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): October 4, 2017

 

EQT CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Pennsylvania

 

1-3551

 

25-0464690

(State or Other Jurisdiction
of Incorporation)

 

(Commission File Number)

 

(IRS Employer
Identification Number)

 

625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

 

(412) 553-5700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

NONE

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

 

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

 

x 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))

 

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

 

Emerging growth company               o

 

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.   o

 

 

 



 

Item 1.01.              Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

As previously announced, on September 27, 2017, EQT Corporation (the Company or EQT) entered into an Underwriting Agreement with Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto, relating to the public offering (Offering) of $500 million aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Notes due 2020 (the Floating Rate Notes), $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (the 2020 Notes), $750 million aggregate principal amount of 3.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (the 2022 Notes) and $1,250 million aggregate principal amount of 3.900% Senior Notes due 2027 (the 2027 Notes, and, together with the Floating Rate Notes, the 2020 Notes and the 2022 Notes, the Notes).

 

The Offering was made pursuant to the Company’s shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-214092), which became effective upon filing on October 14, 2016 (Registration Statement), and pursuant to the prospectus supplement dated September 27, 2017, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

On October 4, 2017, the Company issued the Notes under that certain Indenture dated as of March 18, 2008 (the Base Indenture), as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 30, 2008 (the Second Supplemental Indenture) and, in the case of the Floating Rate Notes, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 4, 2017 (the Fifth Supplemental Indenture), in the case of the 2020 Notes, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 4, 2017 (the Sixth Supplemental Indenture), in the case of the 2022 Notes, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 4, 2017 (the Seventh Supplemental Indenture), and in the case of the 2027 Notes, the Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated as of October 4, 2017 (the Eighth Supplemental Indenture; the Base Indenture as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture and the Eighth Supplemental Indenture, the Indenture), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the Trustee).

 

The Company expects to use the net proceeds from the Offering, together with cash on hand and borrowings under the Company’s revolving credit facility, to fund the cash consideration payable by the Company in connection with the previously announced acquisition (the Rice Merger) of Rice Energy Inc. (Rice); to pay expenses related to the Rice Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the merger agreement with Rice, including the extinguishment of approximately $1.9 billion of net debt and preferred equity of Rice and its subsidiaries (based on anticipated balances as of October 31, 2017); and for general corporate purposes, which may include redeeming or repaying at maturity all or a portion of the Company’s senior notes and medium term notes due in 2018. If the consummation of the Rice Merger does not occur on or before May 19, 2018 or the Company notifies the Trustee that the Company will not pursue the consummation of the Rice Merger, the Company will be required to redeem the Floating Rate Notes, the 2020 Notes and the 2027 Notes (but not the 2022 Notes) then outstanding at a redemption price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the special mandatory redemption date.

 

The Indenture contains covenants that limit the Company’s ability to, among other things and subject to certain significant exceptions, incur certain liens securing indebtedness, engage in certain sale and leaseback transactions, and enter into certain consolidations, mergers, or sales other than for cash or leases of the Company’s assets substantially as an entirety.

 

The foregoing descriptions of the Base Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, the Floating Rate Notes, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the 2020 Notes, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture, the 2022 Notes, the Eighth Supplemental and the 2027 Notes are qualified in their entirety by reference to the full text of the Base Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, the form of Floating Rate Note, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the Form of 2020 Note, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture, the form of 2022 Note, the Eighth Supplemental Indenture and the form of 2027 Note, copies of which are filed herewith as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 4.8, 4.9 and 4.10, respectively, and are incorporated into this Item 1.01 by reference.

 

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

 

The information set forth in Item 1.01 above with respect to the Notes, the Base Indenture, the Second Supplemental Indenture, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture and the Eighth Supplemental Indenture is hereby incorporated into this Item 2.03 by reference, insofar as it relates to the creation of a direct financial obligation.

 

2



 

Item 8.01.              Other Events.

 

This Current Report on Form 8-K is also being filed for the purpose of filing (i) an updated computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges as Exhibit 12.1 to the Registration Statement, and such exhibit is hereby incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, and (ii) certain opinions of counsel in connection with the Offering, which are being filed as Exhibits 5.1 and 5.2 hereto and are also being incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement.

 

Item 9.01.              Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

4.1

 

Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation, as successor, and The Bank of New York, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed on March 18, 2008).

 

 

 

4.2

 

Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 2008, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.03(c) to Form 8-K filed on July 1, 2008).

 

 

 

4.3

 

Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the Floating Rate Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.4

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s Floating Rate Notes due 2020 (included in Exhibit 4.3 hereto).

 

 

 

4.5

 

Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 2020 Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.6

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s 2.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (included in Exhibit 4.5 hereto).

 

 

 

4.7

 

Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 2022 Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.8

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s 3.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.7 hereto).

 

 

 

4.9

 

Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 2027 Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.10

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s 3.900% Senior Notes due 2027 (included in Exhibit 4.9 hereto).

 

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

 

 

 

5.2

 

Opinion of Reed Smith LLP.

 

 

 

12.1

 

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

 

 

 

23.1

 

Consent of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

 

 

23.2

 

Consent of Reed Smith LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2).

 

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information

 

This communication may contain certain forward-looking statements, including certain plans, expectations, goals, projections, and statements about the benefits of the proposed transaction, EQT’s and Rice’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, the expected timing of completion of the transaction, and other statements that are not historical facts. Such statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks, and uncertainties. Statements that do not describe historical or current facts, including statements about beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as expect, anticipate, believe, intend, estimate, plan, target, goal, or similar expressions, or future or

 

3



 

conditional verbs such as will, may, might, should, would, could, or similar variations. The forward-looking statements are intended to be subject to the safe harbor provided by Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

 

While there is no assurance that any list of risks and uncertainties or risk factors is complete, below are certain factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained or implied in the forward-looking statements including: risks related to EQT’s acquisition and integration of acquired businesses and assets; the cost of defending EQT’s intellectual property; technological changes and other trends affecting the oil and gas industry; the possibility that the proposed transaction does not close when expected or at all because required regulatory, shareholder or other approvals are not received or other conditions to the closing are not satisfied on a timely basis or at all; potential adverse reactions or changes to business or employee relationships, including those resulting from the announcement or completion of the transaction; uncertainties as to the timing of the transaction; competitive responses to the transaction; the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies; the possibility that the transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; diversion of management’s attention from ongoing business operations and opportunities; EQT’s ability to complete the acquisition and integration of Rice successfully; the possibility of litigation relating to the transaction; and other factors that may affect future results of EQT and Rice. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in EQT’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017, each of which is on file with the SEC and available in the “Investors” section of EQT’s website, https://www.eqt.com/, under the heading “SEC Filings” and in other documents EQT files with the SEC, and in Rice’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and in its subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and June 30, 2017, each of which is on file with the SEC and available in the “Investor Relations” section of Rice’s website, https://www.riceenergy.com/, under the subsection “Financial Information” and then under the heading “SEC Filings” and in other documents Rice files with the SEC.

 

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made and are based on information available at that time. Neither EQT nor Rice assumes any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements were made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events except as required by federal securities laws. As forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, caution should be exercised against placing undue reliance on such statements.

 

Important Additional Information

 

In connection with the proposed transaction, EQT has filed with the SEC a registration statement on Form S-4 that contains a preliminary joint proxy statement of EQT and Rice and also constitutes a preliminary prospectus of EQT. The registration statement has not yet become effective. After the registration statement is declared effective by the SEC, a definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus will be mailed to the shareholders of EQT and the stockholders of Rice. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval. SHAREHOLDERS OF EQT AND STOCKHOLDERS OF RICE ARE URGED TO READ THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT AND THE JOINT PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS REGARDING THE TRANSACTION AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED OR THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC, AS WELL AS ANY AMENDMENTS OR SUPPLEMENTS TO THOSE DOCUMENTS, BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN OR WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.  Investors may obtain a free copy of the registration statement and the joint proxy statement/prospectus, as well as other filings containing information about EQT and Rice, without charge, at the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov).  Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by EQT can be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Investor Relations, EQT Corporation, EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222-3111, Tel. No. (412) 553-5700.  Copies of the documents filed with the SEC by Rice can be obtained, without charge, by directing a request to Investor Relations, Rice Energy Inc., 2200 Rice Drive, Canonsburg, Pennsylvania 15317, Tel. No. (724) 271-7200.

 

Participants in the Solicitation

 

EQT, Rice, and certain of their respective directors, executive officers and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction.  Information regarding EQT’s directors and executive officers is available in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on February 17, 2017, and certain of its Current Reports on Form 8-K.  Information regarding Rice’s directors and executive officers is available in its definitive proxy statement, which was filed with the SEC on April 17, 2017, and certain of its Current Reports on Form 8-K.  Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, is contained in the preliminary joint proxy statement/prospectus of EQT and Rice filed with the SEC and will be contained in the definitive joint proxy statement/prospectus of EQT and Rice and other relevant materials filed with the SEC.  Free copies of this document may be obtained as described in the preceding paragraph.

 

4



 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.

 

Description

4.1

 

Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation, as successor, and The Bank of New York, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Form 8-K filed on March 18, 2008).

 

 

 

4.2

 

Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 2008, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.03(c) to Form 8-K filed on July 1, 2008).

 

 

 

4.3

 

Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the Floating Rate Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.4

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s Floating Rate Notes due 2020 (included in Exhibit 4.3 hereto).

 

 

 

4.5

 

Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 2020 Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.6

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s 2.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (included in Exhibit 4.5 hereto).

 

 

 

4.7

 

Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 2022 Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.8

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s 3.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (included in Exhibit 4.7 hereto).

 

 

 

4.9

 

Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, between EQT Corporation and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee, pursuant to which the 2027 Notes were issued.

 

 

 

4.10

 

Form of EQT Corporation’s 3.900% Senior Notes due 2027 (included in Exhibit 4.9 hereto).

 

 

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz.

 

 

 

5.2

 

Opinion of Reed Smith LLP.

 

 

 

12.1

 

Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges.

 

 

 

23.1

 

Consent of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz (included in Exhibit 5.1).

 

 

 

23.2

 

Consent of Reed Smith LLP (included in Exhibit 5.2).

