  If the Company shall effect a defeasance or discharge of the Notes pursuant to Article 8 of the Base Indenture, the Company shall cease to have any obligation to comply with the covenants set forth in Article 4 hereof (whether set forth specifically or by reference to provisions of the Base Indenture) and the provisions of Article 4 of the Base Indenture.

 

ARTICLE 7
SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEES

 

Section 7.01.                           Guarantees.

 

(a)                         Each of the Guarantors, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, hereby jointly and severally, irrevocably and fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder and to the Trustee and its successor and assigns (each, a “ Guarantee ”) on an unsecured, unsubordinated basis and equal in right of payment to all existing and future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness of such Guarantor, the punctual payment when due of all monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture (with respect to the Notes) and the Notes, whether for principal of or interest on the Notes.

 

(b)                         The obligations of each Guarantor shall be limited to the maximum amount as shall, after giving effect to all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Guarantor and after giving effect to any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Guarantor under its Guarantee, result in the obligations of such Guarantor under the Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under applicable law, or being void or unenforceable under any law relating to insolvency of debtors.

 

(c)                          Each Guarantor further agrees that (to the fullest extent permitted by law) its obligations hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Company or any other Guarantor hereunder or thereunder, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, any release of any other Guarantor, the recovery of any judgment against the Company, any action to enforce the same,

 

20



 

or any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a Guarantor.

 

(d)                         Each Guarantor hereby waives (to the fullest extent permitted by law) the benefit of diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Company, any right to require a proceeding first against the Company, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenants that (except as otherwise provided in Section 7.03 of this First Supplemental Indenture) its Guarantee shall not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes, the Indenture and the Guarantee.  Such Guarantee is a guarantee of payment and not of collection.

 

Section 7.02.                           Continuing Guarantee.

 

(a)                         Each Guarantee shall be a continuing Guarantee and shall, (i) subject to Section 7.03 of this First Supplemental Indenture, remain in full force and effect until payment in full of the principal amount of all outstanding Notes (whether by payment at maturity, purchase, redemption, defeasance, retirement or other acquisition), (ii) be binding upon such Guarantor and (iii) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Trustee, the Holders and their permitted successors, transferees and assigns.

 

(b)                         The obligations of each Guarantor hereunder shall continue to be effective or shall be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any payment which would otherwise have reduced or terminated the obligations of any Guarantor hereunder and under its Guarantee (whether such payment shall have been made by or on behalf of the Company or by or on behalf of a Guarantor) is rescinded or reclaimed from any of the Holders upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, liquidation or reorganization of the Company or any Guarantor or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

 

Section 7.03.                           Release of Guarantee.   Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 7.02 of this First Supplemental Indenture, a Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released from its obligations hereunder:

 

(a)                         upon the Company’s exercise of its legal defeasance option or its covenant defeasance option as described in Article 4 of the Base Indenture with respect to the Notes or if the Company’s obligations under the Indenture are discharged in accordance with the terms of the Indenture;

 

(b)                         subject to the following sentence, upon the issuance, sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition (including through merger, consolidation, amalgamation or otherwise) of the capital stock of the applicable Guarantor (including any issuance, sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition following which the applicable Guarantor is no longer a Subsidiary) if such issuance, sale, exchange, transfer or other disposition is made in a manner not in violation of this Indenture; or

 

(c)                          upon the substantially simultaneous release or discharge of the guarantee by such Guarantor under all of the Primary Senior Indebtedness of the Company other than through discharges as a result of payment by such Guarantor on such guarantees (but including any release or discharge that would be conditioned only on the release or discharge of the guarantee

 

21



 

hereunder or of the guarantee of other Primary Senior Indebtedness).

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a Guarantor shall not be automatically released from its obligations hereunder pursuant to Section 7.03(b) if, immediately after giving effect to the consummation of the transactions described in Section 7.03(b) and such release, such Guarantor would be required (notwithstanding the consummation of such transactions) to become a Guarantor pursuant to Section 4.03 hereof.

 

If a Guarantor is released from its obligations hereunder pursuant to this Section 7.03, it shall cease to be a “Guarantor” as defined in and for purposes hereof.

 

Section 7.04.                           Notation Not Required.  Neither the Company nor any Guarantor shall be required to make a notation on the Notes to reflect any Guarantee or any release thereof.

 

Section 7.05.                           Waiver of Subrogation.  Each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any claim or other rights which it may now or hereafter acquire against the Company that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Guarantor’s obligations under its Guarantee and the Indenture, including, without limitation, any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, indemnification, and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Holder of Notes against the Company, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity, or under contract, statute or common law, including, without limitation, the right to take or receive from the Company, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security on account of such claim or other rights in relation to the Trustee until all monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture (with respect to the Notes) and the Notes, whether for principal of or interest on the Notes, are paid in full.  If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence and the Notes shall not have been paid in full, such amount shall have been deemed to have been paid to such Guarantor for the benefit of, and held in trust for the benefit of, the Holders, and shall forthwith be paid to the Trustee for the benefit of such Holders to be credited and applied upon the Notes, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Indenture.  Each Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by this Indenture and that the waiver set forth in this Section 7.05 is knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

 

Section 7.06.                           Execution and Delivery of Guarantees.  The Company shall cause each subsidiary that is required to become a Guarantor after the Original Issue Date pursuant to Section 4.03 of this First Supplemental Indenture to promptly execute and deliver to the Trustee a Supplemental Indenture substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit B to this First Supplemental Indenture, or otherwise in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, evidencing its Guarantee on substantially the terms set forth in this Article 7.  Concurrently therewith, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee to the effect that such Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by such subsidiary and that, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent transfer, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other laws now or hereafter in effect affecting creditors’ rights or remedies generally and to general principles of equity (including standards of materiality, good faith, fair dealing and reasonableness), whether considered in a proceeding at law or at equity, such

 

22



 

Supplemental Indenture is a valid and binding agreement of such subsidiary, enforceable against such subsidiary in accordance with its terms.

 

Section 7.07.                           Notices.  Notice to any Guarantor shall be sufficient if addressed to such Guarantor care of the Company at the address, place and manner provided in Section 10.02 of the Base Indenture.

 

ARTICLE 8
MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 8.01.                           Priority of First Supplemental Indenture .  If any conflict arises between the terms of the Base Indenture and the terms of this First Supplemental Indenture, the terms of this First Supplemental Indenture shall be controlling and supersede such conflicting terms of the Base Indenture.

 

Section 8.02.                           Governing Law The Indenture, the Notes and the Guarantees shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York .

 

Section 8.03.                           Successors .  All agreements of the Company in the Indenture and the Notes shall bind its successors and assigns. All agreements of the Trustee in the Indenture shall bind its successors.

 

Section 8.04.                           Multiple Originals .  The parties may sign any number of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture. Each signed copy shall be an original, but all of them together represent the same agreement. One signed copy is enough to prove this First Supplemental Indenture. The exchange of copies of this First Supplemental Indenture and of signature pages by facsimile or PDF transmission shall constitute effective execution and delivery of this First Supplemental Indenture as to the parties hereto and may be used in lieu of the original First Supplemental 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 8.05.                           Variable Provisions .  The Company initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent and Registrar and custodian with respect to any Global Notes.

 

Section 8.06.                           Table of Contents; Headings .  The table of contents, cross-reference sheet and headings of the Articles and Sections of this First Supplemental Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not intended to be considered a part hereof and shall not modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

Section 8.07.                           Waiver of Jury Trial .  EACH OF THE COMPANY, THE GUARANTORS AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THE INDENTURE, THE NOTES OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

Section 8.08.                           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,

 

23



 

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 8.09.                           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 First Supplemental 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.

 

[Signature Pages Follow]

 

24



 

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

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

Name:

Glenda Flanagan

 

Title:

Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET CALIFORNIA, INC.,
a California corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET PACIFIC NORTHWEST,
INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

MRS. GOOCH’S NATURAL FOOD MARKETS,
INC., a California corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY
MOUNTAIN/SOUTHWEST, L.P., a Texas limited
partnership

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY
MOUNTAIN/ SOUTHWEST I, INC., its
general partner

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 



 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET GROUP, INC., a
Delaware corporation

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

WFM-WO, Inc., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET SERVICES, INC., a
Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Executive Vice President and Chief
Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

WFM IP INVESTMENTS, INC., a Delaware
corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET IP, L.P., a Delaware
limited partnership

 

 

 

 

By: WFM IP MANAGEMENT, INC., its
general partner

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer

 

2



 

 

WFM NORTHERN NEVADA, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WFM SOUTHERN NEVADA, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Albert Percival

 

 

Name: Albert Percival

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WFM HAWAII, LLC, a Hawaii limited liability company

 

 

 

 

By: MRS. GOOCH’S NATURAL FOOD MARKETS, INC., its sole member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WFM KANSAS, LLC, a Kansas limited liability company

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/SOUTHWEST, L.P., its sole member

 

 

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/ SOUTHWEST I, INC., its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

3



 

 

WFM NEBRASKA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET GROUP, INC., its sole member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

4



 

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

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Shazia Flores

 

Name:

Shazia Flores

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF NOTE]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR SECURITIES IN CERTIFICATED FORM, THIS SECURITY MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY DTC TO A NOMINEE OF DTC, OR BY A NOMINEE OF DTC TO DTC OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF DTC, OR BY DTC OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR TO DTC OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR TO DTC.

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC, TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INSOMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

[Restricted Notes Legend]:

 

THIS NOTE AND THE RELATED GUARANTEES HAVE NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE ‘‘SECURITIES ACT’’), OR ANY STATE SECURITIES LAWS. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, AGREES FOR THE BENEFIT OF WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC. (THE ‘‘COMPANY’’) THAT THIS NOTE OR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE OFFERED, RESOLD, PLEDGED OR OTHERWISE TRANSFERRED ONLY (1) TO THE COMPANY, (2) SO LONG AS THIS NOTE IS ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (‘‘RULE 144A’’), TO A PERSON WHO THE SELLER REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A ‘‘QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER’’ (AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A) IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 144A, (3) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (4) PURSUANT TO AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT (IF AVAILABLE) OR (5) PURSUANT TO AN EFFECTIVE REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, AND IN EACH OF SUCH CASES IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANY APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR OTHER APPLICABLE JURISDICTION. THE HOLDER HEREOF, BY PURCHASING THIS NOTE, REPRESENTS AND AGREES THAT IT SHALL NOTIFY ANY PURCHASER OF THIS NOTE FROM IT OF THE RESALE RESTRICTIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE.

 

PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (2) OR (3) ABOVE, A DULY COMPLETED AND SIGNED CERTIFICATE (THE FORM OF WHICH IS AN EXHIBIT TO THE INDENTURE) MUST BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THE INDENTURE UNDER WHICH

 

A- 1



 

THIS NOTE WAS ISSUED. PRIOR TO THE REGISTRATION OF ANY TRANSFER IN ACCORDANCE WITH (4) ABOVE, THE COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF SUCH LEGAL OPINIONS, CERTIFICATIONS OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS MAY REASONABLY BE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE SECURITIES ACT AND APPLICABLE STATE SECURITIES LAWS. NO REPRESENTATION IS MADE AS TO THE AVAILABILITY OF ANY RULE 144 EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT.

 

THE FOREGOING LEGEND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THIS NOTE ONLY AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY.

 

[Restricted Notes Legend for Notes Offered in Reliance on Regulation S]:

 

THIS NOTE IS A TEMPORARY OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTE. PRIOR TO THE EXPIRATION OF THE RESTRICTED PERIOD APPLICABLE HERETO, BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN MAY NOT BE HELD BY ANY PERSON OTHER THAN (1) A NON-U.S. PERSON OR (2) A U.S. PERSON THAT PURCHASED SUCH INTEREST IN A TRANSACTION EXEMPT FROM REGISTRATION UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. BENEFICIAL INTERESTS HEREIN ARE NOT EXCHANGEABLE FOR PHYSICAL NOTES OTHER THAN A PERMANENT OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE INDENTURE UNDER WHICH THE NOTES WERE ISSUED. TERMS IN THIS LEGEND ARE USED AS USED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT. NO BENEFICIAL OWNER OF THIS TEMPORARY OFFSHORE GLOBAL NOTE SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE PAYMENT OF PRINCIPAL OR INTEREST HEREON UNTIL SUCH BENEFICIAL INTEREST IS EXCHANGED OR TRANSFERRED FOR AN INTEREST IN ANOTHER NOTE.

 

THE FOREGOING LEGEND MAY BE REMOVED FROM THIS NOTE AT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMPANY AFTER 40 DAYS BEGINNING ON AND INCLUDING THE LATER OF (A) THE DATE ON WHICH THE NOTES ARE OFFERED TO PERSONS OTHER THAN DISTRIBUTORS (AS DEFINED IN REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT) AND (B) THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE OF THE NOTES.

 

A- 2



 

[Definitive Notes Legend] :

 

IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TRANSFER, THE HOLDER WILL DELIVER TO THE REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT SUCH CERTIFICATES AND OTHER INFORMATION AS SUCH REGISTRAR AND TRANSFER AGENT MAY REASONABLY REQUIRE TO CONFIRM THAT THE TRANSFER COMPLIES WITH THE FOREGOING RESTRICTIONS.

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

5.200% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2025

 

No.    

 

Principal Amount $

 

 

[(subject to adjustment as reflected in the Schedule of Increases and Decreases in Global Note attached hereto)](1)

 

 

 

 

 

CUSIP NO. [ · ]

 

 

ISIN NO. [ · ]

 

Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (together with its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “ Company ”), for value received, promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of $[ · ] Dollars [(subject to adjustment as reflected in the Schedule of Increases and Decreases in Global Note attached hereto)]* on December 3, 2025, unless earlier redeemed as herein provided.