 

5



 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

Dated: October 4, 2017

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert J. McNally

 

Name:

Robert J. McNally

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

 

6


 

Exhibit 4.3

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Trustee

 


 

FIFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of October 4, 2017

 

to

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March 18, 2008

 


 

Floating Rate Notes due 2020

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1.1

 

Definition of Terms

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE FLOATING RATE NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.1

 

Designation and Principal Amount

 

3

Section 2.2

 

Maturity

 

3

Section 2.3

 

Further Issues

 

3

Section 2.4

 

Form of Payment

 

4

Section 2.5

 

Global Securities

 

4

Section 2.6

 

Interest

 

4

Section 2.7

 

Reserved

 

4

Section 2.8

 

Authorized Denominations

 

4

Section 2.9

 

Redemption

 

4

Section 2.10

 

Limitation on Liens

 

4

Section 2.11

 

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

6

Section 2.12

 

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

 

7

Section 2.13

 

Events of Default

 

8

Section 2.14

 

Appointment of Agents

 

9

Section 2.15

 

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

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3.1

 

Form of Floating Rate Notes

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.1

 

Original Issue of Floating Rate Notes

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.1

 

Ratification of Indenture

 

10

Section 5.2

 

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals

 

10

 

i



 

Section 5.3

 

Governing Law

 

10

Section 5.4

 

Separability

 

10

Section 5.5

 

Counterparts

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A — Form of Floating Rate Notes

 

A-1

 

ii



 

FIFTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE , dated as of October 4, 2017 (this “Fifth Supplemental Indenture”), between EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (the “Company”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

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

 

WHEREAS , pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its notes under the Base Indenture to be known as its “Floating Rate Notes due 2020” (the “Floating Rate Notes”), the form and substance and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Fifth Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to resolutions duly adopted on June 19, 2017, has duly authorized the issuance of the Floating Rate Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Company to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect each such issuance;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 



 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2



 

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

 

(v)           “Event of Default” shall have the meaning assigned to it in 2.13 .

 

(vi)          “Incurrence Time” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.10(b) .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(x)           “Sale and Leaseback Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.11 .

 

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

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE FLOATING RATE NOTES

 

Section 2.1            Designation and Principal Amount .  There is hereby authorized and established a new series of Securities under the Base Indenture, designated as the “Floating Rate Notes due 2020”, which is not limited in aggregate principal amount.  The initial aggregate principal amount of the Floating Rate Notes to be issued under this Fifth Supplemental Indenture shall be limited to $500,000,000.  Any additional amounts of such series to be issued shall be set forth in a Company Order.

 

Section 2.2            Maturity .  The stated maturity of principal for the Floating Rate Notes will be October 1, 2020 (the “Stated Maturity Date”).

 

Section 2.3            Further Issues .  The Company may at any time and from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Floating Rate Notes, issue additional

 

3



 

notes of such series.  Any such additional notes will have the same ranking, interest rate, maturity date and other terms as the Floating Rate Notes.  Any such additional notes, together with the Floating Rate Notes herein provided for, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture; provided, that any such additional notes that are not fungible with the Floating Rate Notes for U.S. Federal income tax purposes will have a separate CUSIP, ISIN and/or other identifying number, if applicable, than the Floating Rate Notes.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.6            Interest .  The Floating Rate Notes will bear interest at a floating rate of interest as set forth in the form of Floating Rate Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Section 2.7            Reserved .

 

Section 2.8            Authorized Denominations .  The Floating Rate Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 2.9            Redemption .  The Floating Rate Notes are subject to optional and mandatory redemption as set forth in the form of Floating Rate Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Section 2.10          Limitation on Liens .

 

(a)           Except as otherwise provided in clauses (i) through (ix) below or in subsection (b) of this section, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a Lien upon any Principal Property of the Company or of any Restricted Subsidiary or upon any shares of stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, without in any such case effectively providing that the Floating Rate Notes together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness of or guaranty by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not subordinated to the Floating Rate Notes, shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such secured Debt, so long as such Debt shall be so secured; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 2.10 shall prevent, restrict or apply to (and there shall be excluded from secured Debt in any computation under this Section 2.10 ) Debt secured by:

 

(i)            Liens on property of, or shares of stock or Debt issued by, any Subsidiary existing at the time such Subsidiary becomes a Restricted Subsidiary; provided, that such Lien shall not have been incurred in connection with the transfer by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of a Principal Property to such Subsidiary unless

 

4



 

the Company, within 180 days of the effective date of such transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of such Principal Property at the time of such transfer, to the prepayment or retirement of Floating Rate Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Floating Rate Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), having a stated maturity (x) more than 12 months from the date of such application or (y) which is extendable at the option of the obligor thereon to a date more than 12 months from the date of such application;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(v)           Liens securing indebtedness of a corporation or other Person which becomes a successor of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof other than Debt incurred by such corporation or other Person in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale of assets in accordance with Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(ix)          any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (ix), inclusive, or of any Debt secured thereby; provided, that such extension, renewal or replacement Lien shall be limited to all or any part of the same property that secured the Lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus any improvements and construction on such property), or to other property of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries not subject to the limitations of this Section 2.10 , and shall secure no larger amount of Debt than that which had been so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement (plus any premium or fee payable in connection therewith) and, in the case of clause (iv), that the Debt being secured thereby is being secured for the same type of Person as the Debt being replaced.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.10 , the Company and any one or more Restricted Subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien without equally and ratably securing the Floating Rate Notes if at the time of such issuance, assumption or guarantee (the “Incurrence Time”) the aggregate amount of such Debt plus all other Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens (other than Debt permitted to be secured under clauses (i) through (ix) above) which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions after giving effect to the retirement of any Debt which is concurrently being retired, plus the aggregate Attributable Debt (determined as of the Incurrence Time) of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 2.11 ) entered into after the date of this Fifth Supplemental Indenture and in existence at the Incurrence Time (less the aggregate amount of proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions which shall have been applied in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 2.11 ), does not exceed 15 % of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Section 2.11          Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement after the date of this Fifth Supplemental Indenture with any bank, insurance company or other lender or investor (other than the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) providing for the leasing as lessee by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except a lease for a term not to exceed three years by the end of which term it is intended that the use of such Principal Property by the lessee will be discontinued and a lease which secures or relates to industrial revenue or pollution control bonds or similar financing), which was or is owned by the

 

6



 

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

 

(a)           the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would, at the time of entering into such arrangement, be entitled pursuant to clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 , without equally and ratably securing the Floating Rate Notes, to issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien on such Principal Property in the amount of the Attributable Debt arising from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

(b)           the Attributable Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and all other Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into after the date of this Fifth Supplemental Indenture (other than such Sale and Leaseback Transactions as are permitted by subsection (a) or (c) of this Section 2.11 ), plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by Liens on Principal Properties then outstanding (not including any such Debt secured by Liens described in clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 ) which do not equally and ratably secure the Floating Rate Notes, would not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; or

 

(c)           the Company, within 180 days after any such sale or transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of such sale or transfer or the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction to either (or a combination of) (A) the prepayment or retirement of Floating Rate Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Floating Rate Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), or (B) the purchase, construction or development of other property used or useful in the business of the Company .

 

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

 

Section 2.12          Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets .  In addition to the covenants provided in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture, the Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or sell other than for cash or lease its assets substantially as an entirety to another entity, or purchase the assets of another entity substantially as an entirety, if, as a result of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or purchase, properties or assets of the Company would become subject to a lien which would not be permitted by the Indenture, unless the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, takes such steps as are necessary to effectively secure the Floating Rate Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby.

 

7



 

Section 2.13          Events of Default .  The term “Event of Default” with respect to the Floating Rate Notes shall mean only:

 

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

 

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

 

(c)           the failure of the Company, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06 of the Base Indenture, to perform any covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement which has been expressly included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Floating Rate Notes and other than a covenant or agreement a default in the performance of which is specifically addressed elsewhere in this Section 2.13 ), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision deemed to be adequate for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 90 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Floating Rate Notes then Outstanding, specifying such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(d)           default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $200,000,000 whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall constitute a failure to pay any portion of the principal of such indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period with respect thereto or shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, which continues for a period of 30 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Floating Rate Notes then Outstanding, specifying such default, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(e)           the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the property of the Company or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

(f)            the commencement by the Company of a voluntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state

 

8



 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.14          Appointment of Agents .  The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Floating Rate Notes.

 

Section 2.15          Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations .  At the Company’s option, either (a) the Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged from its obligations with respect to the Floating Rate Notes on the first day after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied or (b) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12 with respect to the Floating Rate Notes at any time after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied.

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

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

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

Section 4.1            Original Issue of Floating Rate Notes .  The Floating Rate Notes may, upon execution of this Fifth Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall, upon Company order, authenticate and deliver such Floating Rate Notes as in such Company order provided.

 

9



 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 5.4            Separability .  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Floating Rate Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 5.5            Counterparts .  This Fifth 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.

 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert J. McNally

 

 

Name:

Robert J. McNally

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

Name: Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Fifth Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

A- 1



 

CUSIP No. 26884L AD1

 

EQT CORPORATION
FLOATING RATE NOTES DUE 2020

 

No. R-[  ]

$[      ]

 

 

 

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

 

Interest .  EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [         ] dollars ($[         ]), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on October 1, 2020 and to pay interest on the principal amount of this Security at a floating rate of interest, reset quarterly, from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date (as defined below) to which interest has been paid or provided for until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment. The Company will pay interest quarterly in arrears on January 1, April 1, July 1 and October 1 of each year (each an “Interest Payment Date”), or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day. The per annum interest rate on the Securities for the period from October 4, 2017 to but not including the first Interest Payment Date shall be equal to LIBOR (as defined below) on October 2, 2017, plus 77 basis points (such rate, the “Initial Interest Rate”). Following the initial Interest Period (as defined below), the per annum interest rate on the Securities for each subsequent Interest Period shall be equal to LIBOR as determined on the related LIBOR Determination Date (as defined below), plus 77 basis points. The interest rate applicable to any day in a given Interest Period shall be either the Initial Interest Rate or the interest rate as reset on the immediately preceding Interest Payment Date. Interest on the Securities shall accrue from the most recent Interest Payment Date on which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from October 4, 2017; provided that the first Interest Payment Date shall be January 2, 2018 (the next succeeding Business Day after January 1, 2018). The Company shall pay interest on overdue principal and premium (if any) from time to time at a rate equal to the interest rate in effect from time to time; it shall pay interest on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to time at the same rate to the extent lawful. The amount of interest for each day that the Securities are outstanding (the “Daily Interest Amount”) shall be calculated by dividing the interest rate in effect for such day by 360 and multiplying the result by the principal amount of the Securities outstanding on such day. The amount of interest to be paid on the Securities for each Interest Period shall be calculated by adding such Daily Interest Amounts for each day in such Interest Period.