 

Interest Payment Dates: June 3 and December 3 of each year, commencing on [ · ].

 

Record Dates: May 19 and November 19 of each year.

 

Additional provisions of this Note are set forth on the other side of this Note.

 


(1)  To be inserted if a Global Note.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC. has caused this Note to be duly executed.

 

Dated:              ,

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

By

 

 

Name:

 

Title:

 

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,

 

as Trustee

 

 

 

By

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

Dated: [ · ]

 

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[FORM OF REVERSE SIDE OF NOTE]

 

[Reverse of Note]

 

5.200 % Senior Notes due 2025

 

1.                                       Interest

 

Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (together with its successors and assigns under the Indenture hereinafter referred to, being herein called the “ Company ”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at the rate of 5.200% per annum.

 

The Company shall pay interest semiannually on June 3 and December 3 of each year (each such date, an “ Interest Payment Date ”), commencing on [ · ]. Interest on the Notes shall accrue from [ · ], or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid on the Notes. Interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

The Notes are initially limited to $[ · ] aggregate principal amount. The Company may from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Notes, create and issue additional Notes ranking equally and ratably with the Notes in all respects (other than the issue price, the date of the issuance, the payment of interest accruing prior to the issue date of such additional Notes and the first payment of interest following the issue date of such additional Notes), provided that if the additional Notes are not fungible with the existing Securities for United States federal income tax purposes, the additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP number. Any such additional Notes shall be consolidated and form a single series with the Notes initially issued, including for purposes of voting and redemptions.

 

The Notes are not entitled to the benefit of any sinking fund.

 

2.                                       Method of Payment

 

By no later than 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on the date on which any principal of or interest on any Note is due and payable, the Company shall irrevocably deposit with the Trustee or the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay such principal and/or interest. The Company shall pay interest (except defaulted interest) to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on the May 19 and November 19 immediately preceding the Interest Payment Date even if Notes are cancelled, repurchased or redeemed after the record date and on or before the Interest Payment Date. Holders must surrender Notes to a Paying Agent to collect principal payments. The Company shall pay principal and interest in money of the United States that at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts. Payments in respect of Notes represented by a Global Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) shall be made by the transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by DTC. The Company may make all payments in respect of a Definitive Note (including principal, premium, if any, and interest) by mailing a check to the registered address of each Holder thereof or by wire transfer to an account located in the United States maintained by the payee.

 

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3.                                       Paying Agent and Registrar

 

U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association (the “ Trustee ”), shall initially act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Company may appoint and change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Noteholder. The Company or any of its domestically organized wholly-owned Subsidiaries may act as Paying Agent.

 

4.                                       Indenture

 

The Company issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of December 3, 2015 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ Base Indenture ”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of December 3, 2015 (as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “ First Supplemental Indenture ” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “ Indenture ”), between the Company and the Trustee. Terms used herein and not defined herein have the meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture. The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Noteholders are referred to the Indenture for a statement of those 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 senior unsecured obligations of the Company. The Note is one of the Notes referred to in the First Supplemental Indenture. The Notes of this series include the Notes of this series issued on the Original Issue Date and any Additional Notes of this series issued in accordance with Section 2.14 of the Base Indenture. The Notes of this series and any Additional Notes of this series are treated as a single class of securities under the Indenture. The Indenture imposes certain limitations on the ability of the Company and its Subsidiaries to create liens, enter into sale and leaseback transactions and enter into mergers and consolidations.

 

5.                                       Change of Control Repurchase Event

 

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Repurchase Event, the Company will be required to make an offer to each Holder to repurchase all or any part (in excess of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000) of such Holder’s Notes at a purchase price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof on the date of purchase plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but not including, the date of purchase, in accordance with the terms contemplated in Section 4.04 of the Base Indenture.

 

6.                                       Redemption

 

The Notes shall be redeemable, in whole or in part, at any time and from time to time, at the option of the Company, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) 100% of the principal amount of such Notes to be redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date; provided that if the Company redeems any Notes on or after September 3, 2025 (three months prior to the stated maturity date of the Notes), the redemption price for those Notes will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date.

 

In determining the present values of the Remaining Scheduled Payments, the Company will discount such payments to the redemption date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day

 

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year consisting of twelve 30-day months) using a discount rate equal to the Treasury Rate plus 45 basis points.

 

Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes.

 

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, (1) the arithmetic average of the Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (2) if the Company obtains fewer than four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the arithmetic average of all Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date.

 

Independent Investment Banker ” means each of J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC or their respective successors as may be appointed from time to time by the Company; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing ceases to be a Primary Treasury Dealer, the Company will substitute another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

Primary Treasury Dealer ” means a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means J.P. Morgan Securities LLC or Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, and two other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company, and each of their respective successors and any other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Company.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations ” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date, the arithmetic average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer as of 3:30 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Remaining Scheduled Payments ” means, with respect to any Note to be redeemed, the remaining scheduled payments of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on such Note that would be due after the related Redemption Date but for such redemption; provided, however, that, if such Redemption Date is not an Interest Payment Date with respect to such Note, the amount of the next scheduled interest payment thereon will be reduced by the amount of interest accrued thereon to such Redemption Date.

 

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any Redemption Date, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity (computed as of the third Business Day immediately preceding that Redemption Date) of the Comparable Treasury Issue. In determining this rate, the Company will assume a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date.

 

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7.                                       Notice of Redemption

 

At least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a date for redemption of Notes by the Company pursuant to Article III of the First Supplemental Indenture, the Company shall mail (or, at the Company’s option in the case of Notes held in book-entry form, send by electronic transmission) a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations of principal amount larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part but only in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. If money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued and unpaid interest on all Notes (or portions thereof, if applicable) to be redeemed on the date of redemption is deposited with the Paying Agent on or before 11:00 a.m. (New York City time) on such redemption date (or, if the Company or any of its Subsidiaries is the Paying Agent, such money is segregated and held in trust) and certain other conditions are satisfied, on and after such date interest shall cease to accrue on such Notes (or such portions thereof) called for redemption.

 

8.                                       Denominations; Transfer; Exchange

 

The Notes are in fully registered form without coupons in denominations of principal amount of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. A Holder may register, transfer or exchange Notes in accordance with the Indenture. The Registrar may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements or transfer documents and to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Registrar need not register the transfer of or exchange any Notes selected for redemption (except, in the case of a Note to be redeemed in part, the portion of the Note not to be redeemed) for a period beginning 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes to be redeemed and ending on the date of such mailing.

 

9.                                       Persons Deemed Owners

 

The registered holder of this Note shall be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

 

10.                                Unclaimed Money

 

If money for the payment of principal or interest remains unclaimed for two years after the date of payment of principal and interest, the Trustee or Paying Agent shall pay the money back to the Company at its request. After any such payment, Holders entitled to the money must look only to the Company and not to the Trustee for payment.