 

If any Interest Payment Date, other than the Stated Maturity Date, falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the Interest Payment Date shall be postponed to the next day that is a Business Day. If the Stated Maturity Date falls on a day that is not a Business Day, the payment of interest and principal shall be made on the next succeeding Business Day, and no interest on

 

A- 2



 

such payment shall accrue for the period from and after the Stated Maturity Date. If any such Interest Payment Date (other than the Stated Maturity Date) is postponed as described above, the amount of interest for the relevant Interest Period shall be adjusted accordingly.

 

All percentages resulting from any of the above calculations will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred thousandth of a percentage point, with five one-millionths of a percentage point being rounded upwards (e.g., 9.876545% (or .09876545) being rounded to 9.87655% (or .0987655)) and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such calculations will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upwards).  The Calculation Agent (as defined below) will, upon the written request of any Holder of Securities, provide the interest rate then in effect with respect to the Securities. All calculations made by the Calculation Agent in the absence of manifest error will be conclusive for all purposes and binding on the Company and the Holders of the Securities.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the interest rate on the Securities shall in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York law as the same may be modified by United States law of general application. In addition, the interest rate on the Securities shall in no event be lower than zero.

 

Set forth below is a summary of certain of the defined terms used for purposes of determining the interest rate payable on the Securities.

 

“Calculation Agent” means The Bank of New York Mellon, in its capacity as calculation agent for the Securities under a Calculation Agency Agreement between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon to be dated as of October 4, 2017; provided, that the Company may change the calculation agent without prior notice to or consent of the Holders of the Securities.

 

“Designated LIBOR Page” shall be Bloomberg L.P. page “BBAM” or such other page as may replace Bloomberg L.P. page “BBAM” on that service or any successor service for the purpose of displaying London interbank offered rates for U.S. dollar deposits of major banks.

 

“Interest Period” means the period from, and including, an Interest Payment Date to, but excluding, the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, except for the initial Interest Period, which shall be the period from, and including, October 4, 2017 to, but excluding, the Interest Payment Date occurring on January 2, 2018 (the next succeeding Business Day after January 1, 2018).

 

“LIBOR” means, with respect to an Interest Period, the rate (expressed as a percentage per annum) for deposits in U.S. dollars for a three-month period beginning on the second London Banking Day (as defined below) after the applicable LIBOR Determination Date that appears on the Designated LIBOR Page as of 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date. If the Designated LIBOR Page does not include such a rate or is unavailable on a LIBOR Determination Date, the Calculation Agent will request the principal London office of each of four major banks in the London interbank market, as selected by the Company, to provide such bank’s offered quotation (expressed as a percentage per annum), as of approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on such LIBOR Determination Date, to prime banks in the London interbank

 

A- 3



 

market for deposits in a Representative Amount (as defined below) of U.S. dollars for a three-month period beginning on the second London Banking Day after such LIBOR Determination Date. If at least two such offered quotations are so provided, the LIBOR rate for the Interest Period shall be the arithmetic mean of such quotations. If fewer than two such quotations are so provided, the Calculation Agent will request each of three major banks in New York City, as selected by the Company, to provide such bank’s rate (expressed as a percentage per annum), as of approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time, on such LIBOR Determination Date, for loans in a Representative Amount in U.S. dollars to leading European banks for a three-month period beginning on the second London Banking Day after such LIBOR Determination Date. If at least two such rates are so provided, the LIBOR rate for the Interest Period shall be the arithmetic mean of such rates. If fewer than two such rates are so provided, then the LIBOR rate for the Interest Period shall be the rate in effect with respect to the immediately preceding Interest Period.

 

“LIBOR Determination Date” means, with respect to an Interest Period, the London Banking Day that is two London Banking Days prior to the first day of such Interest Period.

 

“London Banking Day” is any day on which dealings in U.S. dollars are transacted or, with respect to any future date, are expected to be transacted in the London interbank market.

 

“Representative Amount” means a principal amount of not less than $1,000,000 for a single transaction in the relevant market at the relevant time.

 

Method of Payment .  The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on December 15, March 15, June 15 and September 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date (the “Record Date”); however, interest payable at maturity will be paid to the Person to whom principal is payable.  Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly provided for will forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such regular Record Date and may either be paid to the Person in whose name this Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice thereof having been given to Holders of Securities of this series not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date, all as more fully provided in said Indenture.  Payment of the principal of (and premium, if any) and any such interest on this Security will be made at the Corporate Trust Office in U.S. Dollars.

 

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

 

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

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed by its duly authorized officer.

 

October 4, 2017

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

A- 5



 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

Dated:  October 4, 2017

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

as Trustee, certifies

that this is one of

the Securities referred

to in the Indenture.

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

A- 6



 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

 

Indenture .  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation (the “Company”), as successor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented and amended by a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated June 30, 2008, and by a Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated October 4, 2017 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially in aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000.

 

Optional Redemption .  The Company may redeem all (but not some) of the outstanding Securities at its option on October 5, 2018 (the date that is the first Business Day after the date that is one year following the issue date of the Securities) or at any time thereafter at a Redemption Price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed, or delivered electronically if such Securities are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each registered holder of Securities to be redeemed.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities called for redemption.

 

Special Mandatory Redemption .  If (x) the consummation of the Rice Merger (as defined below) does not occur on or before May 19, 2018 (the “Outside Date”) or (y) the Company notifies the Trustee that the Company will not pursue the consummation of the Rice Merger (the earlier of the date of delivery of such notice described in clause (y) and the Outside Date, the “Special Mandatory Redemption Trigger Date”), the Company will be required to redeem the Securities of this series then outstanding (such redemption, the “Special Mandatory Redemption”) at a Redemption Price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date (as defined below) (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”).

 

In the event that the Company becomes obligated to redeem Securities of this series pursuant to the Special Mandatory Redemption, the Company will promptly, and in any event not more than ten Business Days after the Special Mandatory Redemption Trigger Date, deliver notice to the Trustee of the Special Mandatory Redemption and the date upon which such Securities will be redeemed (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Date,” which date shall be no later than the third Business Day following the date of such notice) together with a notice of Special Mandatory Redemption for the Trustee to deliver to each registered Holder of Securities to be redeemed.  The Trustee will then promptly mail, or deliver electronically if such Securities

 

A- 7



 

are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, such notice of Special Mandatory Redemption to each registered Holder of Securities to be redeemed at its registered address.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Special Mandatory Redemption Price, on and after such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities to be redeemed.

 

For purposes of the Special Mandatory Redemption provisions of this Security, the following definitions are applicable:

 

“Rice” means Rice Energy Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors.

 

“Rice Merger” means the acquisition of Rice by the Company pursuant to the Rice Merger Agreement (as defined below).

 

“Rice Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 19, 2017, by and among the Company, Rice and Eagle Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 8



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 9



 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

 

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

 

Date of
Exchange

 

Amount of
increase in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Amount of
decrease in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Principal
Amount of this
Global Security
following each
decrease or
increase

 

Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A- 10


Exhibit 4.5

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Trustee

 


 

SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of October 4, 2017

 

to

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March 18, 2008

 


 

2.500% Senior Notes due 2020

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1.1

 

Definition of Terms

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.1

 

Designation and Principal Amount

 

3

Section 2.2

 

Maturity

 

3

Section 2.3

 

Further Issues

 

3

Section 2.4

 

Form of Payment

 

4

Section 2.5

 

Global Securities

 

4

Section 2.6

 

Interest

 

4

Section 2.7

 

Reserved

 

4

Section 2.8

 

Authorized Denominations

 

4

Section 2.9

 

Redemption

 

4

Section 2.10

 

Limitation on Liens

 

4

Section 2.11

 

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

6

Section 2.12

 

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

 

7

Section 2.13

 

Events of Default

 

8

Section 2.14

 

Appointment of Agents

 

9

Section 2.15

 

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

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3.1

 

Form of Senior Notes

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.1

 

Original Issue of Senior Notes

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.1

 

Ratification of Indenture

 

10

Section 5.2

 

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals

 

10

 

i



 

Section 5.3

 

Governing Law

 

10

Section 5.4

 

Separability

 

10

Section 5.5

 

Counterparts

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A — Form of Senior Notes

 

A-1

 

ii



 

SIXTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE , dated as of October 4, 2017 (this “Sixth Supplemental Indenture”), between EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (the “Company”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

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

 

WHEREAS , pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its notes under the Base Indenture to be known as its “2.500% Senior Notes due 2020” (the “Senior Notes”), the form and substance and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Sixth Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to resolutions duly adopted on June 19, 2017, has duly authorized the issuance of the Senior Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Company to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect each such issuance;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 



 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2



 

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

 

(v)           “Event of Default” shall have the meaning assigned to it in 2.13 .

 

(vi)          “Incurrence Time” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.10(b) .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(x)           “Sale and Leaseback Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.11 .

 

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

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

Section 2.1            Designation and Principal Amount .  There is hereby authorized and established a new series of Securities under the Base Indenture, designated as the “2.500% Senior Notes due 2020”, which is not limited in aggregate principal amount.  The initial aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes to be issued under this Sixth Supplemental Indenture shall be limited to $500,000,000.  Any additional amounts of such series to be issued shall be set forth in a Company Order.

 

Section 2.2            Maturity .  The stated maturity of principal for the Senior Notes will be October 1, 2020 (the “Stated Maturity Date”).