 

11.                                Defeasance

 

Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Indenture, the Company at any time may terminate some or all of its obligations under the Notes of this series and the Indenture as it relates to the Notes of this series if the Company deposits with the Trustee money or U.S. Government Obligations for the payment of principal of and interest on the Notes to redemption or maturity, as the case may be.

 

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12.                                Amendment, Waiver

 

Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, (i) the Indenture or the Notes may be amended with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes and (ii) any default or noncompliance with any provision of the Indenture or the Notes may be waived with the written consent of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange for Notes). However, the Indenture requires the consent of each Noteholder that would be affected for certain specified amendments or modifications of the Indenture and the Notes. Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, without the consent of any Noteholder, the Company and the Trustee may amend the Indenture or the Notes, among other things, to cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency, or to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company (or any guarantor) and the assumption by any such Person of the obligations of the Company (or any guarantor) in accordance with Article 5 of the Indenture, or to add any additional Events of Default, or to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or surrender rights and powers conferred on the Company, or to add one or more guarantees for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes or to release one or more guarantees in accordance with the Indenture, or to add collateral security with respect to the Notes, or to add or appoint a successor or separate trustee or other agent, or to provide for the issuance of Additional Notes, or to comply with any requirements in connection with qualifying the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act, or to comply with the rules of any applicable securities depository, or to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes, or to change any other provision if the change does not adversely affect the interests of any Noteholder.

 

13.                                Defaults and Remedies

 

Under the Indenture, Events of Default include (i) default in payment of interest on the Notes of this series that continues for 30 days; (ii) default in payment of principal of or premium on the Notes of this series at its stated maturity, upon optional redemption or otherwise; (iii) failure by the Company to repurchase Notes of this series tendered for repurchase following a Change of Control Repurchase Event, (iv) failure by the Company or any guarantor to comply with any covenant or agreement in the Indenture or the Notes, which continues for 90 days after written notice to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of outstanding Notes; (v) failure to make any payment at maturity, including any applicable grace period, in respect of Indebtedness of the Company or the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) with an aggregate principal amount then outstanding in excess of $100,000,000, subject to certain conditions; (vi) default in respect of other Indebtedness of the Company or the Company’s Subsidiaries (other than Indebtedness of the Company or of any of its Subsidiaries owing to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries) in an amount in excess of $100,000,000, which results in the acceleration of such Indebtedness, subject to certain conditions; and (vii) certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency involving the Company.

 

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to Notes of this series, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes of this series may declare all the Notes of this series to be due and payable immediately. Certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency involving the Company are Events of Default which will result in the

 

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Notes of this series being due and payable immediately upon the occurrence of such Events of Default.

 

Noteholders may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. The Trustee may refuse to enforce the Indenture or the Notes unless it receives indemnity or security satisfactory to it. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes of this series may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Noteholders notice of any continuing Default or Event of Default (except a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal or interest) if it in good faith determines that withholding notice is not opposed to their interest.

 

14.                                Trustee Dealings with the Company

 

Subject to certain limitations set forth in the Indenture, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with and collect obligations owed to it by the Company and may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee.

 

15.                                No Recourse Against Others

 

A director, officer, employee or stockholder (other than the Company), as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Notes or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. By accepting a Note, each Noteholder waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Notes.

 

16.                                Authentication

 

This Note shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee (or an authenticating agent acting on its behalf) manually signs the certificate of authentication on the other side of this Note.

 

17.                                Abbreviations

 

Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Noteholder or an assignee, such as TEN COM (tenants in common), TEN ENT (tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (joint tenants with rights of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (custodian) and U/G/M/A (Uniform Gift to Minors Act).

 

18.                                CUSIP and ISIN Numbers

 

The Company has caused CUSIP and ISIN numbers and/or other similar numbers to be printed on the Notes and has directed the Trustee to use CUSIP and ISIN numbers and/or other similar numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Noteholders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

 

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19.                                Governing Law

 

This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

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CERTIFICATE TO BE DELIVERED UPON EXCHANGE

OR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER OF SECURITIES

 

This Certificate relates to $              principal amount of [   ]% Notes due [    ] held in (check applicable space)     book-entry or     definitive form by                                           (the “ Transferor ”).

 

The Transferor (check one box below):

 

[   ]                                has requested the Trustee by written order to deliver in exchange for its beneficial interest in the global Note held by DTC a Note or Notes in definitive, registered form of authorized denominations in an aggregate principal amount equal to its beneficial interest in such global Note (or the portion thereof indicated above); or

 

[   ]                                has requested the Trustee by written order to exchange or register the transfer of a Note or Notes.

 

In connection with any transfer of any of the Notes evidenced by this certificate occurring prior to the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) under the Securities Act of 1933, the undersigned confirms that such Notes are being transferred in accordance with its terms:

 

CHECK ONE BOX BELOW:

 

(1)

[   ]

to the Company; or

 

 

 

(2)

[   ]

pursuant to an effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933; or

 

 

 

(3)

[   ]

inside the United States to a “ qualified institutional buyer ” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933) that purchases for its own account or for the account of a qualified institutional buyer to whom notice is given that such transfer is being made in reliance on Rule 144A, in each case pursuant to and in compliance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933; or

 

 

 

(4)

[   ]

outside the United States in an offshore transaction within the meaning of Regulation S under the Securities Act in compliance with Rule 904 under the Securities Act of 1933; or

 

 

 

(5)

[   ]

pursuant to another available exemption from registration provided by Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933.

 

Prior to the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k), unless one of the boxes is checked, the Trustee will refuse to register any of the Notes evidenced by this certificate in the name of any Person other than the registered holder thereof; provided , however , that if box (4) or (5) is checked, the Trustee may require, prior to registering any such transfer of the Notes, such legal opinions, certifications and other information satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee

 

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to confirm that such transfer is being made pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[INSERT NAME OF TRANSFEROR]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dated:

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

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ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

To assign this Note, fill in the form below:

 

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

(Print or type assignee’s name, address and zip code)

 

(Insert assignee’s Social Security or Tax I.D. No.)

 

and irrevocably appoint                      as agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Company. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

 

 

 

Date:

 

 

Your Signature:

 

 

Signature Guarantee:

 

 

 

(Signature must be guaranteed by a participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

 

 

Sign exactly as your name appears on the other side of this Note.