 

Section 2.3            Further Issues .  The Company may at any time and from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Senior Notes, issue additional notes

 

3



 

of such series.  Any such additional notes will have the same ranking, interest rate, maturity date and other terms as the Senior Notes.  Any such additional notes, together with the Senior Notes herein provided for, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture; provided, that any such additional notes that are not fungible with the Senior Notes for U.S. Federal income tax purposes will have a separate CUSIP, ISIN and/or other identifying number, if applicable, than the Senior Notes.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.6            Interest .  The Senior Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from October 4, 2017 at the rate of 2.500% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears.  Interest on the Senior Notes will be payable on April 1 and October 1 of each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing on April 1, 2018, to the Persons in whose names the Senior Notes are registered at the close of business on the March 15 or September 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date.  Interest payable on each Interest Payment Date will include interest accrued from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for.

 

Section 2.7            Reserved .

 

Section 2.8            Authorized Denominations .  The Senior Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 2.9            Redemption .  The Senior Notes are subject to optional and mandatory redemption as set forth in the form of Senior Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Section 2.10          Limitation on Liens .

 

(a)           Except as otherwise provided in clauses (i) through (ix) below or in subsection (b) of this section, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a Lien upon any Principal Property of the Company or of any Restricted Subsidiary or upon any shares of stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, without in any such case effectively providing that the Senior Notes together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness of or guaranty by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not subordinated to the Senior Notes, shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such secured Debt, so long as such Debt shall be so secured; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 2.10 shall prevent, restrict or apply to (and there shall be excluded from secured Debt in any computation under this Section 2.10 ) Debt secured by:

 

4



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(v)           Liens securing indebtedness of a corporation or other Person which becomes a successor of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof other than Debt incurred by such corporation or other Person in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale of assets in accordance with Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof;

 

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

 

5



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(ix)          any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (ix), inclusive, or of any Debt secured thereby; provided, that such extension, renewal or replacement Lien shall be limited to all or any part of the same property that secured the Lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus any improvements and construction on such property), or to other property of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries not subject to the limitations of this Section 2.10 , and shall secure no larger amount of Debt than that which had been so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement (plus any premium or fee payable in connection therewith) and, in the case of clause (iv), that the Debt being secured thereby is being secured for the same type of Person as the Debt being replaced.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.10 , the Company and any one or more Restricted Subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes if at the time of such issuance, assumption or guarantee (the “Incurrence Time”) the aggregate amount of such Debt plus all other Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens (other than Debt permitted to be secured under clauses (i) through (ix) above) which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions after giving effect to the retirement of any Debt which is concurrently being retired, plus the aggregate Attributable Debt (determined as of the Incurrence Time) of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 2.11 ) entered into after the date of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture and in existence at the Incurrence Time (less the aggregate amount of proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions which shall have been applied in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 2.11 ), does not exceed 15 % of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Section 2.11          Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement after the date of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture with any bank, insurance company or other lender or investor (other than the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) providing for the leasing as lessee by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except a lease for a

 

6



 

term not to exceed three years by the end of which term it is intended that the use of such Principal Property by the lessee will be discontinued and a lease which secures or relates to industrial revenue or pollution control bonds or similar financing), which was or is owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to such Person, more than 180 days after the completion of construction and commencement of full operation of such property by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, to such lender or investor or to any Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such lender or investor on the security of such Principal Property (herein called a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”) unless:

 

(a)           the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would, at the time of entering into such arrangement, be entitled pursuant to clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 , without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes, to issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien on such Principal Property in the amount of the Attributable Debt arising from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

(b)           the Attributable Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and all other Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into after the date of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture (other than such Sale and Leaseback Transactions as are permitted by subsection (a) or (c) of this Section 2.11 ), plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by Liens on Principal Properties then outstanding (not including any such Debt secured by Liens described in clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 ) which do not equally and ratably secure the Senior Notes, would not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; or

 

(c)           the Company, within 180 days after any such sale or transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of such sale or transfer or the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction to either (or a combination of) (A) the prepayment or retirement of Senior Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Senior Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), or (B) the purchase, construction or development of other property used or useful in the business of the Company .

 

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

 

Section 2.12          Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets .  In addition to the covenants provided in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture, the Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or sell other than for cash or lease its assets substantially as an entirety to another entity, or purchase the assets of another entity substantially as an entirety, if, as a result of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or purchase, properties or assets of the Company would become subject to a lien which would not be permitted by the Indenture, unless the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, takes such steps as are

 

7



 

necessary to effectively secure the Senior Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby.

 

Section 2.13          Events of Default .  The term “Event of Default” with respect to the Senior Notes shall mean only:

 

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

 

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

 

(c)           the failure of the Company, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06 of the Base Indenture, to perform any covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement which has been expressly included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Senior Notes and other than a covenant or agreement a default in the performance of which is specifically addressed elsewhere in this Section 2.13 ), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision deemed to be adequate for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 90 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(d)           default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $200,000,000 whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall constitute a failure to pay any portion of the principal of such indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period with respect thereto or shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, which continues for a period of 30 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such default, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(e)           the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the property of the Company or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

8



 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.14          Appointment of Agents .  The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Senior Notes.

 

Section 2.15          Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations .  At the Company’s option, either (a) the Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged from its obligations with respect to the Senior Notes on the first day after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied or (b) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12 with respect to the Senior Notes at any time after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied.

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

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

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

Section 4.1            Original Issue of Senior Notes .  The Senior Notes may, upon execution of this Sixth Supplemental Indenture, be executed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee for authentication, and the Trustee shall, upon Company order, authenticate and deliver such Senior Notes as in such Company order provided.

 

9



 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 5.4            Separability .  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Senior Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 5.5            Counterparts .  This Sixth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

10



 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert J. McNally

 

 

Name:

Robert J. McNally

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

Name:

Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Sixth Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

A- 1



 

CUSIP No. 26884L AC3

 

EQT CORPORATION
2.500% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2020

 

No. R-[  ]

$[      ]

 

 

 

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

 

Interest .  EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [         ] dollars ($[         ]), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on October 1, 2020 and to pay interest thereon (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 in each year, commencing April 1, 2018 at the rate of 2.500% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed by its duly authorized officer.

 

October 4, 2017

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

A- 3



 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

Dated:  October 4, 2017

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

as Trustee, certifies

 

that this is one of

 

the Securities referred

 

to in the Indenture.

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

A- 4



 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

 

Indenture .  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation (the “Company”), as successor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented and amended by a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated June 30, 2008, and by a Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated October 4, 2017 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially in aggregate principal amount of $500,000,000.

 

Optional Redemption .  The Securities of this series are subject to redemption at the Company’s option, at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date, and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities to be redeemed (assuming that such Securities matured on the Par Call Date) exclusive of interest accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 15 basis points plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Securities of this series are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price will be 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Securities that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in

 

A- 5



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as specified by the Company, or if these firms are unwilling or unable to select the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

“Par Call Date” means September 1, 2020 (one month prior to the Stated Maturity Date).

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (and their respective successors), provided however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date for the Securities, an average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue for the Securities (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed, or delivered electronically if such Securities are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each registered holder of Securities to be redeemed.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities or portions of the Securities called for redemption.  If fewer than all of the Securities are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, the particular Securities or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Securities not previously called by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

Special Mandatory Redemption .  If (x) the consummation of the Rice Merger (as defined below) does not occur on or before May 19, 2018 (the “Outside Date”) or (y) the

 

A- 6



 

Company notifies the Trustee that the Company will not pursue the consummation of the Rice Merger (the earlier of the date of delivery of such notice described in clause (y) and the Outside Date, the “Special Mandatory Redemption Trigger Date”), the Company will be required to redeem the Securities of this series then outstanding (such redemption, the “Special Mandatory Redemption”) at a Redemption Price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date (as defined below) (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”).

 

In the event that the Company becomes obligated to redeem Securities of this series pursuant to the Special Mandatory Redemption, the Company will promptly, and in any event not more than ten Business Days after the Special Mandatory Redemption Trigger Date, deliver notice to the Trustee of the Special Mandatory Redemption and the date upon which such Securities will be redeemed (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Date,” which date shall be no later than the third Business Day following the date of such notice) together with a notice of Special Mandatory Redemption for the Trustee to deliver to each registered Holder of Securities to be redeemed.  The Trustee will then promptly mail, or deliver electronically if such Securities are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, such notice of Special Mandatory Redemption to each registered Holder of Securities to be redeemed at its registered address.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Special Mandatory Redemption Price, on and after such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities to be redeemed.

 

For purposes of the Special Mandatory Redemption provisions of this Security, the following definitions are applicable:

 

“Rice” means Rice Energy Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors.

 

“Rice Merger” means the acquisition of Rice by the Company pursuant to the Rice Merger Agreement (as defined below).

 

“Rice Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 19, 2017, by and among the Company, Rice and Eagle Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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

 

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

 

Amendment, Modification and Waiver .  The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a

 

A- 7



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 8



 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

 

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

 

Date of
Exchange

 

Amount of
increase in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Amount of
decrease in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Principal
Amount of this
Global Security
following each
decrease or
increase

 

Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A- 9


Exhibit 4.7

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Trustee

 


 

SEVENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of October 4, 2017

 

to

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March 18, 2008

 


 

3.000% Senior Notes due 2022

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

 

 

 

 

Section 1.1

 

Definition of Terms

 

2

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 2.1

 

Designation and Principal Amount

 

3

Section 2.2

 

Maturity

 

3

Section 2.3

 

Further Issues

 

3

Section 2.4

 

Form of Payment

 

4

Section 2.5

 

Global Securities

 

4

Section 2.6

 

Interest

 

4

Section 2.7

 

Reserved

 

4

Section 2.8

 

Authorized Denominations

 

4

Section 2.9

 

Redemption

 

4

Section 2.10

 

Limitation on Liens

 

4

Section 2.11

 

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

 

6

Section 2.12

 

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

 

7

Section 2.13

 

Events of Default

 

8

Section 2.14

 

Appointment of Agents

 

9

Section 2.15

 

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

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 3.1

 

Form of Senior Notes

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

 

Section 4.1

 

Original Issue of Senior Notes

 

9

 

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

 

Section 5.1

 

Ratification of Indenture

 

10

Section 5.2

 

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals

 

10

 

i



 

Section 5.3

 

Governing Law

 

10

Section 5.4

 

Separability

 

10

Section 5.5

 

Counterparts

 

10

 

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A — Form of Senior Notes

 

A-1

 

ii



 

SEVENTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE , dated as of October 4, 2017 (this “Seventh Supplemental Indenture”), between EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (the “Company”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

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

 

WHEREAS , pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its notes under the Base Indenture to be known as its “3.000% Senior Notes due 2022” (the “Senior Notes”), the form and substance and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Seventh Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to resolutions duly adopted on June 19, 2017, has duly authorized the issuance of the Senior Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Company to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect each such issuance;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 



 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2



 

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

 

(v)           “Event of Default” shall have the meaning assigned to it in 2.13 .