 

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[TO BE ATTACHED IF A GLOBAL NOTE]

 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES AND DECREASES IN GLOBAL NOTE

 

The following increases and decreases in this Global Note have been made:

 

Date of Decrease or
Increase

 

Amount of decrease in
Principal Amount of
this Global Note

 

Amount of increase in
Principal Amount of
this Global Note

 

Principal Amount of
this Global Note
following such
decrease or increase

 

Signature of authorized
signatory of Trustee or
Securities Custodian

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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EXHIBIT B

 

[Form of Supplemental Indenture in Respect of Subsidiary Guarantees]

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of             , 20   (this “ Supplemental Indenture ”), among [name of Guarantor(s)] (the “Guarantor(s)”), Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “ Company ”), and each other then-existing Guarantor under the Indenture referred to below (the “ Existing Guarantors ”), and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association, as Trustee under the Indenture referred to below.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company, any Existing Guarantors and the Trustee have heretofore become parties to, or by supplemental indenture have become parties to, an Indenture, dated as of December 3, 2015 (the “ Base Indenture ” and, as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture (the “ First Supplemental Indenture ”), dated as of December 3, 2015, the “ Indenture ”), providing for the issuance of 5.200% Notes due 2025 of the Company (the “ Notes ”);

 

WHEREAS, Section 4.03 of the First Supplemental Indenture provides that the Company is required to cause the Guarantor[s] to execute and deliver to the Trustee a supplemental indenture evidencing its guarantee of the punctual payment when due of all monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture (with respect to the Notes) and the Notes on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in Article 7 of the First Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, each Guarantor desires to enter into such supplemental indenture for good and valuable consideration, including substantial economic benefit in that the financial performance and condition of such Guarantor is dependent on the financial performance and condition of the Company, the obligations hereunder of which such Guarantor has guaranteed; and

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 9.01 of the Base Indenture, the parties hereto are authorized to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture to amend the Indenture, without the consent of any Holder;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the Guarantor[s], the Company, the Existing Guarantors and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes as follows:

 

1.                                       Defined Terms. As used in this Supplemental Indenture, terms defined in the Indenture or in the preamble or recital hereto are used herein as therein defined. The words “herein,” “hereof” and “hereby” and other words of similar import used in this Supplemental Indenture refer to this Supplemental Indenture as a whole and not to any particular section hereof.

 

2.                                       Agreement to Guarantee. [The] [Each] Guarantor, as primary obligor and not merely as surety, hereby jointly and severally, irrevocably and fully and unconditionally guarantees to each Holder and to the Trustee and its successor and assigns ([the] [each, a]

 

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Guarantee ”) on an unsecured, unsubordinated basis and equal in right of payment to all existing and future unsecured, unsubordinated indebtedness of such Guarantor the punctual payment when due of all monetary obligations of the Company under the Indenture (with respect to the Notes) and the Notes, whether for principal of or interest on the Notes, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in Article 7 of the First Supplemental Indenture and agrees to be bound by (and shall be entitled to the benefits of) all other applicable provisions of the Indenture as a Guarantor.

 

3.                                       Termination, Release and Discharge. [The] [Each] Guarantor’s Guarantee shall terminate and be of no further force or effect, and [the] [each] Guarantor shall be released and discharged from all obligations in respect of such Guarantee, as and when provided in Section 7.03 of the First Supplemental Indenture.

 

4.                                       Parties. Nothing in this Supplemental Indenture is intended or shall be construed to give any Person, other than the Holders and the Trustee, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of [the] [each] Guarantor’s Guarantee or any provision contained herein or in Section 7.05 of the First Supplemental Indenture.

 

5.                                       Governing Law. This Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be deemed to be a contract under the laws of the State of New York, and for all purposes shall be construed in accordance with the laws of such State, except as may otherwise be required by mandatory provisions of law.

 

6.                                       Ratification of Indenture; Supplemental Indentures Part of Indenture. The Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided. The recitals contained herein shall be taken as the statements of the Company, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same.

 

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

 

8.                                       Headings. The section headings herein are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

 

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

 

 

[NAME OF GUARANTOR(S)]

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

 

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

 

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Exhibit 10.1

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated December 3, 2015 (this “ Agreement ”) is entered into by and among Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “ Company ”), the guarantors listed in Schedule 2 hereto (the “ Initial Guarantors ”), and the several initial purchasers listed in Schedule 1 hereto (the “Initial Purchasers”), for whom J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC are acting as representatives (the “ Representatives ”).

 

The Company, the Initial Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers are parties to the Purchase Agreement dated November 30, 2015 (the “ Purchase Agreement ”), which provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $1,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.200% Senior Notes due 2025 (the “ Securities ”), which initially will be guaranteed on an unsecured unsubordinated basis by each of the Guarantors.  As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company and the Initial Guarantors have agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement.  The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

 

In consideration of the foregoing, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

1.                                       Definitions .  As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

Additional Guarantor ” shall mean any subsidiary of the Company that executes a Guarantee under the Indenture after the date of this Agreement.

 

Business Day ” shall mean any day that is not a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York City are authorized or required by law to remain closed.

 

Company ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include the Company’s successors.

 

Exchange Act ” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended from time to time.

 

Exchange Dates ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(a)(ii) hereof.

 

Exchange Offer ” shall mean the exchange offer by the Company and, if the Securities are guaranteed by the Guarantors immediately prior to the commencement of the Exchange Offer, the Guarantors, of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

 



 

Exchange Offer Registration ” shall mean a registration under the Securities Act effected pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

 

Exchange Offer Registration Statement ” shall mean an exchange offer registration statement on Form S-4 (or, if applicable, on another appropriate form) and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

Exchange Securities ” shall mean senior notes issued by the Company and, if the Securities are guaranteed by the Guarantors immediately prior to the commencement of the Exchange Offer, guaranteed by the Guarantors, under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities (except that the Exchange Securities will not be subject to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement) and to be offered to Holders of Securities in exchange for Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

 

FINRA ” shall mean the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

 

Free Writing Prospectus ” means each free writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) prepared by or on behalf of the Company or used or referred to by the Company in connection with the sale of the Securities or the Exchange Securities.

 

Guarantees ” shall mean the guarantees of the Securities and guarantees of the Exchange Securities by the Guarantors under the Indenture.

 

Guarantors ” shall mean the Initial Guarantors, any Additional Guarantors and any Guarantor’s successor that guarantees the Securities, in each case, until such time as any Guarantor is released from its Guarantee in accordance with the Indenture.

 

Holders ” shall mean the Initial Purchasers, for so long as they own any Registrable Securities, and each of their successors, assigns and direct and indirect transferees who become owners of Registrable Securities under the Indenture; provided that, for purposes of Section 4 and Section 5 hereof, the term “Holders” shall include Participating Broker-Dealers.

 

Indemnified Person ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

 

Indemnifying Person ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(c) hereof.

 

Indenture ” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities dated as of the date hereof, among the Company, the Guarantors and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, and as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

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Initial Purchasers ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Inspector ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(a)(xiv) hereof.

 

Issuer Information ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5(a) hereof.

 

Representatives ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Majority Holders ” shall mean the Holders of a majority of the aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities; provided , that whenever the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities is required hereunder, any Registrable Securities owned directly or indirectly by the Company or any of its affiliates shall not be counted in determining whether such consent or approval was given by the Holders of such required percentage or amount; and provided , further , that if the Company shall issue any additional Securities under the Indenture prior to consummation of the Exchange Offer or, if applicable, the effectiveness of any Shelf Registration Statement, such additional Securities and the Registrable Securities to which this Agreement relates shall be treated together as one class for purposes of determining whether the consent or approval of Holders of a specified percentage of Registrable Securities has been obtained.

 

Notice and Questionnaire ” shall mean a notice of registration statement and selling security holder questionnaire distributed to a Holder by the Company upon receipt of a Shelf Request from such Holder.

 

Participating Broker-Dealers ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 4(a) hereof.

 

Participating Holder ” shall mean any Holder of Registrable Securities that has returned a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire to the Company in accordance with Section 2(b) hereof.

 

Person ” shall mean an individual, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, trust or unincorporated organization, or a government or agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Prospectus ” shall mean the prospectus included in, or, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities Act, deemed a part of, a Registration Statement, including any preliminary prospectus, and any such prospectus as amended or supplemented by any prospectus supplement, including a prospectus supplement with respect to the terms of the offering of any portion of the Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, and by all other amendments and supplements to such prospectus, and in each case including any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

Purchase Agreement ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

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Registrable Securities ” shall mean the Securities; provided that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when 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) when such Securities cease to be outstanding, or (iii) except in the case of Securities that otherwise remain Registrable Securities and that are held by an Initial Purchaser and that are ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, when the Exchange Offer is consummated.

 

Registration Default ” shall mean the occurrence of any of the following: (i) the Exchange Offer is not completed on or prior to the Target Registration Date, (ii) the Shelf Registration Statement, if required pursuant to Section 2(b)(i) or Section 2(b)(ii) hereof, has not become effective on or prior to the Target Registration Date, (iii) if the Company receives a Shelf Request pursuant to Section 2(b)(iii), the Shelf Registration Statement required to be filed thereby has not become effective by the later of (a) the Target Registration Date and (b) 90 days after delivery of such Shelf Request, (iv) the Shelf Registration Statement, if required by this Agreement, has become effective and thereafter ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement, at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 30 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period or (v) the Shelf Registration Statement, if required by this Agreement, has become effective and thereafter, on more than two occasions in any 12-month period during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, the Shelf Registration Statement ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement.

 

Registration Expenses ” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company and the Guarantors with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or FINRA registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and the Guarantors and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Participating Holders (which

 

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counsel shall be selected by the Participating Holders holding a majority of the aggregate principal amount of Registrable Securities held by such Participating Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent registered public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors, including the expenses of any special audits or “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters (other than fees and expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

 

Registration Statement ” shall mean any registration statement of the Company and the Guarantors that covers any of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement and all amendments and supplements to any such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

Representatives ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

SEC ” shall mean the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Securities ” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

Securities Act ” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended from time to time.

 

Shelf Effectiveness Period ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

 

Shelf Registration ” shall mean a registration effected pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof.

 

Shelf Registration Statement ” shall mean a “shelf” registration statement of the Company and the Guarantors that covers all or a portion of the Registrable Securities (but no other securities unless approved by a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities held by the Participating Holders) on an appropriate form under Rule 415 under the Securities Act, or any similar rule that may be adopted by the SEC, and all amendments and supplements to such registration statement, including post-effective amendments, in each case including the Prospectus contained therein or deemed a part thereof, all exhibits thereto and any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

Shelf Request ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(b) hereof.

 

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Staff ” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

 

Target Registration Date ” shall mean shall mean 365 days after the date of this Agreement or, if the 365 th  day is not a Business Day, the first Business Day thereafter.

 

Trust Indenture Act ” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended from time to time.

 

Trustee ” shall mean U.S. Bank National Association, as the trustee with respect to the Securities under the Indenture and any successor thereto.

 

Underwriter ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 3(e) hereof.

 

Underwritten Offering ” shall mean an offering in which Registrable Securities are sold to an Underwriter for reoffering to the public.

 

2.                                       Registration Under the Securities Act .  (a)  To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable best efforts to (x) cause to be filed an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all the Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and (y) have such Registration Statement become and remain effective until 180 days after the last Exchange Date for use by one or more Participating Broker-Dealers.  The Company and the Guarantors shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and each shall use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer not later than 60 days after such effective date.

 

The Company and the Guarantors shall commence the Exchange Offer by mailing the related Prospectus, appropriate letters of transmittal and other accompanying documents to each Holder stating, in addition to such other disclosures as are required by applicable law, substantially the following:

 

(i)                                      that the Exchange Offer is being made pursuant to this Agreement and that all Registrable Securities validly tendered and not properly withdrawn will be accepted for exchange;

 

(ii)                                   the dates of acceptance for exchange (which shall be a period of at least 20 Business Days from the date such notice is mailed) (the “ Exchange Dates ”);

 

(iii)                                that any Registrable Security not tendered will remain outstanding and continue to accrue interest but will not retain any rights under this Agreement, except as otherwise specified herein;

 

(iv)                               that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) surrender such

 

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Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the notice, or (B) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and

 

(v)                                  that any Holder will be entitled to withdraw its election, not later than the close of business on the last Exchange Date, by (A) sending to the institution and at the address specified in the notice, a telegram, facsimile transmission or letter setting forth the name of such Holder, the principal amount of Registrable Securities delivered for exchange and a statement that such Holder is withdrawing its election to have such Securities exchanged or (B) effecting such withdrawal in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for the Registrable Securities.

 

As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company and the Guarantors that (1) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (2) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act, (3) it is not an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company or any Guarantor, (4) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, then such Holder will deliver a Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a Prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities, (5) if such Holder is not a broker-dealer, that it is not engaged in, and does not intend to engage in, the distribution of the Exchange Securities, and (6) such other representations as may be reasonably necessary under applicable SEC rules, regulations or interpretations to render the use of Form S-4 or another appropriate form under the Securities Act available for the Exchange Offer Registration Statement to be declared effective.

 

As soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date, the Company and the Guarantors shall:

 

(I)                                    accept for exchange Registrable Securities or portions thereof validly tendered and not properly withdrawn pursuant to the Exchange Offer; and

 

(II)                               deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder, Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities tendered by such Holder; provided that if any of the Registrable Securities are in book-entry

 

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form, the Company shall, in cooperation with the Trustee, effect the exchange of Registrable Securities in accordance with applicable book-entry procedures.

 

The Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer as provided above and shall comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Securities Act, the Exchange Act and other applicable laws and regulations in connection with the Exchange Offer.  The Exchange Offer shall not be subject to any conditions, other than that the Exchange Offer does not violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff.

 

(b)                                  In the event that (i) the Company and the Guarantors determine that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) hereof is not available or the Exchange Offer may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason completed by the Target Registration Date or (iii) upon receipt of a written request (a “ Shelf Request ”) from any Initial Purchaser representing that it holds Registrable Securities that are or were ineligible to be exchanged in the Exchange Offer, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable best efforts to cause to be filed no later than 90 days after such determination date or Shelf Request, as the case may be, a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and to have such Shelf Registration Statement become effective; provided , that in no event shall the Company and the Guarantors, be required to cause such Shelf Registration Statement to become effective prior to the Target Registration Date; provided , further , that no Holder will be entitled to have any Registrable Securities included in any Shelf Registration Statement, or entitled to use the prospectus forming a part of such Shelf Registration Statement, until such Holder shall have delivered a completed and signed Notice and Questionnaire and provided such other information regarding such Holder to the Company as is contemplated by Section 3(b) hereof.