 

(vi)          “Incurrence Time” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.10(b) .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(x)           “Sale and Leaseback Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.11 .

 

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

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

Section 2.1            Designation and Principal Amount .  There is hereby authorized and established a new series of Securities under the Base Indenture, designated as the “3.000% Senior Notes due 2022”, which is not limited in aggregate principal amount.  The initial aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes to be issued under this Seventh Supplemental Indenture shall be limited to $750,000,000.  Any additional amounts of such series to be issued shall be set forth in a Company Order.

 

Section 2.2            Maturity .  The stated maturity of principal for the Senior Notes will be October 1, 2022 (the “Stated Maturity Date”).

 

Section 2.3            Further Issues .  The Company may at any time and from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Senior Notes, issue additional notes

 

3



 

of such series.  Any such additional notes will have the same ranking, interest rate, maturity date and other terms as the Senior Notes.  Any such additional notes, together with the Senior Notes herein provided for, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture; provided, that any such additional notes that are not fungible with the Senior Notes for U.S. Federal income tax purposes will have a separate CUSIP, ISIN and/or other identifying number, if applicable, than the Senior Notes.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.6            Interest .  The Senior Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from October 4, 2017 at the rate of 3.000% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears.  Interest on the Senior Notes will be payable on April 1 and October 1 of each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing on April 1, 2018, to the Persons in whose names the Senior Notes are registered at the close of business on the March 15 or September 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date.  Interest payable on each Interest Payment Date will include interest accrued from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for.

 

Section 2.7            Reserved .

 

Section 2.8            Authorized Denominations .  The Senior Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 2.9            Redemption .  The Senior Notes are subject to optional redemption as set forth in the form of Senior Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Section 2.10          Limitation on Liens .

 

(a)           Except as otherwise provided in clauses (i) through (ix) below or in subsection (b) of this section, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a Lien upon any Principal Property of the Company or of any Restricted Subsidiary or upon any shares of stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, without in any such case effectively providing that the Senior Notes together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness of or guaranty by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not subordinated to the Senior Notes, shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such secured Debt, so long as such Debt shall be so secured; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 2.10 shall

 

4



 

prevent, restrict or apply to (and there shall be excluded from secured Debt in any computation under this Section 2.10 ) Debt secured by:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(v)           Liens securing indebtedness of a corporation or other Person which becomes a successor of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof other than Debt incurred by such corporation or other Person in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale of assets in accordance with Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof;

 

(vi)          Liens on property of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in favor of the United States or any state thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United States or any state thereof, or in favor of any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any indebtedness incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or the cost of construction, alteration, repair or improvement of the

 

5



 

property subject to such Liens (including but not limited to Liens incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial revenue or similar financing), or in favor of any trustee or mortgagee for the benefit of holders of indebtedness of any such entity incurred for any such purpose;

 

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

 

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

 

(ix)          any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (ix), inclusive, or of any Debt secured thereby; provided, that such extension, renewal or replacement Lien shall be limited to all or any part of the same property that secured the Lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus any improvements and construction on such property), or to other property of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries not subject to the limitations of this Section 2.10 , and shall secure no larger amount of Debt than that which had been so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement (plus any premium or fee payable in connection therewith) and, in the case of clause (iv), that the Debt being secured thereby is being secured for the same type of Person as the Debt being replaced.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.10 , the Company and any one or more Restricted Subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes if at the time of such issuance, assumption or guarantee (the “Incurrence Time”) the aggregate amount of such Debt plus all other Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens (other than Debt permitted to be secured under clauses (i) through (ix) above) which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions after giving effect to the retirement of any Debt which is concurrently being retired, plus the aggregate Attributable Debt (determined as of the Incurrence Time) of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 2.11 ) entered into after the date of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture and in existence at the Incurrence Time (less the aggregate amount of proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions which shall have been applied in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 2.11 ), does not exceed 15 % of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Section 2.11          Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement after the date of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture with any bank, insurance company or other lender

 

6



 

or investor (other than the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) providing for the leasing as lessee by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except a lease for a term not to exceed three years by the end of which term it is intended that the use of such Principal Property by the lessee will be discontinued and a lease which secures or relates to industrial revenue or pollution control bonds or similar financing), which was or is owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to such Person, more than 180 days after the completion of construction and commencement of full operation of such property by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, to such lender or investor or to any Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such lender or investor on the security of such Principal Property (herein called a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”) unless:

 

(a)           the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would, at the time of entering into such arrangement, be entitled pursuant to clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 , without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes, to issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien on such Principal Property in the amount of the Attributable Debt arising from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

(b)           the Attributable Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and all other Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into after the date of this Seventh Supplemental Indenture (other than such Sale and Leaseback Transactions as are permitted by subsection (a) or (c) of this Section 2.11 ), plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by Liens on Principal Properties then outstanding (not including any such Debt secured by Liens described in clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 ) which do not equally and ratably secure the Senior Notes, would not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; or

 

(c)           the Company, within 180 days after any such sale or transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of such sale or transfer or the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction to either (or a combination of) (A) the prepayment or retirement of Senior Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Senior Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), or (B) the purchase, construction or development of other property used or useful in the business of the Company .

 

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

 

Section 2.12          Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets .  In addition to the covenants provided in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture, the Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or sell other than for cash or lease its assets substantially as an entirety to another entity, or purchase the assets of another entity substantially as an entirety, if, as a result of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or purchase, properties or assets of

 

7



 

the Company would become subject to a lien which would not be permitted by the Indenture, unless the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, takes such steps as are necessary to effectively secure the Senior Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby.

 

Section 2.13          Events of Default .  The term “Event of Default” with respect to the Senior Notes shall mean only:

 

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

 

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

 

(c)           the failure of the Company, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06 of the Base Indenture, to perform any covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement which has been expressly included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Senior Notes and other than a covenant or agreement a default in the performance of which is specifically addressed elsewhere in this Section 2.13 ), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision deemed to be adequate for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 90 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(d)           default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $200,000,000 whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall constitute a failure to pay any portion of the principal of such indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period with respect thereto or shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, which continues for a period of 30 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such default, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(e)           the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the

 

8



 

property of the Company or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.14          Appointment of Agents .  The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Senior Notes.

 

Section 2.15          Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations .  At the Company’s option, either (a) the Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged from its obligations with respect to the Senior Notes on the first day after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied or (b) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12 with respect to the Senior Notes at any time after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied.

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

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

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

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

 

9



 

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

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 5.4            Separability .  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Senior Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 5.5            Counterparts .  This Seventh Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

10



 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert J. McNally

 

 

Name:

Robert J. McNally

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

Name:

Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Seventh Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

A- 1



 

CUSIP No. 26884L AE9

 

EQT CORPORATION
3.000% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2022

 

No. R-[  ]

$[      ]

 

 

 

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

 

Interest .  EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [         ] dollars ($[         ]), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on October 1, 2022 and to pay interest thereon (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 in each year, commencing April 1, 2018 at the rate of 3.000% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed by its duly authorized officer.

 

October 4, 2017

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

A- 3



 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

Dated:  October 4, 2017

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

as Trustee, certifies

that this is one of

the Securities referred

to in the Indenture.

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

A- 4



 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

 

Indenture .  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation (the “Company”), as successor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented and amended by a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated June 30, 2008, and by a Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated October 4, 2017 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially in aggregate principal amount of $750,000,000.

 

Optional Redemption .  The Securities of this series are subject to redemption at the Company’s option, at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date, and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities to be redeemed (assuming that such Securities matured on the Par Call Date) exclusive of interest accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 20 basis points plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Securities of this series are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price will be 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Securities that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in

 

A- 5



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as specified by the Company, or if these firms are unwilling or unable to select the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

“Par Call Date” means September 1, 2022 (one month prior to the Stated Maturity Date).

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (and their respective successors), provided however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date for the Securities, an average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue for the Securities (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed, or delivered electronically if such Securities are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each registered holder of Securities to be redeemed.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities or portions of the Securities called for redemption.  If fewer than all of the Securities are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, the particular Securities or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Securities not previously called by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

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

 

A- 6



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 7



 

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

 

A- 8



 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

 

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

 

Date of
Exchange

 

Amount of
increase in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Amount of
decrease in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Principal
Amount of this
Global Security
following each
decrease or
increase

 

Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A- 9


Exhibit 4.9

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

as Issuer

 

and

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON,

 

as Trustee

 


 

EIGHTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of October 4, 2017

 

to

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of March 18, 2008

 


 

3.900% Senior Notes due 2027

 



 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

 

 

Page

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1.

 

 

 

DEFINITIONS

 

 

 

 

Section 1.1

Definition of Terms

2

 

 

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

 

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

 

 

 

Section 2.1

Designation and Principal Amount

3

Section 2.2

Maturity

3

Section 2.3

Further Issues

3

Section 2.4

Form of Payment

4

Section 2.5

Global Securities

4

Section 2.6

Interest

4

Section 2.7

Reserved

4

Section 2.8

Authorized Denominations

4

Section 2.9

Redemption

4

Section 2.10

Limitation on Liens

4

Section 2.11

Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions

6

Section 2.12

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

7

Section 2.13

Events of Default

8

Section 2.14

Appointment of Agents

9

Section 2.15

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

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

 

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

Section 3.1

Form of Senior Notes

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

 

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

 

 

 

Section 4.1

Original Issue of Senior Notes

9

 

 

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

 

 

 

Section 5.1

Ratification of Indenture

10

Section 5.2

Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals

10

 

i



 

Section 5.3

Governing Law

10

Section 5.4

Separability

10

Section 5.5

Counterparts

10

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A — Form of Senior Notes

A-1

 

ii



 

EIGHTH SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE , dated as of October 4, 2017 (this “Eighth Supplemental Indenture”), between EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, having its principal office at EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222 (the “Company”), and The Bank of New York Mellon, a New York banking corporation, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

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

 

WHEREAS , pursuant to the terms of the Base Indenture, the Company desires to provide for the establishment of a new series of its notes under the Base Indenture to be known as its “3.900% Senior Notes due 2027” (the “Senior Notes”), the form and substance and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Base Indenture and this Eighth Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS , the Board of Directors of the Company pursuant to resolutions duly adopted on June 19, 2017, has duly authorized the issuance of the Senior Notes, and has authorized the proper officers of the Company to execute any and all appropriate documents necessary or appropriate to effect each such issuance;

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 



 

ARTICLE 1.

 

DEFINITIONS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

2



 

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

 

(v)           “Event of Default” shall have the meaning assigned to it in 2.13 .

 

(vi)          “Incurrence Time” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.10(b) .

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(x)           “Sale and Leaseback Transaction” shall have the meaning assigned to it in Section 2.11 .

 

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

 

ARTICLE 2.

 

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE SENIOR NOTES

 

Section 2.1            Designation and Principal Amount .  There is hereby authorized and established a new series of Securities under the Base Indenture, designated as the “3.900% Senior Notes due 2027”, which is not limited in aggregate principal amount.  The initial aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes to be issued under this Eighth Supplemental Indenture shall be limited to $1,250,000,000.  Any additional amounts of such series to be issued shall be set forth in a Company Order.

 

Section 2.2            Maturity .  The stated maturity of principal for the Senior Notes will be October 1, 2027 (the “Stated Maturity Date”).

 

Section 2.3            Further Issues .  The Company may at any time and from time to time, without notice to or the consent of the Holders of the Senior Notes, issue additional notes

 

3



 

of such series.  Any such additional notes will have the same ranking, interest rate, maturity date and other terms as the Senior Notes.  Any such additional notes, together with the Senior Notes herein provided for, will constitute a single series of Securities under the Indenture; provided, that any such additional notes that are not fungible with the Senior Notes for U.S. Federal income tax purposes will have a separate CUSIP, ISIN and/or other identifying number, if applicable, than the Senior Notes.

 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.6            Interest .  The Senior Notes will bear interest (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from October 4, 2017 at the rate of 3.900% per annum, payable semiannually in arrears.  Interest on the Senior Notes will be payable on April 1 and October 1 of each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing on April 1, 2018, to the Persons in whose names the Senior Notes are registered at the close of business on the March 15 or September 15 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, preceding the relevant Interest Payment Date.  Interest payable on each Interest Payment Date will include interest accrued from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for.

 

Section 2.7            Reserved .

 

Section 2.8            Authorized Denominations .  The Senior Notes shall be issuable in denominations of $2,000 and in integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

Section 2.9            Redemption .  The Senior Notes are subject to optional and mandatory redemption as set forth in the form of Senior Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

Section 2.10          Limitation on Liens .

 

(a)           Except as otherwise provided in clauses (i) through (ix) below or in subsection (b) of this section, the Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, issue, assume or guarantee any Debt secured by a Lien upon any Principal Property of the Company or of any Restricted Subsidiary or upon any shares of stock or Debt issued by any Restricted Subsidiary, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, without in any such case effectively providing that the Senior Notes together with, if the Company shall so determine, any other indebtedness of or guaranty by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary then existing or thereafter created which is not subordinated to the Senior Notes, shall be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the option of the Company, prior to) such secured Debt, so long as such Debt shall be so secured; provided, however, that nothing in this Section 2.10 shall

 

4



 

prevent, restrict or apply to (and there shall be excluded from secured Debt in any computation under this Section 2.10 ) Debt secured by:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(v)           Liens securing indebtedness of a corporation or other Person which becomes a successor of the Company in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof other than Debt incurred by such corporation or other Person in connection with a consolidation, merger or sale of assets in accordance with Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Section 2.12 hereof;

 

(vi)          Liens on property of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary in favor of the United States or any state thereof, or any department, agency or instrumentality or political subdivision of the United States or any state thereof, or in favor of any other country or any political subdivision thereof, to secure partial, progress, advance or other payments pursuant to any contract or statute or to secure any indebtedness incurred or guaranteed for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price or the cost of construction, alteration, repair or improvement of the

 

5



 

property subject to such Liens (including but not limited to Liens incurred in connection with pollution control, industrial revenue or similar financing), or in favor of any trustee or mortgagee for the benefit of holders of indebtedness of any such entity incurred for any such purpose;

 

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

 

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

 

(ix)          any extension, renewal or replacement (or successive extensions, renewals or replacements), in whole or in part, of any Lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (ix), inclusive, or of any Debt secured thereby; provided, that such extension, renewal or replacement Lien shall be limited to all or any part of the same property that secured the Lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus any improvements and construction on such property), or to other property of the Company or its Restricted Subsidiaries not subject to the limitations of this Section 2.10 , and shall secure no larger amount of Debt than that which had been so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement (plus any premium or fee payable in connection therewith) and, in the case of clause (iv), that the Debt being secured thereby is being secured for the same type of Person as the Debt being replaced.

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.10 , the Company and any one or more Restricted Subsidiaries may issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes if at the time of such issuance, assumption or guarantee (the “Incurrence Time”) the aggregate amount of such Debt plus all other Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries secured by Liens (other than Debt permitted to be secured under clauses (i) through (ix) above) which would otherwise be subject to the foregoing restrictions after giving effect to the retirement of any Debt which is concurrently being retired, plus the aggregate Attributable Debt (determined as of the Incurrence Time) of Sale and Leaseback Transactions (other than Sale and Leaseback Transactions permitted by subsections (a) and (b) of Section 2.11 ) entered into after the date of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture and in existence at the Incurrence Time (less the aggregate amount of proceeds of such Sale and Leaseback Transactions which shall have been applied in accordance with subsection (c) of Section 2.11 ), does not exceed 15 % of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets.

 

Section 2.11          Limitation on Sale and Leaseback Transactions .  The Company shall not, and shall not permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement after the date of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture with any bank, insurance company or other lender or

 

6



 

investor (other than the Company or another Restricted Subsidiary) providing for the leasing as lessee by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except a lease for a term not to exceed three years by the end of which term it is intended that the use of such Principal Property by the lessee will be discontinued and a lease which secures or relates to industrial revenue or pollution control bonds or similar financing), which was or is owned by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary and which has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary to such Person, more than 180 days after the completion of construction and commencement of full operation of such property by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary, to such lender or investor or to any Person to whom funds have been or are to be advanced by such lender or investor on the security of such Principal Property (herein called a “Sale and Leaseback Transaction”) unless:

 

(a)           the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary would, at the time of entering into such arrangement, be entitled pursuant to clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 , without equally and ratably securing the Senior Notes, to issue, assume or guarantee Debt secured by a Lien on such Principal Property in the amount of the Attributable Debt arising from such Sale and Leaseback Transaction;

 

(b)           the Attributable Debt of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of such Sale and Leaseback Transaction and all other Sale and Leaseback Transactions entered into after the date of this Eighth Supplemental Indenture (other than such Sale and Leaseback Transactions as are permitted by subsection (a) or (c) of this Section 2.11 ), plus the aggregate principal amount of Debt secured by Liens on Principal Properties then outstanding (not including any such Debt secured by Liens described in clauses (i) through (ix) of subsection (a) of Section 2.10 ) which do not equally and ratably secure the Senior Notes, would not exceed 15% of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets; or

 

(c)           the Company, within 180 days after any such sale or transfer, applies or causes a Restricted Subsidiary to apply an amount equal to the greater of the net proceeds of such sale or transfer or the fair value, as determined by the Board of Directors, of the Principal Property so sold and leased back at the time of entering into such Sale and Leaseback Transaction to either (or a combination of) (A) the prepayment or retirement of Senior Notes or other Debt of the Company (other than Debt subordinated to the Senior Notes), or Debt of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than Debt owed to the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary), or (B) the purchase, construction or development of other property used or useful in the business of the Company .

 

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

 

Section 2.12          Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets .  In addition to the covenants provided in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture, the Company will not consolidate or merge with or into any other entity, or sell other than for cash or lease its assets substantially as an entirety to another entity, or purchase the assets of another entity substantially as an entirety, if, as a result of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or purchase, properties or assets of

 

7



 

the Company would become subject to a lien which would not be permitted by the Indenture, unless the Company or such successor Person, as the case may be, takes such steps as are necessary to effectively secure the Senior Notes equally and ratably with (or prior to) all indebtedness secured thereby.

 

Section 2.13          Events of Default .  The term “Event of Default” with respect to the Senior Notes shall mean only:

 

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

 

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

 

(c)           the failure of the Company, subject to the provisions of Section 6.06 of the Base Indenture, to perform any covenants or agreements contained in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement which has been expressly included in the Indenture solely for the benefit of a series of Securities other than the Senior Notes and other than a covenant or agreement a default in the performance of which is specifically addressed elsewhere in this Section 2.13 ), which failure shall not have been remedied, or without provision deemed to be adequate for the remedying thereof having been made, for a period of 90 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(d)           default under any mortgage, indenture or instrument under which there may be issued or by which there may be secured or evidenced any indebtedness for money borrowed by the Company or any Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount in excess of $200,000,000 whether such indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created, which default shall constitute a failure to pay any portion of the principal of such indebtedness when due and payable after the expiration of any applicable grace period with respect thereto or shall have resulted in such indebtedness becoming or being declared due and payable prior to the date on which it would otherwise have become due and payable, without such indebtedness having been discharged, or such acceleration having been rescinded or annulled, which continues for a period of 30 days after written notice shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee or shall have been given to the Company and the Trustee by Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Senior Notes then Outstanding, specifying such default, requiring the Company to remedy the same and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder;

 

(e)           the entry by a court having jurisdiction in the premises of a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company in an involuntary case under the federal bankruptcy laws, as now or hereafter constituted, or any other applicable federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company or of substantially all the

 

8



 

property of the Company or ordering the winding-up or liquidation of its affairs and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 90 consecutive days; or

 

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

 

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

 

Section 2.14          Appointment of Agents .  The Trustee will initially be the Security Registrar and Paying Agent for the Senior Notes.

 

Section 2.15          Defeasance upon Deposit of Moneys or U.S. Government Obligations .  At the Company’s option, either (a) the Company shall be deemed to have been Discharged from its obligations with respect to the Senior Notes on the first day after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied or (b) the Company shall cease to be under any obligation to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Section 6.04 of the Base Indenture and Sections 2.10, 2.11 and 2.12 with respect to the Senior Notes at any time after the applicable conditions set forth in Section 12.03 of the Base Indenture have been satisfied.

 

ARTICLE 3.

 

FORM OF NOTES

 

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

 

ARTICLE 4.

 

ORIGINAL ISSUE OF NOTES

 

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

 

9



 

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

 

ARTICLE 5.

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 5.4            Separability .  In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Senior Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 5.5            Counterparts .  This Eighth Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original; but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

10



 

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

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Robert J. McNally

 

 

 

Name:

Robert J. McNally

 

 

 

Title:

Senior Vice President and

 

 

 

Chief Financial Officer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, as Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By:

/s/ Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

 

Name:

Laurence J. O’Brien

 

 

 

Title:

Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Eighth Supplemental Indenture]

 



 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF FACE OF SECURITY]

 

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.  UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS MAY BE REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

 

A- 1



 

CUSIP No. 26884L AF6

 

EQT CORPORATION
3.900% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2027

 

No. R-[    ]

$[            ]

 

 

 

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

 

Interest .  EQT Corporation, a corporation duly organized and existing under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (herein called the “Company”, which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co. or registered assigns, the principal sum of [                   ] dollars ($[                ]), as revised by the Schedule of Increases or Decreases in Global Security attached hereto, on October 1, 2027 and to pay interest thereon (computed on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) from October 4, 2017 or from the most recent Interest Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually in arrears on April 1 and October 1 in each year, commencing April 1, 2018 at the rate of 3.900% per annum, until the principal hereof is paid or made available for payment.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 2



 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this instrument to be executed by its duly authorized officer.

 

October 4, 2017

 

 

 

EQT CORPORATION

 

 

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Name:

 

 

Title:

 

A- 3



 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

Dated:  October 4, 2017

 

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON

 

 

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

 

 

 

By:

 

 

 

Authorized Signatory

 

 

A- 4



 

[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

 

Indenture .  This Security is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, between EQT Corporation (the “Company”), as successor, and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), as supplemented and amended by a Second Supplemental Indenture, dated June 30, 2008, and by an Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated October 4, 2017 (as so supplemented, herein called the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered.  This Security is one of the series designated on the face hereof, initially in aggregate principal amount of $1,250,000,000.

 

Optional Redemption .  The Securities of this series are subject to redemption at the Company’s option, at any time and from time to time, in whole or in part, at a Redemption Price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the Redemption Date, and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities to be redeemed (assuming that such Securities matured on the Par Call Date) exclusive of interest accrued to, but excluding, the Redemption Date, discounted to the Redemption Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30 day months) at the applicable Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 25 basis points plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Securities of this series are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price will be 100% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by an Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“remaining life”) of the Securities that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in

 

A- 5



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

“Independent Investment Banker” means one of Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC as specified by the Company, or if these firms are unwilling or unable to select the applicable Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 

“Par Call Date” means July 1, 2027 (three months prior to the Stated Maturity Date).

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC (and their respective successors), provided however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

“Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption Date for the Securities, an average, as determined by the Independent Investment Banker, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue for the Securities (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Independent Investment Banker at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third business day preceding such Redemption Date.

 

Notice of any redemption will be mailed, or delivered electronically if such Securities are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the Redemption Date to each registered holder of Securities to be redeemed.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the redemption price, on and after the Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities or portions of the Securities called for redemption.  If fewer than all of the Securities are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, the particular Securities or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Securities not previously called by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

Special Mandatory Redemption .  If (x) the consummation of the Rice Merger (as defined below) does not occur on or before May 19, 2018 (the “Outside Date”) or (y) the

 

A- 6



 

Company notifies the Trustee that the Company will not pursue the consummation of the Rice Merger (the earlier of the date of delivery of such notice described in clause (y) and the Outside Date, the “Special Mandatory Redemption Trigger Date”), the Company will be required to redeem the Securities of this series then outstanding (such redemption, the “Special Mandatory Redemption”) at a Redemption Price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Securities of this series to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the Special Mandatory Redemption Date (as defined below) (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Price”).

 

In the event that the Company becomes obligated to redeem Securities of this series pursuant to the Special Mandatory Redemption, the Company will promptly, and in any event not more than ten Business Days after the Special Mandatory Redemption Trigger Date, deliver notice to the Trustee of the Special Mandatory Redemption and the date upon which such Securities will be redeemed (the “Special Mandatory Redemption Date,” which date shall be no later than the third Business Day following the date of such notice) together with a notice of Special Mandatory Redemption for the Trustee to deliver to each registered Holder of Securities to be redeemed.  The Trustee will then promptly mail, or deliver electronically if such Securities are held by any Depositary (including, without limitation, DTC) in accordance with such Depositary’s customary procedures, such notice of Special Mandatory Redemption to each registered Holder of Securities to be redeemed at its registered address.  Unless the Company defaults in payment of the Special Mandatory Redemption Price, on and after such Special Mandatory Redemption Date, interest will cease to accrue on the Securities to be redeemed.

 

For purposes of the Special Mandatory Redemption provisions of this Security, the following definitions are applicable:

 

“Rice” means Rice Energy Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its successors.

 

“Rice Merger” means the acquisition of Rice by the Company pursuant to the Rice Merger Agreement (as defined below).

 

“Rice Merger Agreement” means that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 19, 2017, by and among the Company, Rice and Eagle Merger Sub I, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time.

 

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

 

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

 

Amendment, Modification and Waiver .  The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of each series to be affected.  The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of a

 

A- 7



 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

A- 8



 

SCHEDULE OF INCREASES OR DECREASES IN GLOBAL SECURITY

 

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

 

Date of
Exchange

 

Amount of
increase in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Amount of
decrease in
Principal
Amount of this
Global Security

 

Principal
Amount of this
Global Security
following each
decrease or
increase

 

Signature of
authorized
signatory of
Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A- 9


Exhibit 5.1

 

[Letterhead of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz]

 

October 4, 2017

 

EQT Corporation

625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222

 

Re:  Current Report on Form 8-K of EQT Corporation filed on October 4, 2017

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as special counsel to EQT Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (the “ Company ”), in connection with the issuance and sale by the Company of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Notes due 2020 (the “ 2020 FRNs ”), $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 2.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “ 2020 Notes ”), $750,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ 2022 Notes ”) and $1,250,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 3.900% Notes due 2027 (the “ 2027 Notes ,” and, together with the 2020 FRNs, the 2020 Notes and the 2022 Notes, the “ Notes ”). The Notes were sold pursuant to an Underwriting Agreement, dated September 27, 2017 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), by and among the Company, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as Representatives of the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 thereto. The Notes were issued pursuant to the Prospectus Supplement, dated September 27, 2017 (the “ Prospectus Supplement ”) and filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ SEC ”) on September 29, 2017, and the Prospectus, dated October 14, 2016, that forms a part of the Company’s registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-214092), filed with the SEC on October 14, 2016 (the “ Registration Statement ”) and which automatically became effective under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (including the rules and regulations thereunder, the “ Act ”), upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(e) promulgated thereunder. The Notes were issued under that certain Indenture dated as of March 18, 2008 (the “ Base Indenture ”), as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 30, 2008 (the “ Second Supplemental Indenture ”) and, in the case of the 2020 FRNs, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture dated as of the date hereof (the “ Fifth Supplemental Indenture ”), in the case of the 2020 Notes, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture dated as of the date hereof (the “ Sixth Supplemental Indenture ”), in the case of the 2022 Notes, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture dated as of the date hereof (the “ Seventh Supplemental Indenture ”), and in the case of the 2027 Notes, the Eighth Supplemental Indenture dated as of the date hereof (the “ Eighth Supplemental Indenture ,” and together with the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture and the Seventh Supplemental Indenture, the “ Supplemental Indentures ”; the Base Indenture as supplemented by the Second Supplemental Indenture and the Supplemental Indentures, the “ Indenture ”), between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”). The Supplemental Indentures and forms of the Notes are filed as exhibits to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated the date hereof.

 

In rendering this opinion, we have examined and relied on such corporate records and other documents, and we have reviewed such matters of law, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. In rendering this opinion, we have, with your consent, relied upon oral and written representations of officers of the Company and certificates of officers of the Company and public officials with respect to the accuracy of the factual matters addressed in such representations and certificates. In addition, in rendering this opinion we have, with your consent, assumed (a) the authenticity of original documents and the genuineness of all signatures, (b) the conformity to the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, (c) each natural person signing any document reviewed by us had the legal capacity to do so, (d) each person signing in a representative capacity any document reviewed by us had authority to sign in such capacity, (e) the truth, accuracy and completeness of the information, representations and warranties contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we have reviewed, (f) all Notes will be issued and sold in compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws, including applicable provisions of “blue sky” laws, and in the manner stated in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus Supplement and (g) the organizational documents of the Company, each as amended to the date hereof, will not have been amended from the date hereof in a manner that would affect the validity of the opinion rendered herein. We have also, with your consent, assumed that the execution, delivery and performance of the Indenture, the Notes and the Underwriting

 



 

Agreement (collectively, the “ Transaction Documents ”) will not (i) violate, conflict with or result in a breach of, or require any consent under, the charters, bylaws or equivalent organizational documents of any party to such documents or the laws of the jurisdictions of organization or other applicable laws with respect to such parties, (ii) violate any requirement or restriction imposed by any order, writ, judgment, injunction, decree, determination or award of any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over any party to such documents or any of their respective assets or (iii) constitute a breach or violation of any agreement or instrument that is binding on any party to the Transaction Documents. We have also, with your consent, assumed that each party to the Transaction Documents (in the case of parties that are not natural persons) has been duly organized and is validly existing and in good standing under its jurisdiction of organization, that each such party has the legal capacity, power and authority (corporate or otherwise) to enter into, deliver and perform its obligations thereunder and that each of the Transaction Documents (other than, with respect to the Company, the Notes) constitutes the valid and binding obligation of all such parties, enforceable against them in accordance with its terms As to any facts material to the opinions expressed herein that we did not independently establish or verify, we have relied upon statements and representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

 

Based on the foregoing, and subject to the qualifications and limitations stated herein, we are of the opinion that the Notes, when authenticated by the Trustee in the manner provided in the Indenture and issued and delivered against payment of the purchase price therefor, will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

 

The opinion set forth above is subject to the effects of (a) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium and other similar laws relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, (b) general equitable principles (whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law), (c) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, (d) provisions of law that require that a judgment for money damages rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in United States dollars, (e) limitations by any governmental authority that limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments outside the United States and (f) generally applicable laws that (i) provide for the enforcement of oral waivers or modifications where a material change of position in reliance thereon has occurred or provide that a course of performance may operate as a waiver, (ii) limit the availability of a remedy under certain circumstances where another remedy has been elected, (iii) limit the enforceability of provisions releasing, exculpating or exempting a party from, or requiring indemnification or contribution of a party for, liability for its own action or inaction, to the extent the action or inaction involves negligence, gross negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct or unlawful conduct, (iv) may, where less than all of a contract may be unenforceable, limit the enforceability of the balance of the contract to circumstances in which the unenforceable portion is not an essential part of the agreed exchange, (v) may limit the enforceability of provisions providing for compounded interest, imposing increased interest rates or late payment charges upon delinquency in payment or default or providing for liquidated damages or for premiums or penalties upon acceleration or (vi) limit the waiver of rights under usury laws. We express no opinion as to whether, or the extent to which, the laws of any particular jurisdiction apply to the subject matter hereof, including, without limitation, the enforceability of the governing law provision contained in the Notes or the Indenture. Furthermore, the manner in which any particular issue relating to the opinions would be treated in any actual court case would depend in part on facts and circumstances particular to the case and would also depend on how the court involved chose to exercise the wide discretionary authority generally available to it. We express no opinion as to the effect of Section 210(p) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

 

This letter is given on the basis of the law and the facts existing as of the date hereof. We assume no obligation to advise you of changes in matters of fact or law which may thereafter occur. Our opinion is based on statutory laws and judicial decisions that are in effect on the date hereof, and we do not opine with respect to any law, regulation, rule or governmental policy which may be enacted or adopted after the date hereof.

 

We are members of the bar of the State of New York, and we have not considered, and we express no opinion as to, the laws of any jurisdiction other than the laws of the State of New York as in effect on the date hereof (the “ Relevant Laws ”). Without limiting the generality of the foregoing definition of Relevant Laws, the term “Relevant Laws” does not include any law, rule or regulation that is applicable to the Company or the Transaction Documents or such transactions solely because such law, rule or regulation is part of a regulatory regime applicable to any party to any of the Transaction Documents or any of its affiliates due to the specific assets or business of such party or such affiliate.

 



 

Insofar as the opinion expressed herein relates to or is dependent upon matters governed by the laws of the State of Pennsylvania, we have relied upon the opinion letter, dated the date hereof, of Reed Smith LLP, which opinion letter is being filed as Exhibit 5.2 to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K.

 

We hereby consent to the filing of copies of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K, and to the references therein to us. In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

/s/Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz

 


Exhibit 5.2

 

 

October 4, 2017

 

EQT Corporation

EQT Plaza, 625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1700

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3111

 

Re:                              EQT Corporation Floating Rate Notes due 2020, 2.500% Senior Notes due 2020, 3.000% Senior Notes due 2022 and 3.900% Senior Notes due 2027

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as local Pennsylvania counsel to EQT Corporation, a Pennsylvania corporation (the “ Company ”), in connection with the registration of $500,000,000 principal amount of its Floating Rate Notes due 2020 (the “ Floating Rate Notes ”), $500,000,000 principal amount of its 2.500% Senior Notes due 2020 (the “ 2020 Notes ”), $750,000,000 principal amount of its 3.000% Senior Notes due 2022 (the “ 2022 Notes ”) and $1,250,000,000 principal amount of its 3.900% Senior Notes due 2027 (the “ 2027 Notes ” and, together with the Floating Rate Notes, the 2020 Notes and the 2022 Notes, the “ Notes ”) under a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-214092) filed on October 14, 2016 with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “ Securities Act ”).  The Notes were offered for sale pursuant to the base prospectus accompanying the Registration Statement, as supplemented by a prospectus supplement relating to the Notes dated September 27, 2017 (the base prospectus, the prospectus supplement and any amendments thereto, collectively, the “ Prospectus ”).  The Notes are to be issued under the Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008 (the “ Base Indenture ”), by and between Equitable Resources, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (the “ Predecessor ”) and The Bank of New York Mellon, as trustee (the “ Trustee ”), as supplemented by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of March 18, 2008, by and between the Predecessor and the Trustee, the Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 2008, by and among the Predecessor, the Company and the Trustee, pursuant to which the Company assumed the obligations of the Predecessor under the Base Indenture, the Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of May 15, 2009, by and between the Company and the Trustee, the Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 7, 2011, by and between the Company and the Trustee, the Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, by and between the Company and the Trustee, the Sixth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, by and between the Company and the Trustee, the Seventh Supplemental Indenture, dated as of October 4, 2017, by and between the Company and the Trustee, and the Eighth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of September October 4, 2017, by and between the Company and the Trustee (collectively, the “ Indenture ”).

 

In connection with rendering the opinions set forth below, we have examined the Registration Statement, the Prospectus contained therein, the Indenture, the Company’s Restated Articles of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws and resolutions adopted by the Company’s board of directors.  We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such records of the Company and the Predecessor and such agreements, certificates and receipts of public officials, certificates of officers or other representatives of the Company and others, and such other documents as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth below.  In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies.  We have also made such other investigation as we have deemed appropriate.

 

Based upon the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

1.                                       The Company is a corporation validly existing and presently subsisting under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

 



 

2.                                       The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute and deliver the Indenture and the Notes.

 

3.                                       The Company has taken all necessary corporate action to authorize the execution and delivery of the Indenture and the Notes and to perform its obligations thereunder.

 

The opinions set forth above are subject to the following qualifications, exclusions and limitations:

 

1.                                       The opinion expressed in paragraph 1 above as to the Company’s subsistence as a corporation in Pennsylvania is based solely on a certificate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State dated September 11, 2017, to the effect that the Company is duly registered as a Pennsylvania Business Corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and remains subsisting as far as the records of such office show as of the date thereof.

 

2.                                       We express no opinion with respect to the execution, delivery, validity, binding effect or enforceability of any of the Indenture and the Notes.

 

3.                                       Our opinions are limited to the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we do not express any opinion concerning any other law.  Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, we express no opinion with respect to any securities laws or regulations.

 

The foregoing opinions are being furnished only for the purpose referred to in the first paragraph of this opinion letter.  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.2 to the Registration Statement on or about the date hereof, to the incorporation by reference of this opinion of counsel into the Registration Statement and to the reference to our firm in the Prospectus under the caption “Legal Matters.” In giving this consent, we do not admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required by Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, counsel to the Company, may rely upon this opinion with respect to matters set forth herein that are governed by Pennsylvania law for purposes of its opinion being delivered and filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement.

 

The opinions set forth herein are made as of the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable laws change after the date hereof or if we become aware after the date hereof of any facts that might change the opinions expressed herein.

 

 

Very truly yours,

 

 

 

 

 

/s/Reed Smith LLP

 

 

 

Reed Smith LLP

 

RLF/PDG/KMS

 


Exhibit 12.1

 

RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

 

The following table sets forth EQT Corporation’s (EQT) consolidated ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the periods indicated.

 

 

 

Six Months
Ended
June 30,

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

 

 

2017

 

2016

 

2015

 

2014

 

2013

 

2012

 

 

 

(in thousands, except ratio data)

 

Earnings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Income (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, discontinued operations and cumulative effect of accounting changes

 

$

503,724

 

$

(394,527

)

$

426,561

 

$

723,711

 

$

521,158

 

$

220,379

 

Minus: equity earnings of nonconsolidated investments

 

(9,388

)

(9,898

)

(2,566

)

(3,385

)

(7,615

)

(6,146

)

Plus: distributions of income of equity investees

 

 

 

 

9,463

 

9,000

 

12,750

 

Plus: fixed charges

 

108,522

 

196,874

 

204,840

 

191,393

 

180,552

 

214,820

 

Minus: capitalized interest and allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

 

(12,090

)

(28,828

)

(42,082

)

(40,775

)

(27,247

)

(19,613

)

Total earnings

 

$

590,768

 

$

(236,379

)

$

586,753

 

$

880,407

 

$

675,848

 

$

422,190

 

Fixed charges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interest expense

 

$

91,022

 

$

158,800

 

$

150,726

 

$

139,620

 

$

143,720

 

$

186,420

 

Plus: capitalized interest and allowance for borrowed funds used during construction

 

12,090

 

28,828

 

42,082

 

40,775

 

27,247

 

19,613

 

Plus: estimated interest component of rental expense

 

5,410

 

9,246

 

12,032

 

10,998

 

9,585

 

8,787

 

Total fixed charges

 

$

108,522

 

$

196,874

 

$

204,840

 

$

191,393

 

$

180,552

 

$

214,820

 

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

 

5.44

 

(1

)

2.86

 

4.60

 

3.74

 

1.97

 

 


(1)                                  Earnings for the year ended December 31, 2016 were inadequate to cover fixed charges by $433.3 million.

 

For purposes of calculating the ratios, earnings consist of:

 

·                   income (loss) before income taxes, noncontrolling interests, discontinued operations and cumulative effect of accounting changes;

 

·                   minus equity earnings of nonconsolidated investments;

 

·                   plus distributions of income from equity investees;

 

·                   plus fixed charges; and

 

·                   minus capitalized interest and allowance for borrowed funds used during construction.

 

For purposes of calculating the ratios, fixed charges consist of:

 

·                   interest on debt and amortization of debt expense;

 

·                   plus capitalized interest and allowance for borrowed funds used during construction; and

 

·                   plus the estimated interest component of rental expense.

 

As of the date of this Current Report on Form 8-K, EQT has not issued any shares of preferred stock.