 

In the event that the Company and the Guarantors are required to file a Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to clause (iii) of the preceding sentence, the Company and the Guarantors shall use their reasonable best efforts to file and have become effective both an Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof with respect to all Registrable Securities and a Shelf Registration Statement (which may be a combined Registration Statement with the Exchange Offer Registration Statement) with respect to offers and sales of Registrable Securities held by the Initial Purchasers after completion of the Exchange Offer.

 

The Company and the Guarantors agree to use their reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the Securities cease to be Registrable Securities (the “ Shelf Effectiveness Period” ).

 

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The Company and the Guarantors further agree to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use their reasonable best efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable.  The Company and the Guarantors agree to furnish to the Participating Holders copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.

 

(c)                                   The Company and the Guarantors shall pay all Registration Expenses in connection with any registration pursuant to Section 2(a) or Section 2(b) hereof.  Each Holder shall pay all underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of such Holder’s Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

 

(d)                                  An Exchange Offer Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC.  A Shelf Registration Statement pursuant to Section 2(b) hereof will not be deemed to have become effective unless it has been declared effective by the SEC or is automatically effective upon filing with the SEC as provided by Rule 462 under the Securities Act.

 

If a Registration Default occurs, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities will be increased by (i) 0.25% per annum for the first 90-day period beginning on the day immediately following such Registration Default and (ii) an additional 0.25% per annum with respect to each subsequent 90-day period, in each case until and including the date such Registration Default ends, up to a maximum increase of 0.50% per annum.  A Registration Default ends when the Securities cease to be Registrable Securities or, if earlier, (1) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (i) of the definition thereof, when the Exchange Offer is completed, (2) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (ii) or clause (iii) of the definition thereof, when the Shelf Registration Statement becomes effective or (3) in the case of a Registration Default under clause (iv) or clause (v) of the definition thereof, when the Shelf Registration Statement again becomes effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable.  If at any time more than one Registration Default has occurred and is continuing, then, until the next date that there is no Registration Default, the increase in interest rate provided for by this paragraph shall apply as if there occurred a single Registration Default that begins on the date that the earliest such Registration Default occurred and ends on such next date that there is no Registration Default. Following the cure of all Registration Defaults, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities shall be

 

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reduced to the original interest rate borne by the Registrable Securities at issuance.

 

(e)                                   Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, the Company and the Guarantors acknowledge that any failure by the Company or the Guarantors to comply with their obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the Company’s and the Guarantors’ obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.

 

3.                                       Registration Procedures .  (a) In connection with their obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company and the Guarantors shall:

 

(i)                                      prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (A) shall be selected by the Company, (B) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (C) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use their reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

 

(ii)                                   prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each 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 keep each Prospectus current during the period described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

 

(iii)                                to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company or the Guarantors with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and to retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed;

 

(iv)                               in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Participating Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or

 

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supplement thereto, as such Participating Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and, subject to Section 3(c) hereof, the Company and the Guarantors consent to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Participating Holders and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

 

(v)                                  use their reasonable best efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Participating Holder shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration Statement becomes effective; cooperate with such Participating Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA; and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Participating Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Participating Holder; provided that neither the Company nor any Guarantor shall be required to (1) qualify as a foreign corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction, (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not so subject, or (4) make any changes to its incorporating organization documents.

 

(vi)                               notify counsel for the Initial Purchasers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Participating Holder and counsel for such Participating Holders promptly and, if requested by any such Participating Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed, (2) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information after the Registration Statement has become effective, (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (4) if, between the applicable effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company or any Guarantor contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to an offering of such Registrable Securities cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if

 

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the Company or any Guarantor receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (6) of any determination by the Company or any Guarantor that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be appropriate;

 

(vii)                            use their reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, including by filing an amendment to such Registration Statement on the proper form, at the earliest possible moment and provide prompt notice to each Holder or Participating Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

 

(viii)                         in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Participating Holder, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested);

 

(ix)                               in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Participating Holders to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Participating Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

 

(x)                                  upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use their reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to the applicable Registration Statement or any related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company and the Guarantors shall notify the Participating Holders (in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement) and the Initial Purchasers and any Participating Broker-Dealers known to the Company

 

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(in the case of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement) to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Participating Holders, such Participating Broker-Dealers and the Initial Purchasers, as applicable, hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company and the Guarantors have amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;

 

(xi)                               a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus or of any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, to the Participating Holders and their counsel) and make such of the representatives of the Company and the Guarantors as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders or their counsel) available for discussion of such document; and the Company and the Guarantors shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement or a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, or any document that is to be incorporated by reference into a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus, of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders and their counsel) shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel (and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Participating Holders or their counsel) shall reasonably object within five (5) Business Days after the receipt thereof, unless counsel to the Company advises that such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus or document that is to be incorporated by reference is required, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, by applicable laws;

 

(xii)                            obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

 

(xiii)                         cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use their reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and

 

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documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

 

(xiv)                        in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by a representative of the Participating Holders (an “ Inspector ”), any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, any attorneys and accountants designated by a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities held by the Participating Holders and any attorneys and accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all pertinent financial and other records, documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the respective officers, directors and employees of the Company and the Guarantors to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Inspector, Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that if any such information is identified by the Company or any Guarantor as being confidential or proprietary, each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information to the extent such action is otherwise not inconsistent with, an impairment of or in derogation of the rights and interests of any Inspector, Holder or Underwriter);

 

(xv)                           in the case of a Shelf Registration, use their reasonable best efforts to cause all Registrable Securities to be listed on any securities exchange or any automated quotation system on which similar securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor are then listed if requested by the Majority Holders, to the extent such Registrable Securities satisfy applicable listing requirements;

 

(xvi)                        if reasonably requested by any Participating Holder, promptly include in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Participating Holder as such Participating Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment as soon as the Company has received notification of the matters to be so included in such filing;

 

(xvii)                     in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (1) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Participating Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten

 

14



 

offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (2) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company and the Guarantors (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Participating Holders and such Underwriters and their respective counsel) addressed to each Participating Holder and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (3) obtain “comfort” letters from the independent registered public accountants of the Company and the Guarantors (and, if necessary, any other registered public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or any Guarantor, or of any business acquired by the Company or any Guarantor for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the Registration Statement) addressed to each Participating Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus and (4) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company and the Guarantors made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement; and

 

(xviii)                  so long as any Registrable Securities remain outstanding, cause each Additional Guarantor upon the creation or acquisition by the Company of such Additional Guarantor, to execute a counterpart to this Agreement in the form attached hereto as Annex A and to deliver such counterpart, together with an opinion of counsel as to the enforceability thereof against such entity, to the Initial Purchasers no later than five Business Days following the execution thereof.

 

(b)                                  In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company a Notice and Questionnaire and such other information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company and the Guarantors may from time to time reasonably request in writing. The Company and the Guarantors, shall be entitled to refuse to include in a Shelf Registration Statement any Registrable Securities held by a Holder who fails to provide the requested information within 20 Business Days and such Holder shall not be entitled to include its Registrable Securities in the Shelf Registration Statement until it provides such information. Each Holder as to which any Shelf Registration is being effected agrees to furnish promptly to the Company all information required to be disclosed in order to make any information previously furnished to the Company by such Holder not materially misleading.

 

15



 

(c)                                   Each Participating Holder agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company and the Guarantors of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(a)(vi)(3) or Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Participating Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Participating Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company and the Guarantors, such Participating Holder will deliver to the Company and the Guarantors all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Participating Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

 

(d)                                  If the Company and the Guarantors shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company and the Guarantors shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The Company and the Guarantors may give any such notice only twice during any 365-day period and any such suspensions shall not exceed 30 days for each suspension and there shall not be more than two suspensions in effect during any 365-day period.

 

(e)                                   The Participating Holders who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering.  In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each an “ Underwriter ”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering.

 

4.                                       Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer .  (a)  The Staff has taken the position that any broker-dealer that receives Exchange Securities for its own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “ Participating Broker-Dealer ”) may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and must deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

 

The Company and the Guarantors understand that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the

 

16



 

amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

 

(b)                                  In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, the Company and the Guarantors agree to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period of up to 180 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) hereof), in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above.  The Company and the Guarantors further agree that Participating Broker-Dealers shall be authorized to deliver such Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available) during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.

 

(c)                                   The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company, any Guarantor or any Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) hereof.

 

5.                                       Indemnification and Contribution .  (a)  The Company and each Guarantor, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls any Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, reasonable legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such reasonable fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“ Issuer Information ”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing through the Representatives or by any selling Holder, respectively,

 

17



 

expressly for use therein.  In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company 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 who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

 

(b)                                  Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Guarantors, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, the directors of the Company and the Guarantors, each officer of the Company and the Guarantors who signed the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, the Guarantors, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus.

 

(c)                                   If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “ Indemnified Person ”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “ Indemnifying Person ”) in writing; provided , however, that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under paragraph (a) or (b) above except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided , further , that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under paragraph (a) or (b) above.  If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred.  In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the

 

18



 

Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them.  It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such reasonable fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred.  Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by J.P. Morgan, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company.  The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment.  Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement.  No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

 

(d)                                  If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the

 

19



 

Company and the Guarantors from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Holders on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations.  The relative fault of the Company and the Guarantors on the one hand and the Holders on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Guarantors or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

 

(e)                                   The Company, the Guarantors and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 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 that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above.  The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that 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 5 are several and not joint.

 

(f)                                    The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

 

(g)                               The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 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 Company or the Guarantors or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company or the Guarantors, (iii)

 

20



 

acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

 

6.                                       General .

 

(a)                                  No Inconsistent Agreements.  The Company and the Guarantors represent, warrant and agree that (i) 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 other outstanding securities issued or guaranteed by the Company or any Guarantor under any other agreement and (ii) neither the Company nor any Guarantor has entered into, or on or after the date of this Agreement will enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

 

(b)                                  Amendments and Waivers.  The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company and the Guarantors have obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder.  Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto.

 

(c)                                   Notices.   All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company and the Guarantors, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c); and (iii) to such other persons at their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c).  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 receipt is 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

 

21



 

by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

 

(d)                                  Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture.  If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof.  The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company or the Guarantors with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

 

(e)                                   Third Party Beneficiaries.   Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company and the Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

 

(f)                                    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.

 

(g)                                   Headings.  The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

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

 

(j)                                     Entire Agreement; Severability.   This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto.  If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be

 

22



 

affected, impaired or invalidated.  The Company, the Guarantors and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

 

[ Signature Pages Follow ]

 

23



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET, INC.

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET CALIFORNIA, INC., a California corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET PACIFIC NORTHWEST, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

MRS. GOOCH’S NATURAL FOOD MARKETS, INC., a California corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

24



 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/SOUTHWEST, L.P., a Texas limited partnership

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/ SOUTHWEST I, INC., its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET GROUP, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WFM-WO, Inc., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET SERVICES, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

WFM IP INVESTMENTS, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

25



 

 

WHOLE FOODS MARKET IP, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership

 

 

 

 

By: WFM IP MANAGEMENT, INC., its general partner

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer

 

 

 

WFM NORTHERN NEVADA, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WFM SOUTHERN NEVADA, INC., a Delaware corporation

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Albert Percival

 

 

Name: Albert Percival

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WFM HAWAII, LLC, a Hawaii limited liability company

 

 

 

 

By: MRS. GOOCH’S NATURAL FOOD MARKETS, INC., its sole member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

26



 

 

WFM KANSAS, LLC, a Kansas limited liability company

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/SOUTHWEST, L.P., its sole member

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET ROCKY MOUNTAIN/ SOUTHWEST I, INC., its general partner

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

 

 

WFM NEBRASKA, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company

 

 

 

 

By: WHOLE FOODS MARKET GROUP, INC., its sole member

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Name: Glenda Flanagan

 

 

 

Title: Assistant Secretary

 

27



 

Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

For themselves and on behalf of the

 

several Initial Purchasers

 

 

 

 

 

J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Somnath Bhattacharyya

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

 

 

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Yurij Slyz

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

28



 

Schedule 1

 

Initial Purchasers

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC

Goldman, Sachs & Co.

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

William Blair & Company, L.L.C.

 



 

Schedule 2

 

Initial Guarantors

 

Whole Foods Market California, Inc.

Whole Foods Market Pacific Northwest, Inc.

Mrs. Gooch’s Natural Food Markets, Inc.

Whole Foods Market Rocky Mountain/Southwest, L.P.

Whole Foods Market Group, Inc.

WFM-WO, Inc.

Whole Foods Market Services, Inc.

WFM IP Investments, Inc.

Whole Foods Market IP, L.P.

WFM Northern Nevada, Inc.

WFM Southern Nevada, Inc.

WFM Hawaii, LLC

WFM Kansas, LLC

WFM Nebraska, LLC

 



 

Annex A

 

Counterpart to Registration Rights Agreement

 

The undersigned hereby absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably agrees as a Guarantor (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement, dated [ · ], 2015 by and among Whole Foods Market, Inc., a Texas corporation, the guarantors party thereto and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, on behalf of themselves and the other Initial Purchasers) to be bound by the terms and provisions of such Registration Rights Agreement.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this counterpart as of                , 201 .

 

 

[GUARANTOR]

 

 

 

By

 

 

Name:

 

Title: