0000888491 false 0001639315 false 8-K 2019-09-17 303 International Circle Suite 200 Hunt Valley MD 21030 410 427-1700 false false false false false 0000888491 2019-09-16 2019-09-17 0000888491 srt:PartnershipInterestMember 2019-09-16 2019-09-17 iso4217:USD xbrli:shares iso4217:USD xbrli:shares

 

 

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): September 17, 2019

 

OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.

OHI HEALTHCARE PROPERTIES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Maryland 1-11316 38-3041398
(Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.) (Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.) (Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.)
Delaware 33-203447-11 36-4796206
(OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership) (OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership) (OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership)
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) (Commission File Number)

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

303 International Circle

Suite 200

Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030

(Address of principal executive offices / Zip Code)

 

(410) 427-1700

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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:

 

  ¨ Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act.

 

  ¨ Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act.

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act.

 

  ¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act.

  

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 ¨

 

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. ¨

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934:

     
Title of each class Trading Symbol(s) Name of each exchange on which registered
Common Stock, $.10 par value OHI New York Stock Exchange

 

 

Co-Registrant CIK 0001639315
Co-Registrant Amendment Flag false
Co-Registrant Form Type 8-K
Co-Registrant DocumentPeriodEndDate 2019-09-17
Co-Registrant EntityAddressAddressLine1 303 International Circle
Co-Registrant EntityAddressAddressLine2 Suite 200
Co-Registrant AddressCityOrTown Hunt Valley
Co-Registrant AddressStateOrProvince MD
Co-Registrant AddressPostalZipCode 21030
Co-Registrant CityAreaCode 410
Co-Registrant LocalPhoneNumber 427-1700
Co-Registrant Written Communications false
Co-Registrant Solicitating Materials false
Co-Registrant PreCommencement Tender Offer false
Co-Registrant PreCommencement Issuer Tender Offer false
Co-Registrant Emerging growth company false
Co-Registrant Label Omega OP
 

 

 

Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.

 

On September 20, 2019, Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. (“Omega”) completed an underwritten public offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”). The Notes are governed by the terms of the Indenture, dated as of September 20, 2019, among Omega, as issuer, the subsidiary guarantor identified below, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

The Notes are guaranteed by Omega’s subsidiary, OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership, and will be guaranteed by Omega’s existing and future subsidiaries that guarantee unsecured indebtedness for money borrowed of Omega in a principal amount at least equal to $50 million. The public offering price of the Notes was 98.542% of the principal amount.

 

Omega expects to use the net proceeds from the Notes offering to repay outstanding borrowings under its credit facilities, with the remainder, if any, to be used for general corporate purposes, including future acquisitions or investment opportunities.

 

The Notes mature on October 1, 2029, and bear interest at a rate of 3.625% per annum, payable semi-annually in cash, in arrears, on April 1 and October 1 of each year, commencing on April 1, 2020.

 

The Notes are Omega’s unsecured senior obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of Omega’s existing and future senior debt and senior in right of payment to all of Omega’s existing and future subordinated debt. The Notes are effectively subordinated in right of payment to any of Omega’s existing and future secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the assets securing such indebtedness. The Notes are structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities (including indebtedness, trade payable and lease obligations) of each of Omega’s non-guarantor subsidiaries.

 

Omega may redeem some or all of the Notes prior to July 1, 2029 (the “Par Call Date”) at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, plus a “make-whole” premium calculated by reference to U.S. Treasuries with a maturity comparable to the Par Call Date (and assuming that such Notes matured, and that interest on such Notes was payable, on the Par Call Date), plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the applicable redemption date. The Notes will be redeemable at any time on or after the Par Call Date at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the applicable redemption date.

 

The Indenture contains certain covenants that limit the ability of Omega and certain of its subsidiaries to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness and merge, consolidate or sell all or substantially all of the assets of Omega or its subsidiary guarantors’ assets. The Indenture also contains a covenant requiring Omega and its subsidiaries to maintain a certain amount of unencumbered assets.

 

The Indenture contains customary events of default including, without limitation, failure to make required payments, failure to comply with certain agreements or covenants, cross-acceleration to certain other indebtedness in excess of specified amounts and certain events of bankruptcy and insolvency. An event of default under the Indenture will allow either the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding Notes to accelerate, or in certain cases, will automatically cause the acceleration of, the amounts due under the Notes.

 

 

 

 

The offering was made pursuant to Omega’s automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration No. 333-228321) and a related prospectus supplement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The foregoing description of the Notes and Indenture is qualified in its entirety by reference to the actual text of the Indenture (including the forms of Notes included therein), which is filed herewith as Exhibit 4.1 and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

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

 

The disclosure contained in “Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement” is incorporated in this Item 2.03 by reference.

 

Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

(d) Exhibits.

 

Exhibit

Number

 

Description

 

1.1

Underwriting Agreement dated September 17, 2019, by and among Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of themselves and as representatives of the several underwriters named therein.

4.1 Indenture dated as of September 20, 2019, among Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership, as Subsidiary Guarantor, and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee
5.1 Opinion of Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler, P.A.
5.2 Opinion of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
8.1 Tax Opinion of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
23.1 Consent of Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler, P.A. (Included in Exhibit 5.1)
23.2 Consent of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP (Included in Exhibit 5.2 and 8.1)

 

 

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

  OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
  (Co-Registrant)
     
Dated: September 20, 2019 By: /s/ Robert O. Stephenson  
    Robert O. Stephenson
    Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and
    Secretary
     
     
  OHI HEALTHCARE PROPERTIES LIMITED
PARTNERSHIP
  (Co-Registrant)
     
Dated: September 20, 2019 By: Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., its General Partner
   
    /s/ Robert O. Stephenson  
    Robert O. Stephenson
    Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and
    Secretary

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

EXECUTION VERSION 

 

OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.

 

$500,000,000

3.625% Senior Notes due 2029

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

September 17, 2019

 

BofA Securities, Inc.
One Bryant Park
New York, New York 10036

 

Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.

1301 Avenue of the Americas

New York, New York 10019

 

J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
383 Madison Avenue, 6th Floor
New York, New York 10036

 

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor

Charlotte, North Carolina 28202

 

As Representatives of the several
Underwriters listed in Schedule 1 hereto

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and the Company’s subsidiary, OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership (the “Subsidiary Guarantor”), hereby confirm their agreement with you, as set forth below.

 

Section 1.                The Securities. Subject to the terms and conditions herein contained, the Company proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters named in Schedule 1 (the “Underwriters”) $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”). The Notes will be unconditionally guaranteed (the “Guarantee”) on a senior, unsecured basis by the Subsidiary Guarantor. The Notes and the Guarantee are collectively referred to herein as the “Securities.” The Notes are to be issued under an indenture (the “Indenture”) to be dated as of September 20, 2019 by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”). Each of BofA Securities, Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC has agreed to act as the representatives of the several Underwriters (the “Representatives”) in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

 

 

 

 

The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor hereby confirm their agreement with the several Underwriters concerning the purchase and sale of the Securities, as follows:

 

1.                  Registration Statement. The Company has prepared and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Act”), a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-228321), including a prospectus, relating to the Securities. Such registration statement, as amended at the time it became effective, including the information, if any, deemed pursuant to Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Act to be part of the registration statement at the time of its effectiveness (“Rule 430 Information”), is referred to herein as the “Registration Statement”; and as used herein, the term “Preliminary Prospectus” means each prospectus included in such registration statement (and any amendments thereto) before it became effective, any prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(a) or 424(b) under the Act and the prospectus included in the Registration Statement at the time of its effectiveness that omits Rule 430 Information, and the term “Prospectus” means the prospectus in the form first used (or made available to the Underwriters upon request of purchasers pursuant to Rule 173 under the Act) in connection with confirmation of sales of the Securities. If the Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Act (the “Rule 462 Registration Statement”), then any reference herein to the term “Registration Statement” shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration Statement. Any reference in this Agreement to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3 under the Act, as of the effective date of the Registration Statement or the date of such Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus, as the case may be and any reference to “amend”, “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include any documents filed after such date under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Exchange Act”) that are deemed to be incorporated by reference therein. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to such terms in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus.

 

At or prior to 2:15 p.m., New York City time, on September 17, 2019, the time when sales of the Securities were first made (the “Time of Execution”), the Company had prepared the following information (collectively, the “Pricing Disclosure Package”): a Preliminary Prospectus dated September 17, 2019 and each “free-writing prospectus” (as defined pursuant to Rule 405 under the Act) listed on Annex A hereto as constituting part of the Pricing Disclosure Package.

 

Section 2.                Representations and Warranties. As of the Time of Execution and at the Closing Date, each of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, jointly and severally, represents and warrants to and agrees with each of the Underwriters as follows:

 

2

 

 

(a)               No order preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus has been issued by the Commission, and each Preliminary Prospectus included in the Pricing Disclosure Package, at the time of filing thereof, complied in all material respects with the Act and did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. At the Time of Execution, the Pricing Disclosure Package did not, and on the Closing Date, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that each of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor makes no representation or warranty as to the information contained in or omitted from the Preliminary Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. No statement of material fact included in the Prospectus has been omitted from the Pricing Disclosure Package and no statement of material fact included in the Pricing Disclosure Package that is required to be included in the Prospectus has been omitted therefrom. The Company has not distributed or referred to and will not distribute or refer to any written communications (as defined in Rule 405 of the Act) that constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the Securities (each such communication by the Company or its agents and representatives (other than a communication referred to in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) below) an “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus”) other than (i) any document not constituting a prospectus pursuant to Section 2(a)(10)(a) of the Act or Rule 134 under the Act, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus, (iii) the Prospectus, (iv) the documents listed on Annex A hereto as constituting part of the Pricing Disclosure Package and (v) any recorded electronic road show, made available to investors. Each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus complies in all material respects with the Act, has been or will be (within the time period specified in Rule 433) filed in accordance with the Act (to the extent required thereby) and, when taken together with the Preliminary Prospectus accompanying or filed prior to the first use of such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, did not at the Time of Execution, and at the Closing Date will not, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided, however, that each of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor makes no representation or warranty as to the information contained in or omitted from each such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of the Underwriters through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein.

 

(b)               The Registration Statement is an “automatic shelf registration statement” as defined under Rule 405 of the Act that has been filed with the Commission not earlier than three years prior to the date hereof; and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering of the Securities has been initiated or, to the knowledge of the Company, threatened by the Commission; as of the applicable effective date of the Registration Statement and any amendment thereto, the Registration Statement complied and will comply in all material respects with the Act and the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder (collectively, the “Trust Indenture Act”), and did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and as of the date of the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto and as of the Closing Date, the Prospectus will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided that the Company makes no representation or warranty with respect to (i) that part of the Registration Statement that constitutes the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) of the Trustee under the Trust Indenture Act or (ii) any statements or omissions made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the Representatives expressly for use in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto.

 

3

 

 

(c)               Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the Pricing Disclosure Package (an “Incorporated Document”) complied when such documents were filed with the Commission, or will comply when so filed, in all material respects with the Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder. None of the Incorporated Documents, when filed with the Commission, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus or the Pricing Disclosure Package, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

(d)               All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable, have been issued in compliance with all federal and state securities laws and were not issued in violation of any preemptive right, resale right, right of first refusal or similar right, except as disclosed in Part II of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 with respect to the sales of shares pursuant to the Company’s equity shelf program between May 31, 2011 and June 30, 2011 and as disclosed in Part II of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 with respect to the sales of shares pursuant to the Company’s dividend reinvestment and stock purchase plan between March 5, 2016 and December 31, 2016.

 

(e)               The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland, with full corporate power and authority to acquire, own, lease and operate its properties, and to lease the same to others, and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, to execute and deliver this Agreement and to issue, sell and deliver the Notes as contemplated herein. The Company is in compliance in all respects with the laws, orders, rules, regulations and directives issued or administered by such jurisdictions, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, either (i) have a material adverse effect on the business, properties, financial condition, results of operation or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries (as defined under the Act) taken as a whole or (ii) prevent consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby (the occurrence of such effect or such prevention described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii) being herein referred to as a “Material Adverse Effect”).

 

4

 

 

(f)                The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign entity and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(g)               On the Closing Date, the Subsidiary Guarantor will issue its Guarantee of the Notes; as of June 30, 2019 the Company owned, directly or indirectly, approximately 97% of the issued and outstanding equity interests of the Subsidiary Guarantor. The Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any shares of stock or any other equity or long-term debt securities of any corporation or have any equity interest in any firm, partnership, joint venture, association or other entity other than the equity interests of the Subsidiaries, or as would not be material to the Company and the Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. Complete and correct copies of the articles of incorporation and the bylaws of the Company and all amendments thereto have been delivered to you, and no changes therein or to the articles of incorporation and the bylaws (or other organizational documents) of the Subsidiary Guarantor will be made from and including the date hereof through and including the Closing Date. Each Subsidiary has been duly formed and is validly existing as a corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or trust in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its formation, with full organizational power and authority to own, lease and operate its properties and to conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except where the failure to be so formed and existing or to have such organizational power and authority would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Subsidiary is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation, limited liability company, limited partnership or trust and is in good standing in each jurisdiction where the ownership or leasing of its properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Each Subsidiary is in compliance in all respects with the laws, orders, rules, regulations and directives issued or administered by such jurisdictions, except where the failure to be in compliance would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. All of the outstanding shares of equity interests of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and non-assessable and, except for the Subsidiary Guarantor, OHI Asset II (CA), LLC and OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership, L.P., are owned, directly or indirectly, by the Subsidiary Guarantor, which as of June 30, 2019, was approximately 97% owned by the Company, subject to no security interest, other material encumbrance or adverse claims. Except with respect to the Subsidiary Guarantor, no options, warrants or other rights to purchase, agreements or other obligations to issue or other rights to convert any obligation into shares of capital stock or ownership interests in the Subsidiaries are outstanding. The Company has no “significant subsidiary,” as that term is defined in Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Act, other than (i) the Operating Partnership and (ii) those listed in Exhibit 21 to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

 

5

 

 

(h)               The Company has all requisite corporate power and authority to execute, deliver and perform each of its obligations under the Notes. The Notes, when issued, will be in the form contemplated by the Indenture. The Notes have been duly and validly authorized by the Company and, when executed by the Company and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, and when delivered to and paid for by the Underwriters in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

(i)                 The Subsidiary Guarantor has all requisite organizational power and authority to execute, deliver and perform each of its obligations under the Guarantee. The Guarantee, when issued, will be in the form contemplated by the Indenture. The Guarantee has been duly and validly authorized by the Subsidiary Guarantor and, when the Guarantee is executed by the Subsidiary Guarantor and the Notes are authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture, will have been duly executed, issued and delivered and will constitute a valid and legally binding obligation of the Subsidiary Guarantor, entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, and enforceable against the Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with its terms, subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

(j)                 The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor have all requisite corporate or organizational power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Indenture. The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, and the Indenture meets the requirements for qualification under the Trust Indenture Act and upon effectiveness of the Registration Statement was or will have been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. The Indenture has been duly and validly authorized by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor and, when executed and delivered by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor (assuming the due authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee), will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, enforceable against the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor in accordance with its terms, except that the enforcement thereof may be subject to (i) bankruptcy, insolvency, fraudulent conveyance, reorganization, moratorium or other similar laws now or hereafter in effect relating to creditors’ rights generally and (ii) general principles of equity and the discretion of the court before which any proceeding therefor may be brought.

 

6

 

 

(k)               The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor have all requisite corporate or organizational power and authority to execute, deliver and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. This Agreement and the consummation by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor. This Agreement has been duly and validly executed and delivered by the Company the Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

(l)                 Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is in breach or violation of or in default under (nor has any event occurred which with notice, lapse of time or both would result in any breach or violation of, constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) its (i) respective charter or bylaws (or other formation documents), (ii) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected (including, without limitation, the Indenture) or (iii) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, including, without limitation, the rules and regulations of the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”), or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries or any of their respective properties, except in the case of clauses (ii) and (iii) above, for such breaches, violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will neither (A) conflict with, result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under (nor constitute any event which with notice, lapse of time or both would result in any breach or violation of or constitute a default under or give the holder of any indebtedness (or a person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a part of such indebtedness under) (1) the charter or bylaws (or other formation documents) of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, (2) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, bank loan or credit agreement or other evidence of indebtedness, or any license, lease, contract or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected (including, without limitation, the Indenture), or (3) any federal, state or local law, regulation or rule, including the rules and regulations of the NYSE, or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except in the case of clause (2) above, for such breaches, violations or defaults as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, nor (B) result in the creation or imposition of any lien, charge, claim or encumbrance upon any of the properties (real and personal (including, without limitation, mortgage loans and unsecured loans)) described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus as being owned or leased by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Properties”, and each individually, a “Property”).

 

7

 

 

(m)             No approval, authorization, consent or order of or filing with any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, or of or with the NYSE, or approval of the stockholders of the Company, is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor of the transactions contemplated hereby other than which has been effected and any necessary qualification under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Securities are being offered by the Underwriters.

 

(n)               Except as expressly set forth in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person has the right to act as an underwriter or as a financial advisor to the Company in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities, whether as a result of the sale of the Securities as contemplated thereby or otherwise.

 

(o)               Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (and to the Company’s knowledge, each operator, lessee or sublessee of any Property (as defined below) or portion thereof) (i) has all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals, (ii) has made all necessary filings required under any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, and (iii) has obtained all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals from other persons, in order to acquire and own, lease or sublease, lease to others and conduct its respective business as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except in the case of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, where the failure to have such items, make such filings or obtain such items would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries (nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any such operator, lessee or sublessee) is in violation of, or in default under, or has received notice of any proceedings relating to revocation or modification of, any such license, authorization, consent or approval or any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, order or judgment applicable to the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except where such violation, default, revocation or modification would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(p)               All legal or governmental proceedings, affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions (including, without limitation, transactions related to, and the existence of, “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation), contracts, licenses, agreements, leases or documents required to be described in the Registration Statement or to be filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement or any incorporated document have been so described or filed as required.

 

(q)               There are no actions, suits, claims, investigations or proceedings pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, threatened or contemplated to which the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, or any of their respective directors or officers (or, to the Company’s knowledge, any person from whom the Company or any Subsidiary acquired any of the Properties (each, a “seller”), or any lessee, sublessee or operator of any Property or any portion thereof) is or would be a party, or of which any of the respective properties or assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries, or any Property, is or would be subject at law or in equity, before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency, except any such action, suit, claim, investigation or proceeding which would not result in a judgment, decree or order having, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(r)                Ernst & Young LLP, whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries is incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, are independent public accountants as required by the Act and by Rule 3600T of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.

 

(s)                The audited consolidated financial statements of the Company and the Subsidiaries included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, together with the related notes, present fairly the consolidated financial position of the Company and the Subsidiaries as of the dates indicated and the consolidated results of operations and cash flows of the Company and the Subsidiaries for the periods specified and have been prepared in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) applied on a consistent basis during the periods involved (except, in the case of unaudited financial statements, for normal year-end adjustments and the absence of notes). The other financial and statistical data set forth or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are fairly presented in all material respects and prepared on a basis consistent with the financial statements and books and records of the Company. Any pro forma financial statements and related notes thereto included in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Act and the Exchange Act relating to such pro forma financial statements (as if such pro forma financial statements were included in a registration statement) and the assumptions underlying the adjustments set forth in such pro forma financial information are reasonable and are set forth in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. There are no financial statements (historical or pro forma) that are required to be included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus (including, without limitation, as required by Rules 3-12 or 3-05 or Article 11 of Regulation S-X under the Act to the extent applicable) that are not included as required. The Company and the Subsidiaries do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations or any “variable interest entities” within the meaning of Accounting Standards Codification 810, Consolidation), not disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in each of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus fairly present the information called for in all material respects and have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

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(t)                 Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, there has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any development which could have a reasonable possibility of giving rise to a prospective material adverse change, in the business, properties, management, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (ii) any transaction which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), incurred by the Company or any Subsidiary, which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, (iv) any material adverse change in the capital stock (except as the result of the exercise, vesting, or forfeiture of rights or awards held by directors and employees under the Company’s stock incentive plans described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or issuances under the Company’s dividend reinvestment and common stock purchase plan, or upon the redemption of outstanding units of the Operating Partnership in accordance with the terms of its partnership agreement) or any Subsidiary or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made on the capital stock of the Company or any Subsidiary except for regular quarterly dividends of the Company, corresponding distributions by the Operating Partnership, distributions on preferred units of the Subsidiary REITs in accordance with the terms of their respective organizational documents, dividends and distributions of Subsidiaries payable to the Company or Subsidiaries, or as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus.

 

(u)               Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary is and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, neither of them will be an “investment company” or an entity “controlled” by an “investment company,” as such terms are defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

(v)               None of the Company, the Subsidiaries or any agent acting on their behalf, other than the Underwriters (as to which the Company does not represent), has taken or will take any action that would cause this Agreement or the sale of the Notes to violate Regulation T, U or X of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in each case as in effect, or as the same may hereafter be in effect, on the Closing Date.

 

(w)             The Company, and each of the Subsidiaries, has insurable title, and, in the case of real property, in fee simple, to the Properties, free and clear of all liens, claims, mortgages, deeds of trust, restrictions, security interests and other encumbrances or defects (“Property Encumbrances”), except for (x) the leasehold interests of lessees in the Properties of the Company and the Subsidiaries held under lease (the “Leases”) and (y) any other Property Encumbrances that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. All Property Encumbrances on or affecting the Properties which are required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and Prospectus are disclosed therein as required.

 

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(x)               Each of the Leases pertaining to the Properties has been duly authorized by the Company or a Subsidiary, as applicable, and is a valid, subsisting and enforceable agreement of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, and, to the knowledge of the Company, each other party thereto, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except where the failure of such Lease to be duly authorized, or a valid, subsisting and enforceable agreement of the Company or such Subsidiary, as applicable, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and except as such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or general equitable principles.

 

(y)               Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no person other than the Company or a Subsidiary has an option or right of first refusal to purchase all or part of any Property owned by the Company or any interest therein, and to the Company’s knowledge no such right exists with respect to any Property that the Company or any Subsidiary leases (as lessee), except for such options or rights of first refusal which, if refused, will not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(z)               To the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no lessee of any portion of any of the Properties is in default under its respective lease, and there is no event which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under any such lease, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(aa)            To the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, no borrower of a mortgage loan from the Company is in default under its respective mortgage loan, and there is no event which, with notice, lapse of time or both, would constitute a default under any such mortgage loan, except such defaults that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(bb)           The Company and the Subsidiaries own, or have obtained valid and enforceable licenses for, or other rights to use, the inventions, patent applications, patents, trademarks (both registered and unregistered), trade names, service names, copyrights, trade secrets and other proprietary information described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as being owned or licensed by them or which are necessary for the conduct of their respective businesses, except where the failure to own, license or have such rights would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(cc)            Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries is engaged in any unfair labor practice, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no violation of any federal, state or local law relating to discrimination in the hiring, promotion or pay of employees, any applicable wage or hour laws or any provision of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder concerning the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(dd)           Except as disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company and the Subsidiaries and their properties, assets and operations (and, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, each operator or lessee of any Property or portion thereof) are in compliance with, and hold all permits, authorizations and approvals required under, Environmental Laws (as defined below), except to the extent that failure to so comply or to hold such permits, authorizations or approvals would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There are no past, present or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, reasonably anticipated future events, conditions, circumstances, activities, practices, actions, omissions or plans that could reasonably be expected to give rise to any material costs or liabilities to the Company or any Subsidiary under, or to interfere with or prevent compliance by the Company or any Subsidiary with, Environmental Laws, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any seller, lessee, sublessee or operator of any Property or portion thereof or any previous owner thereof, (i) is the subject of any investigation, (ii) has received any notice or claim, (iii) is a party to or affected by any pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding, (iv) is bound by any judgment, decree or order or (v) has entered into any agreement, in each case relating to any alleged violation of any Environmental Law or any actual or alleged release or threatened release or cleanup at any location of any Hazardous Materials (as defined below). Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any seller, lessee, sublessee or operator of any Property or portion thereof or any previous owner thereof, has received from any governmental authority notice of any violation, concerning the Properties, of any municipal, state or federal law, rule or regulation or of any Environmental Law, except for such violations as have heretofore been cured and except for such violations as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, “Environmental Law” means any federal, state or local law, statute, ordinance, rule, regulation, order, decree, judgment, injunction, permit, license, authorization or other binding requirement, or common law, relating to health, safety or the protection, cleanup or restoration of the environment or natural resources, including those relating to the distribution, processing, generation, treatment, storage, disposal, transportation, other handling or release or threatened release of Hazardous Materials, and “Hazardous Materials” means any material (including, without limitation, pollutants, contaminants, hazardous or toxic substances or wastes) that is regulated by or may give rise to liability under any Environmental Law.

 

(ee)            The Company and the Subsidiaries have (A) all licenses, certificates, permits, authorizations, approvals, franchises and other rights from, and have made all declarations and filings with, all applicable authorities, all self-regulatory authorities and all courts and other tribunals (each, an “Authorization”) necessary to engage in the business conducted by them in the manner described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and (B) no reason to believe that any governmental body or agency, domestic or foreign, is considering limiting, suspending or revoking any such Authorization, except where any such limitations, suspensions or revocations would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. All such Authorizations are valid and in full force and effect and the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms and conditions of all such Authorizations and with the rules and regulations of the regulatory authorities having jurisdiction with respect to such Authorizations, except for any invalidity, failure to be in full force and effect or noncompliance with any Authorization that would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

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(ff)              Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any seller, lessee, sublessee or operator of any Property or portion thereof, has received from any governmental authority any written notice of any condemnation of, or zoning change affecting, the Properties or any portion thereof, and the Company does not know of any such condemnation or zoning change which is threatened, except for such condemnations or zoning changes that, if consummated, would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(gg)           All tax returns required to be filed by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries have been timely filed, and all taxes and other assessments of a similar nature (whether imposed directly or through withholding and whether or not shown on a tax return) including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto due or claimed to be due from such entities have been timely paid, other than those taxes being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP or the filing of tax returns or the payment of any taxes which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. There is no tax deficiency which has been or could reasonably be expected to be asserted against the Company or any Subsidiary, except any tax deficiency which would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has made adequate charges, accruals and reserves in accordance with GAAP in the applicable financial statements referred to in Section 2(s) hereof in respect of all taxes for all periods as to which the tax liability of the Company or its Subsidiaries has not been finally determined.

 

(hh)           There is no strike, labor dispute, slowdown or work stoppage with the employees of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries that is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, threatened.

 

(ii)              Each of the Company and the Subsidiaries is insured by insurers of recognized financial responsibility against such losses and risks and in such amount as the Company reasonably deems to be adequate and as are customary in the business in which they are engaged, except as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, all policies of insurance insuring the Company and the Subsidiaries or any of their businesses, assets, employees, officers, directors and trustees are in full force and effect, and the Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance with the terms of such policies in all material respects. Except as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, there are no claims by the Company or any of the Subsidiaries under any such policy or instrument as to which any insurance company is denying liability or defending under a reservation of rights clause.

 

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(jj)              Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has sustained, since the date of the last audited financial statements included or incorporated by reference in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, any loss or interference with its respective business from fire, explosion, flood or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any labor dispute or court or governmental action, order or decree, except for such loss or interference as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kk)           Neither the Company nor any Subsidiary has sent or received any communication regarding termination of, or intent not to renew, any of the leases, contracts or agreements referred to or described in, or filed as an exhibit to, any Incorporated Document, and no such termination or non-renewal has been threatened by the Company or any Subsidiary or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor after due inquiry, any other party to any such contract or agreement, except for such termination or non-renewal as would not, individually or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ll)              The Company and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis maintain a system of internal accounting controls sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) transactions are executed in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization, (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP and to maintain accountability for assets, (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any differences.

 

(mm)      The Company has established and maintains and evaluates “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) and “internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act); such disclosure controls and procedures are designed to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated Subsidiaries, is made known to the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and its Chief Financial Officer by others within those entities, and such disclosure controls and procedures are effective to perform the functions for which they were established; the Company’s auditors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company have been advised of: (i) any significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal controls which could adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data; and (ii) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a role in the Company’s internal controls. Any material weaknesses in internal controls have been identified for the Company’s auditors. Since the date of the most recent evaluation of such disclosure controls and procedures, there have been no significant changes in internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses; the principal executive officers (or their equivalents) and principal financial officers (or their equivalents) of the Company have made all certifications required by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”) and any related rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission, and the statements contained in any such certification are complete and correct. The Company and the Subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable effective provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission and the NYSE promulgated thereunder.

 

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(nn)           This Agreement, the Securities and the Indenture will conform, in all material respects to the descriptions thereof in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(oo)           No person has the right to require the Company or any of its subsidiaries to register any securities for sale under the Act by reason of the filing of the Registration Statement with the Commission or the issuance and sale of the Securities.

 

(pp)           Immediately after the consummation of the transactions contemplated by this Agreement, the fair value and present fair saleable value of the assets of each of the Company and the Subsidiaries (each on a consolidated basis) will exceed the sum of its stated liabilities and identified contingent liabilities; none of the Company or the Subsidiaries (each on a consolidated basis) is, nor will any of the Company or the Subsidiaries (each on a consolidated basis) be, after giving effect to the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby, (a) left with unreasonably small capital with which to carry on its business as it is proposed to be conducted, (b) unable to pay its debts (contingent or otherwise) as they mature or (c) otherwise insolvent.

 

(qq)           The Company is not an “ineligible issuer” and is a “well-known seasoned issuer,” in each case as defined in Rule 405 under the Act.

 

(rr)              No forward-looking statement (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Act and Section 21E of the Exchange Act) included or incorporated by reference in any of the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus has been made or reaffirmed without a reasonable basis or has been disclosed other than in good faith.

 

(ss)             The Company has provided you true, correct and complete copies of all documentation pertaining to any extension of credit in the form of a personal loan made, directly or indirectly, by the Company or any Subsidiary to any director or executive officer of the Company, or to any family member or affiliate of any director or executive officer of the Company. On or after December 31, 2018, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, including through any Subsidiary: (i) extended credit, arranged to extend credit, or renewed any extension of credit, in the form of a personal loan, to or for any director or executive officer of the Company, or to or for any family member or affiliate of any director or executive officer of the Company; or (ii) made any material modification, including any renewal thereof, to any term of any personal loan to any director or executive officer of the Company, or any family member or affiliate of any director or executive officer, which loan was outstanding on December 31, 2018.

 

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(tt)              All statistical or market-related data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus are based on or derived from sources that the Company believes to be reliable and accurate in all material respects, and the Company has obtained the written consent to the use of such data from such sources to the extent required.

 

(uu)           Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary has made any payment of funds of the Company or any Subsidiary or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation, which payment, receipt or retention of funds is of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or any document incorporated by reference therein.

 

(vv)           Except pursuant to this Agreement, neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries has incurred any liability for any finder’s or broker’s fee or agent’s commission in connection with the execution and delivery of this Agreement or the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or by the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(ww)       From and including the Company’s taxable year ended December 31, 1992, the Company was and is organized in conformity with the requirements for, its actual methods of operation through the date hereof have permitted, and its proposed methods of operation will permit the Company to meet the requirements for, qualification and taxation as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the Company has qualified and will so qualify, and the Company will continue to meet such requirements and qualify as a REIT after consummation of the contemplated transactions and the application of the proceeds, if any, from the offering of the Notes by the Company as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus. All statements in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus regarding the Company’s qualification as a REIT are true, complete and correct in all material respects.

 

(xx)           Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers, affiliates or controlling persons has taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed, or which has constituted or might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale of the Securities.

 

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(yy)           Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor and delivered to any Underwriter or to counsel for the Underwriters shall be deemed a joint and several representation and warranty by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

(zz)            Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, nor any director, officer or employee of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries has: (i) used any corporate funds of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries for any unlawful contribution, gift, entertainment or other unlawful expense relating to political activity; (ii) made or taken an act on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries in furtherance of an offer, promise or authorization of any direct or indirect unlawful payment or benefit to any foreign or domestic government official or employee, including of any government-owned or controlled entity or of a public international organization, or any person acting in an official capacity for or on behalf of any of the foregoing, or any political party or party official or candidate for political office; (iii) taken an act on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries in violation of any provision of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, or any applicable law or regulation implementing the OECD Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions, or committed an offence under the Bribery Act 2010 of the United Kingdom, or any other applicable anti-bribery or anti-corruption law; or (iv) made, offered, agreed, requested or taken an act on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries in furtherance of any unlawful bribe or other unlawful benefit, including, without limitation, any rebate, payoff, influence payment, kickback or other unlawful or improper payment or benefit. The Company and the Subsidiaries have instituted, maintain and enforce, and will continue to maintain and enforce, policies and procedures designed to promote and ensure compliance with all applicable anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws appropriate for the nature of the Company’s business.

 

(aaa)        The operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries are and have been conducted at all times in compliance with applicable financial recordkeeping and reporting requirements, including those of the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act of 1970, as amended, the applicable money laundering statutes of all jurisdictions where the Company or any of the Subsidiaries conducts business, the rules and regulations thereunder and any related or similar rules, regulations or guidelines, issued, administered or enforced by any governmental agency (collectively, the “Anti-Money Laundering Laws”), and no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of the Subsidiaries with respect to the Anti-Money Laundering Laws is pending or, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, threatened.

 

(bbb)       Neither the Company nor any of the Subsidiaries, the Company’s and the Subsidiaries’ directors, officers or employees, nor, to the knowledge of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, any agent, affiliate or other person associated with or acting on behalf of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries is currently the subject or the target of any sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including, without limitation, the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Department of the Treasury or the U.S. Department of State and including, without limitation, the designation as a “specially designated national” or “blocked person”), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury or other relevant sanctions authority (collectively, “Sanctions”), nor is the Company or any of the Subsidiaries located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is the subject or target of Sanctions, including, without limitation, Cuba, Burma (Myanmar), Iran, North Korea, Sudan and Syria (each, a “Sanctioned Country”); and the Company will not directly or indirectly use the proceeds of the offering of the Securities hereunder, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any Subsidiary, joint venture partner or other person or entity (i) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business with any person that, at the time of such funding or facilitation, is the subject or target of Sanctions, (ii) to fund or facilitate any activities of or business in any Sanctioned Country or (iii) in any other manner that will result in a violation by any person (including any person participating in the transaction, whether as underwriter, initial purchaser, advisor, investor or otherwise) of Sanctions. For the past five years, the Company and the Subsidiaries have not knowingly engaged in, are not now knowingly engaged in and will not engage in any dealings or transactions with any person that at the time of the dealing or transaction is or was the subject or the target of Sanctions or with any Sanctioned Country.

 

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(ccc)        (A) There has been no security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure, or other compromise of or relating to the Company’s or its Subsidiaries’ information technology and computer systems, networks, hardware, software, data and databases (including the data and information of their respective customers, employees, suppliers, vendors and any third party data maintained, processed or stored by the Company and its Subsidiaries, and any such data processed or stored by third parties on behalf of the Company and its Subsidiaries), equipment or technology (collectively, “IT Systems and Data”), except as would not, in the case of this clause (A), individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect; (B) neither the Company nor its Subsidiaries have been notified of, and each of them have no knowledge of any event or condition that would reasonably be expected to result in, any security breach or incident, unauthorized access or disclosure or other compromise to their IT Systems and Data, except as would not, in the case of this clause (B), individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, and (C) the Company and its Subsidiaries have implemented backup and disaster recovery technology reasonably consistent in all material respects with industry standards and practices or otherwise as the Company generally deems reasonably adequate for its and its Subsidiaries’ business.

 

Section 3.                Purchase, Sale and Delivery of the Notes. On the basis of the representations, warranties, agreements and covenants herein contained and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor agree to issue and sell to the Underwriters, and the Underwriters, acting severally and not jointly, agree to purchase the Securities in the respective amounts set forth on Schedule 1 hereto from the Company at a price equal to 97.892% of their principal amount, plus accrued interest, if any, from September 20, 2019 to the Closing Date. One or more certificates in definitive form for the Securities that the Underwriters have agreed to purchase hereunder, and in such denomination or denominations and registered in such name or names as the Underwriters request upon notice to the Company of at least 48 hours (but not less than one business day) prior to the Closing Date, shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor to the Underwriters, against payment by or on behalf of the Underwriters of the purchase price therefor by wire transfer (same day funds), to such account or accounts as the Company shall specify in writing prior to the Closing Date, or by such means as the parties hereto shall agree prior to the Closing Date. Such delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made at the offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, New York, New York at 10:00 a.m., New York time, on September 20, 2019 or at such other place, time or date as the Underwriters, on the one hand, and the Company, on the other hand, may agree upon, such time and date of delivery against payment being herein referred to as the “Closing Date.” The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor will make such certificate or certificates for the Securities available for checking and packaging by the Underwriters at the offices of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, 4 Times Square, New York, New York 10036, or at such other place as the Representatives may designate, at least 24 hours prior to the Closing Date.

 

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Section 4.                Offering by the Underwriters. The Underwriters propose to make a public offering of the Securities at the price and upon the terms set forth in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus as soon as practicable after this Agreement is entered into and as in the judgment of the Underwriters is advisable.

 

Section 5.                Covenants of the Company. Each of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, jointly and severally, covenants and agrees with the Underwriters as follows:

 

(a)               The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor will file the final Prospectus with the Commission within the time periods specified by Rule 424(b) and Rule 430A, 430B or 430C under the Act, will file any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (including the Term Sheet in the form of Annex B hereto) to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Act; and the Company will file promptly all reports and any definitive proxy or information statements required to be filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of the Prospectus and for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities; and the Company will furnish copies of the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus (to the extent not previously delivered) to the Underwriters in New York City as promptly as practical following the date of this Agreement in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the registration fees for this offering within the time period required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Act (without giving effect to the proviso therein) and in any event prior to the Closing Date.

 

(b)               Before making, preparing, using, authorizing, approving, referring to or filing any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and before filing any amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, whether before or after the time that the Registration Statement becomes effective, the Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters a copy of the proposed Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, amendment or supplement for review and will not make, prepare, use, authorize, approve, refer to or file any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object. The Company will promptly, upon the reasonable request of the Underwriters or counsel for the Underwriters, make any amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus that may be necessary or advisable in connection with the sale of the Securities by the Underwriters.

 

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(c)               The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor will cooperate with the Underwriters to arrange for the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under the securities or “Blue Sky” laws of such U.S. jurisdictions as the Underwriters may reasonably designate and will continue such qualifications in effect for as long as may be necessary to complete the distribution of the Securities; provided, however, that in connection therewith, neither the Company nor the Subsidiary Guarantor shall be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to execute a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction or subject itself to taxation in excess of a nominal dollar amount in any such jurisdiction where it is not then so subject.

 

(d)               The Company will advise the Representatives promptly, and confirm such advice in writing, (i) when any amendment to the Registration Statement has been filed or becomes effective; (ii) when any supplement to the Prospectus or any amendment to the Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus has been filed; (iii) of any request by the Commission for any amendment to the Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to the Registration Statement or any other request by the Commission for any additional information; (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act; (v) of the occurrence of any event within the Prospectus Delivery Period (as defined below) as a result of which the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package or any such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading; (vi) of the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act; and (vii) of the receipt by the Company of any notice with respect to any suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offer and sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose; and the Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, preventing or suspending the use of any Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or suspending any such qualification of the Securities and, if any such order is issued, will obtain as soon as possible the withdrawal thereof.

 

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(e)               If at any time prior to the Closing Date (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which any of the Pricing Disclosure Package as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Pricing Disclosure Package to comply with applicable law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (b) above, file with the Commission (to the extent required) and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Pricing Disclosure Package (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in any of the Pricing Disclosure Package as so amended or supplemented (including such documents to be incorporated by reference therein) will not, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, be misleading or so that the Pricing Disclosure Package will comply with law.

 

(f)                The Company will deliver, without charge, to each Underwriter (i) a conformed copy of the Registration Statement as originally filed and each amendment thereto, in each case including all exhibits and consents filed therewith and (ii) during the Prospectus Delivery Period, as many copies of the Prospectus (including all amendments and supplements thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein) and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus as the Representatives may reasonably request. As used herein, the term “Prospectus Delivery Period” means such period of time after the first date of the public offering of the Securities as in the reasonable opinion of counsel for the Underwriters a prospectus relating to the Securities is required by law to be delivered (or required to be delivered but for Rule 172 under the Act) in connection with sales of the Securities by any Underwriter or dealer.

 

(g)               If during the Prospectus Delivery Period (i) any event shall occur or condition shall exist as a result of which the Prospectus as then amended or supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading or (ii) it is necessary to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, the Company will immediately notify the Underwriters thereof and forthwith prepare and, subject to paragraph (c) above, file with the Commission and furnish to the Underwriters and to such dealers as the Representatives may designate, such amendments or supplements to the Prospectus (or any document to be filed with the Commission and incorporated by reference therein) as may be necessary so that the statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented, including any documents to be incorporated by reference, will not, in the light of the circumstances existing when the Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with law.

 

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(h)               The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Notes as set forth under “Use of proceeds” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

(i)                 The Company will make generally available to its security holders and the Representatives as soon as practicable an earning statement that satisfies the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158 of the Commission promulgated thereunder covering a period of at least twelve months beginning with the first fiscal quarter of the Company occurring after the “effective date” (as defined in Rule 158) of the Registration Statement.

 

(j)                 The Company will use commercially reasonable efforts to permit the Securities to be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company.

 

(k)               During the period from the date hereof through and including the Closing Date, the Company will not, without the prior written consent of the Representatives, directly or indirectly, issue, sell, offer to contract or grant any option to sell, pledge, transfer or otherwise dispose of any debt securities or securities exchangeable for or convertible into debt securities, provided that the foregoing shall not apply to the sale of the Securities under this Agreement.

 

(l)                 The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that could reasonably be expected to cause or result in any stabilization or manipulation of the price of the Securities.

 

Section 6.                Expenses. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, jointly and severally, agree to pay all costs and expenses incident to the performance of their obligations under this Agreement, whether or not the transactions contemplated herein are consummated or this Agreement is terminated pursuant to Section 11 hereof, including all costs and expenses incident to (i) the printing, word processing or other production of documents with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby, including any costs of printing and filing under the Act of the Registration Statement, any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and any exhibit, amendment or supplement thereto, and any “Blue Sky” memoranda, (ii) all arrangements relating to the delivery to the Underwriters of copies of the foregoing documents, (iii) the fees and disbursements of the counsel, the accountants and any other experts or advisors retained by the Company, (iv) preparation (including printing), issuance and delivery to the Underwriters of the Securities, (v) the qualification of the Securities under state securities and “Blue Sky” laws, including filing fees and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, (vi) expenses in connection with the “road show,” if any, and any other meetings with prospective investors in the Securities, (vii) fees and expenses of the Trustee, including fees and expenses of counsel, (viii) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with any filing with, and clearance of the offering by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, (ix) all expenses and application fees incurred in connection with the approval of the Securities for book-entry transfer by the Depository Trust Company; and (x) any fees charged by investment rating agencies for the rating of the Securities. If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 7 hereof is not satisfied, because this Agreement is terminated or because of any failure, refusal or inability on the part of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder (other than solely by reason of a default by the Underwriters of their obligations hereunder after all conditions hereunder have been satisfied in accordance herewith), the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor agree to promptly reimburse the Underwriters upon demand for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses (including the fees, disbursements and charges of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the Underwriters), that shall have been incurred by the Underwriters in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

 

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Section 7.                Conditions of the Underwriters’ Obligations. The obligation of the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Securities shall, in their sole discretion, be subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions on or prior to the Closing Date:

 

(a)               No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall be in effect, and no proceeding for such purpose, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) or pursuant to Section 8A under the Act shall be pending before or threatened by the Commission; the Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus shall have been timely filed with the Commission under the Act (in the case of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, to the extent required by Rule 433 under the Act) and in accordance with Section 5(a) hereof; and all requests by the Commission for additional information shall have been complied with to the reasonable satisfaction of the Representatives.

 

(b)               On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the opinions, dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, of (i) Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, counsel for the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, and (ii) Shapiro Sher Guinot and Sandler, P.A., Maryland counsel to the Company, in substantially the forms provided to the Representatives concurrently with the execution of this Agreement and to such further effect as the Underwriters shall reasonably request at a reasonable time prior to the Closing Date. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor and certificates of public officials, copies of which shall have been provided to the Underwriters.

 

(c)               On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the opinion, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives, dated as of the Closing Date and addressed to the Underwriters, of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, with respect to certain legal matters relating to this Agreement and such other related matters as the Underwriters may reasonably require. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, they have relied, to the extent they deem proper, upon certificates of officers of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor and certificates of public officials, copies of which shall have been provided to the Underwriters.

 

(d)               On the date hereof, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a comfort letter dated the date hereof, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters with respect to the audited, unaudited and pro forma financial information in the Pricing Disclosure Package. On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received from Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accountants for the Company, a comfort letter dated the Closing Date, in form and substance satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters, which shall refer to the comfort letter dated the date hereof and reaffirm or update as of a more recent date the information stated in the comfort letter dated the date hereof and similarly address the audited, unaudited and pro forma financial information contained in or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus.

 

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(e)               The representations and warranties of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor contained in this Agreement shall be true and correct on and as of the Time of Execution and on and as of the Closing Date as if made on and as of the Closing Date; the statements of the Company’s and the Subsidiary Guarantor’s officers made pursuant to any certificate delivered in accordance with the provisions hereof shall be true and correct on and as of the date made and on and as of the Closing Date; the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor shall have performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date; and, except as described in the Pricing Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto after the date hereof), subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in such Pricing Disclosure Package, there shall have been no event or development, and no information shall have become known, that, individually or in the aggregate, has or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(f)                The sale of the Securities hereunder shall not be enjoined (temporarily or permanently) on the Closing Date.

 

(g)               Subsequent to the date of the most recent financial statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto after the date hereof), none of the Company or any of the Subsidiaries shall have sustained any loss or interference with respect to its business or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute, slow down or work stoppage or from any legal or governmental proceeding, order or decree, which loss or interference, individually or in the aggregate, has or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(h)               The Representatives shall have received certificates of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, dated the Closing Date, signed on behalf of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor by its Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, President or any Vice President, the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Accounting Officer, to the effect that:

 

(i)                 the representations and warranties of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor contained in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Time of Execution and on and as of the Closing Date, and the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor has performed all covenants and agreements and satisfied all conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior to the Closing Date;

 

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(ii)              at the Closing Date, since the date hereof or since the date of the most recent financial statements in the Pricing Disclosure Package (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto after the date hereof), no event or development has occurred, and no information has become known to the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, that, individually or in the aggregate, has or would be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect; and

 

(iii)            the sale of the Securities hereunder has not been enjoined (temporarily or permanently).

 

(i)                 On each of the date hereof and on the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received a certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, on behalf of the Company for itself and its subsidiaries, dated the date hereof or the Closing Date (as applicable), substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

 

(j)                 On the Closing Date, the Representatives shall have received the Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time, executed by the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantor and the Trustee and the Indenture shall be in full force and effect.

 

(k)               The Securities shall be eligible for clearance and settlement through The Depository Trust Company.

 

On or before the Closing Date, the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters shall have received such further documents, opinions, certificates, letters and schedules or instruments relating to the business, corporate, legal and financial affairs of the Company and the Subsidiaries as they shall have heretofore reasonably requested from the Company.

 

All such documents, opinions, certificates, letters, schedules or instruments delivered pursuant to this Agreement will comply with the provisions hereof only if they are reasonably satisfactory in all material respects to the Underwriters and counsel for the Underwriters. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor shall furnish to the Underwriters such conformed copies of such documents, opinions, certificates, letters, schedules and instruments in such quantities as the Underwriters shall reasonably request.

 

Section 8.                Certain Agreements of the Underwriters. Each Underwriter hereby represents and agrees that:

 

(a)               It has not and will not use, authorize use of, refer to, or participate in the planning for use of, any “free writing prospectus”, as defined in Rule 405 under the Act (which term includes use of any written information furnished to the Commission by the Company and not incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement and any press release issued by the Company) other than (i) a free writing prospectus that, solely as a result of use by such Underwriter, would not trigger an obligation to file such free writing prospectus with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433, (ii) any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus listed on Annex B or prepared pursuant to Section 2(a), Section 5(a) or Section 5(b) above, or (iii) any free writing prospectus prepared by such Underwriter and approved by the Company in advance in writing. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Underwriters may use the Term Sheet in the form of Annex B hereto without the consent of the Company.

 

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Section 9.                Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)               The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, jointly and severally, agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, its directors and officers and each person, if any, who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which any Underwriter or such controlling person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as any such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of, or are based upon, the following:

 

(i)                 any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement made by the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor in Section 2 hereof;

 

(ii)              any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading; or

 

(iii)            any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, any Pricing Disclosure Package or any non-deal road show prior to the offering of the Securities, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading;

 

and will reimburse, as incurred, the Underwriters and each such controlling person for any reasonable legal or other documented expenses incurred by the Underwriters or such controlling person in connection with investigating, defending against or appearing as a third-party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided, however, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor will not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage, or liability arises out of, or is based upon, any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package or the Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning the Underwriters furnished to the Company by the Underwriters through the Representatives specifically for use therein, which information is described in Section 12 hereof. The indemnity provided for in this Section 9 will be in addition to any liability that the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor may otherwise have to the indemnified parties. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor shall not be liable under this Section 9 for any settlement of any claim or action effected without their prior written consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

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(b)               Each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, their respective directors, their respective officers who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act against any losses, claims, damages or liabilities to which the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor or any such director, officer or controlling person may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of, or are based upon, (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, not misleading; or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Prospectus (or any amendment or supplement thereto), any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or any Pricing Disclosure Package, or caused by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case to the extent, but only to the extent, that such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission was made in reliance upon and in conformity with written information concerning such Underwriter, furnished to the Company by such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, which information is described in Section 12 hereof; and subject to the limitation set forth immediately preceding this clause, will reimburse, as incurred, any reasonable legal or other documented expenses incurred by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor or any such director, officer or controlling person in connection with investigating or defending against or appearing as a third party witness in connection with any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action in respect thereof. The indemnity provided for in this Section 9 will be in addition to any liability that the Underwriters may otherwise have to the indemnified parties. The Underwriters shall not be liable under this Section 9 for any settlement of any claim or action effected without their consent, which shall not be unreasonably withheld.

 

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(c)               Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 9 of notice of the commencement of any action for which such indemnified party is entitled to indemnification under this Section 9, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 9, notify the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof in writing; but the omission to so notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from any liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraphs (a) and (b) above. In case any such action is brought against any indemnified party and it notifies the indemnifying party of the commencement thereof, the indemnifying party will be entitled to participate therein and, to the extent that it may wish, jointly with any other indemnifying party similarly notified, to assume the defense thereof, with counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party; provided, however, that if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the defendants in any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have been advised by counsel that there may be one or more legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties that are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party or (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after receipt by the indemnifying party of notice of the institution of such action, then, in each such case, the indemnifying party shall not have the right to direct the defense of such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties and such indemnified party or parties shall have the right to select separate counsel to defend such action on behalf of such indemnified party or parties. After notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party of its election so to assume the defense thereof and approval by such indemnified party of counsel appointed to defend such action, the indemnifying party will not be liable to such indemnified party under this Section 9 for any legal or other expenses, other than reasonable costs of investigation, subsequently incurred by such indemnified party in connection with the defense thereof, unless (i) the indemnified party shall have employed separate counsel in accordance with the proviso to the immediately preceding sentence (it being understood, however, that in connection with such action the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to local counsel) in any one action or separate but substantially similar actions in the same jurisdiction arising out of the same general allegations or circumstances, designated by the Underwriters in the case of paragraph (a) of this Section 9 or the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor in the case of paragraph (b) of this Section 9, representing the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) or paragraph (b), as the case may be, who are parties to such action or actions) or (ii) the indemnifying party has authorized in writing the employment of counsel for the indemnified party at the expense of the indemnifying party. All fees and expenses reimbursed pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. After such notice from the indemnifying party to such indemnified party, the indemnifying party will not be liable for the costs and expenses of any settlement of such action effected by such indemnified party without the prior written consent of the indemnifying party (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld), unless such indemnified party waived in writing its rights under this Section 9, in which case the indemnified party may effect such a settlement without such consent. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement or compromise of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party, or indemnity could have been sought hereunder by any indemnified party, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional written release of the indemnified party, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to an admission of fault, culpability or failure to act by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

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(d)               In circumstances in which the indemnity agreement provided for in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 9 is unavailable to, or insufficient to hold harmless, an indemnified party in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) referred to herein, each indemnifying party, in order to provide for just and equitable contribution, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect (i) the relative benefits received by the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by the foregoing clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the indemnifying party or parties on the one hand and the indemnified party on the other in connection with the statements or omissions or alleged statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof). The relative benefits received by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor on the one hand and any Underwriter on the other shall be deemed to be in the same proportion as the total proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by the Company bear to the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by such Underwriter. The relative fault of the parties shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor on the one hand, or such Underwriter on the other, the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission or alleged statement or omission, and any other equitable considerations appropriate in the circumstances. The Company, the Subsidiary Guarantor and the Underwriters agree that it would not be equitable if the amount of such contribution were determined by pro rata or per capita allocation or by any other method of allocation that does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in the first sentence of this paragraph (d). Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph (d), no Underwriter shall be obligated to make contributions hereunder that in the aggregate exceed the total underwriting discounts, commissions and other compensation received by such Underwriter under this Agreement, less the aggregate amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been required to pay by reason of the untrue or alleged untrue statements or the omissions or alleged omissions to state a material fact, and no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this paragraph (d), each person, if any, who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Underwriters, and each director of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, each officer of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor who signed the Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company.

 

29

 

 

 

 

Section 10.            Survival Clause. The respective representations, warranties, agreements, covenants, indemnities and other statements of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, their respective officers and the Underwriters set forth in this Agreement or made by or on behalf of them pursuant to this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of (i) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, any of their officers or directors, the Underwriters or any controlling person referred to in Section 9 hereof and (ii) delivery of and payment for the Securities. The respective agreements, covenants, indemnities and other statements set forth in Sections 5, 9, 10, 15 and 16 hereof shall remain in full force and effect, regardless of any termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

 

Section 11.            Termination.

 

(a)               This Agreement may be terminated in the sole discretion of the Underwriters by notice to the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor given prior to the Closing Date in the event that the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor shall have failed, refused or been unable to perform all obligations and satisfy all conditions on their part to be performed or satisfied hereunder at or prior thereto or, if at or prior to the Closing Date:

 

(i)                 any of the Company or the Subsidiaries shall have sustained any loss or interference with respect to its businesses or properties from fire, flood, hurricane, accident or other calamity, whether or not covered by insurance, or from any strike, labor dispute, slow down or work stoppage or any legal or governmental proceeding, which loss or interference, in the sole judgment of the Underwriters, has had or has a Material Adverse Effect, or there shall have been, in the sole judgment of the Underwriters, any event or development that, individually or in the aggregate, has or could be reasonably likely to have a Material Adverse Effect (including, without limitation, a change in control of the Company or the Subsidiaries), except, in each case, as described in the Registration Statement, the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto);

 

(ii)              trading in securities of the Company or in securities generally on the NYSE, NYSE American or the NASDAQ National Market shall have been suspended or materially limited or minimum or maximum prices shall have been established on any such exchange or market;

 

(iii)            a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York or United States authorities or a material disruption in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States;

 

(iv)             there shall have been (A) an outbreak or escalation of hostilities between the United States and any foreign power, (B) an outbreak or escalation of any other insurrection or armed conflict involving the United States or any other national or international calamity or emergency or (C) any material change in the financial markets of the United States which, in the case of (A), (B) or (C) above and in the sole judgment of the Underwriters, makes it impracticable or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or the delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus; or

 

30

 

 

(v)               any securities of the Company shall have been downgraded by any nationally recognized statistical rating organization or any such organization shall have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, or has changed its outlook with respect to, its ratings of any securities of the Company (other than an announcement with positive implications of a possible upgrading).

 

(b)               Termination of this Agreement pursuant to this Section 11 shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as provided in Section 10 hereof.

 

Section 12.            Information Supplied by the Underwriters. The statements set forth (i) in the last paragraph on the front cover page, and (ii) in the fifth paragraph under the heading “Underwriting,” it being understood that there are fifteen paragraphs prior to the sub-heading “Other Relationships (conflicts of interest)” under “Underwriting” in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, as well as the marketing names of the Underwriters contained in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, constitute the only information furnished by the Underwriters to the Company for the purposes of Sections 2(a) and 9 hereof.

 

Section 13.            Notices. All communications hereunder shall be in writing and, if sent to the Underwriters, shall be mailed or delivered to: (i) BofA Securities, Inc., 50 Rockefeller Plaza, NY1-050-12-01, New York, New York 10020, Attention: High Grade Debt Capital Markets Transaction Management/Legal, (ii) Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., 1301 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10019, Attention: Fixed Income Syndicate, (iii) J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, 383 Madison Avenue, 6th Floor, New York, New York, 10036, Attention: Investment Grade Syndicate Desk and (iv) Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 550 South Tryon Street, 5th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Transaction Management, and (v) if sent to the Company, shall be mailed or delivered to 303 International Circle, Suite 200, Hunt Valley, Maryland, 21030, Attention: Robert O. Stephenson, Chief Financial Officer; with a copy to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP, One Atlantic Center, Fourteenth Floor, 1201 W. Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3488, Attention: Eliot Robinson.

 

All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: when delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five business days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; and one business day after being timely delivered to a next-day air courier.

 

Section 14.            Successors. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the Underwriters, the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantor and their respective successors and legal representatives, and nothing expressed or mentioned in this Agreement is intended or shall be construed to give any other person any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or in respect of this Agreement, or any provisions herein contained; this Agreement and all conditions and provisions hereof being intended to be and being for the sole and exclusive benefit of such persons and for the benefit of no other person except that (i) the indemnities of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor contained in Section 9 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of any person or persons who control the Underwriters within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and (ii) the indemnities of the Underwriters contained in Section 9 of this Agreement shall also be for the benefit of the directors of the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, their officers and any person or persons who control the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor within the meaning of Section 15 of the Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act. No purchaser of Securities from the Underwriters will be deemed a successor because of such purchase.

 

31

 

 

Section 15.            APPLICABLE LAW. THE VALIDITY AND INTERPRETATION OF THIS AGREEMENT, AND THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK APPLICABLE TO CONTRACTS MADE AND TO BE PERFORMED WHOLLY THEREIN, WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY PROVISIONS THEREOF RELATING TO CONFLICTS OF LAW.

 

Section 16.            Trial by Jury. The Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its security holders and affiliates) and each of the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

 

Section 17.            Default by an Underwriter. If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Notes agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and pay for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Notes set forth opposite their names in Schedule 1 hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Notes set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Notes which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided, however, that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Notes which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes set forth in Schedule 1 hereto, the Company shall be entitled to a further period of 36 hours within which to procure another party or parties reasonably satisfactory to the nondefaulting Underwriter or Underwriters to purchase no less than the amount of such unpurchased Notes that exceeds 10% of the principal amount thereof upon such terms herein set forth. If, however, the Company shall not have completed such arrangements within 72 hours after such default and the principal amount of such unpurchased Notes exceeds 10% of the principal amount of such Notes to be purchased on such date, then this Agreement will terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 16, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not exceeding five business days, as the Representatives, the Company and their counsel shall determine in order that the required changes in the Pricing Disclosure Package and the Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company or any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

 

32

 

 

Section 18.            No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor acknowledge and agree that (i) the offering of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor, on the one hand, and the Underwriters, on the other, (ii) in connection therewith and with the process leading to such transaction each Underwriter is acting solely as a principal and not the agent or fiduciary of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, (iii) no Underwriter has assumed an advisory or fiduciary responsibility in favor of the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor with respect to the offering contemplated hereby or the process leading thereto (irrespective of whether such Underwriter has advised or is currently advising the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor on other matters) or any other obligation to the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor except the obligations expressly set forth in this Agreement and (iv) the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor have consulted their own legal and financial advisors to the extent they deemed appropriate. The Company and the Subsidiary Guarantor agree that they will not claim that any Underwriter has rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owes a fiduciary or similar duty to the Company or the Subsidiary Guarantor, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

 

Section 19.            Recognition of the U.S. Special Resolution Regimes.

 

(a)               In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, the transfer from such Underwriter of this Agreement, and any interest and obligation in or under this Agreement, will be effective to the same extent as the transfer would be effective under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement, and any such interest and obligation, were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

(b)               In the event that any Underwriter that is a Covered Entity or a BHC Act Affiliate of such Underwriter becomes subject to a proceeding under a U.S. Special Resolution Regime, Default Rights under this Agreement that may be exercised against such Underwriter are permitted to be exercised to no greater extent than such Default Rights could be exercised under the U.S. Special Resolution Regime if this Agreement were governed by the laws of the United States or a state of the United States.

 

As used in this Section 19, “BHC Act Affiliate” has the meaning assigned to the term “affiliate” in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 U.S.C. § 1841(k); “Covered Entity” means any of the following: (i) a “covered entity” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 252.82(b), (ii) a “covered bank” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 47.3(b) or (iii) a “covered FSI” as that term is defined in, and interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. § 382.2(b); “Default Right” has the meaning assigned to that term in, and shall be interpreted in accordance with, 12 C.F.R. §§ 252.81, 47.2 or 382.1, as applicable; and “U.S. Special Resolution Regime” means each of (i) the Federal Deposit Insurance Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder and (ii) Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Section 20.            Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

33

 

 

If the foregoing correctly sets forth our understanding, please indicate your acceptance thereof in the space provided below for that purpose, whereupon this letter shall constitute a binding agreement between the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantor and the Underwriters.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.,
  as the Company
   
  By: /s/ Robert O. Stephenson
    Name: Robert O. Stephenson
               Title: Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary
     
  OHI HEALTHCARE PROPERTIES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
      as the Subsidiary Guarantor
         
  By: /s/ Robert O. Stephenson
    Name: Robert O. Stephenson
               Title: Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

 

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written.    

 

  BOFA SECURITES, INC.
   
  Acting on behalf of itself and as a Representative of the several Underwriters
     
  By:   BOFA SECURITIES, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Douglas Muller
    Name: Douglas Muller                  
    Title Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

  CREDIT AGRICOLE SECURITIES (USA) INC.
   
  Acting on behalf of itself and as a Representative of the several Underwriters
     
     
  By: CREDIT AGRICOLE SECURITIES (USA) INC.
     
  By: /s/ David C. Travis
    Name: David C. Travis             
    Title: Managing Director

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

  J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
   
  Acting on behalf of itself and as a Representative of the several Underwriters
     
     
  By: J.P. MORGAN SECURITIES LLC
     
  By: /s/ Stephen L. Sheiner
    Name: Stephen L. Sheiner                   
    Title: Executive Director

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

  WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
   
  Acting on behalf of itself and as a Representatives of the several Underwriters
     
  By: WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC
     
  By: /s/ Carolyn Hurley
  Name: Carolyn Hurley          
    Title: Director

 

[Signature Page to Underwriting Agreement]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Underwriters   Principal Amount of
Notes
 
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC   $ 71,250,000  
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.   $ 63,750,000  
J.P. Morgan Securities, LLC   $ 63,750,000  
BofA Securities, Inc.   $ 56,250,000  
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC   $ 45,000,000  
Capital One Securities, Inc.   $ 25,000,000  
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC   $ 20,000,000  
BBVA Securities Inc.   $ 20,000,000  
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.   $ 20,000,000  
RBC Capital Markets, LLC   $ 20,000,000  
Regions Securities LLC   $ 20,000,000  
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.   $ 20,000,000  
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated   $ 20,000,000  
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.   $ 20,000,000  
Fifth Third Securities, Inc.   $ 5,000,000  
The Huntington Investment Company   $ 5,000,000  
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.   $ 5,000,000  
Total   $ 500,000,000  

 

 

 

ANNEX A

 

Pricing Term Sheet substantially in the form of Annex B.

 

 

 

ANNEX B

 

  Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, dated September 17, 2019
Filed Pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act of 1933
Supplementing the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated September 17, 2019
Registration Statement No. 333-228321

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
$500,000,000

3.625% Senior Notes due 2029

September 17, 2019

 

Issuer: Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
   
Guarantees: The notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the Company's existing and future subsidiaries that guarantee unsecured indebtedness under the Company's existing senior notes and the facilities for money borrowed of the Company in a principal amount at least equal to $50 million including the Company's credit agreements  
   
Expected Ratings*: Baa3 (Moody’s) / BBB- (S&P) / BBB- (Fitch)
   
Title of Securities: 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029
   
Aggregate Principal Amount: $500,000,000
   
Trade Date: September 17, 2019
   
Settlement Date: September 20, 2019 (T +3)
   
Final Maturity Date: October 1, 2029
   
Issue Price to Public: 98.542% plus accrued interest, if any, from September 20, 2019  
   
Gross Proceeds to Issuer: $492,710,000
   
Coupon: 3.625%
   
Yield to Maturity: 3.801%
   
Benchmark Treasury: UST 1.625% due August 15, 2029  

 

 

 

Benchmark Treasury Yield: 1.801%
   
Spread to Benchmark Treasury: +200 basis points
   
Interest Payment Dates: April 1 and October 1, commencing April 1, 2020
   
Record Dates: March 15 and September 15
   
Optional Redemption Provisions: Make-whole call @ T+30 bps Par call on or after July 1, 2029  
   
CUSIP/ISIN Numbers: 681936 BL3 / US681936BL34  
   
Joint Book-Running Managers: Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
BofA Securities, Inc.
Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC  
   
Senior Co-Managers: Capital One Securities, Inc.
BB&T Capital Markets, a division of BB&T Securities, LLC
BBVA Securities Inc.
MUFG Securities Americas Inc.
RBC Capital Markets, LLC
Regions Securities LLC
Scotia Capital (USA) Inc.
Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated
SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc.  
   
Co-Managers: Fifth Third Securities, Inc.
The Huntington Investment Company
SMBC Nikko Securities America, Inc.

 

*An explanation of the significance of ratings may be obtained from the rating agencies. Generally, rating agencies base their ratings on such material and information, and such of their own investigations, studies and assumptions, as they deem appropriate. The ratings of the notes should be evaluated independently from similar ratings of other securities. A credit rating of a security is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to review, revision, suspension, reduction or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency.

 

 

 

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a preliminary prospectus supplement and a prospectus) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the preliminary prospectus supplement and prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus supplement and prospectus if you request it by calling Wells Fargo Securities, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-645-3751, BofA Securities, Inc. toll-free at 1-800-294-1322, Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. at (866) 807-6030, or J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at (212) 834-4533.

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

Form of Certificate of the Chief Financial Officer of the Company

 

I, Robert O. Stephenson, Chief Financial Officer of Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), hereby certify, on behalf of the Company and its subsidiaries, that:

 

1. I am knowledgeable with respect to the accounting records and internal accounting practices, policies, procedures and controls of the Company and its subsidiaries and as the Chief Financial Officer of the Company have responsibility for financial and accounting matters with respect to the Company and its subsidiaries, including, among other things: (i) preparing quarterly and annual financial statements and related disclosures for the Company in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and (ii) maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting.

 

2. I, or persons under my supervision, have reviewed the circled information on the attached copies of selected pages from the preliminary prospectus dated September 17, 2019 (the “Preliminary Prospectus”), including pages from certain of the documents incorporated by reference therein (the “Circled Information”), and believe such Circled Information, as of the date of the Preliminary Prospectus and the date hereof, matches or is accurately derived from the applicable internal accounting or financial records of the Company.

 

This certificate is being furnished to the Underwriters to assist the Underwriters in conducting and documenting their investigation of the affairs of the Company in connection with the offering and sale of the Notes.

 

Capitalized terms used herein without definition shall have the respective meanings ascribed to them in the purchase agreement between the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantor referred to therein and the Underwriters referred to therein dated as of September 17, 2019.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has hereunto set his hands on the date first set forth above.

 

OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.  
   
for itself and its subsidiaries  
   
   
Name: Robert O. Stephenson  
   
Title: Chief Financial Officer  

 

 

Exhibit 4.1

 

Execution Version 

 

 

OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.,
as Issuer,

 

the SUBSIDIARY GUARANTORS named herein,
as Subsidiary Guarantors,

 

and

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
as Trustee

 

 

 

 

INDENTURE

 

 

 

Dated as of September 20, 2019

 

 

 

3.625% Senior Notes due 2029

 

  

 

 

 

Trust Indenture Act Section

 

Indenture Section

310 (a)(1)   7.10
  (a)(2)   7.10
  (a)(3)   N.A.
  (a)(4)   N.A.
  (a)(5)   7.08; 7.10
  (b)   7.08; 7.10
  (c)   N.A.
311 (a)   7.11
  (b)   7.11
  (c)   N.A.
312 (a)   2.05
  (b)   11.03
  (c)   11.03
313 (a)   7.06
  (b)(1)   7.06
  (b)(2)   7.06; 7.07
  (c)   7.06; 11.02
  (d)   7.06
314 (a)   4.05; 4.10; 11.02; 11.05
  (b)   N.A.
  (c)(1)   7.02; 11.04; 11.05
  (c)(2)   7.02; 11.04; 11.05
  (c)(3)   N.A.
  (d)   N.A.
  (e)   11.05
  (f)   N.A.
315 (a)   7.01(b); 7.02(b)
  (b)   7.05; 11.02
  (c)   7.01
  (d)   6.05; 7.01(c)
  (e)   6.11
316 (a) (last sentence)   2.09
  (a)(1)(A)   6.05
  (a)(1)(B)   6.04
  (a)(2)   N.A.
  (b)   6.07
  (c)   9.04
317 (a)(1)   6.08
  (a)(2)   6.09
  (b)   2.04
318 (a)   11.01
  (c)   11.01

 

 

N.A. means Not Applicable

 

Note: This Cross-Reference Table shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be a part of this Indenture.

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  

  Page 
  ARTICLE One  
  DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE  
Section 1.01 Definitions  1
Section 1.02 Other Definitions  13
Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act  14
Section 1.04 Rules of Construction  14
   
  ARTICLE Two  
  THE NOTES  
Section 2.01 Form and Dating  15
Section 2.02 Execution, Authentication and Denomination; Additional Notes  15
Section 2.03 Registrar and Paying Agent  17
Section 2.04 Paying Agent To Hold Assets in Trust  17
Section 2.05 Holder Lists  17
Section 2.06 Transfer and Exchange  18
Section 2.07 Replacement Notes  18
Section 2.08 Outstanding Notes  19
Section 2.09 Treasury Notes  19
Section 2.10 Temporary Notes  19
Section 2.11 Cancellation 19
Section 2.12 Defaulted Interest  20
Section 2.13 CUSIP and ISIN Numbers  20
Section 2.14 Deposit of Moneys  20
Section 2.15 Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes 20
     
  ARTICLE Three  
  REDEMPTION  
Section 3.01 Notices to Trustee  22
Section 3.02 Selection of Notes To Be Redeemed  22
Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption  23
Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption  24
Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price  24
Section 3.06 Notes Redeemed in Part  24

 

i 

 

 

  ARTICLE Four  
  COVENANTS  
Section 4.01 Payment of Notes  24
Section 4.02 Maintenance of Office or Agency  25
Section 4.03 Corporate Existence  25
Section 4.04 Payment of Taxes  25
Section 4.05 Compliance Certificate; Notice of Default  26
Section 4.06 Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws  26
Section 4.07 Limitation on Indebtedness  26
Section 4.08 Maintenance of Total Unencumbered Assets  27
Section 4.09 Limitation on Issuances of Guarantees by Subsidiaries  27
Section 4.10 Reports to Holders  27
     
  ARTICLE Five  
  SUCCESSOR CORPORATION  
Section 5.01 Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets  28
     
  ARTICLE Six  
  DEFAULT AND REMEDIES  
Section 6.01 Events of Default  30
Section 6.02 Acceleration  31
Section 6.03 Other Remedies  32
Section 6.04 Waiver of Past Defaults  32
Section 6.05 Control by Majority  32
Section 6.06 Limitation on Suits  33
Section 6.07 Rights of Holders To Receive Payment  33
Section 6.08 Collection Suit by Trustee  34
Section 6.09 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim  34
Section 6.10 Priorities  34
Section 6.11 Undertaking for Costs  35
     
  ARTICLE Seven  
  TRUSTEE  
Section 7.01 Duties of Trustee  35
Section 7.02 Rights of Trustee  36
Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee  37
Section 7.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer  37
Section 7.05 Notice of Default  38
Section 7.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders  38

 

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Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity  38
Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee  39
Section 7.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc.  40
Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification  40
Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer  40
     
  ARTICLE Eight  
  DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE  
Section 8.01 Termination of the Issuer’s Obligations  41
Section 8.02 Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance  42
Section 8.03 Conditions to Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance  43
Section 8.04 Application of Trust Money  44
Section 8.05 Repayment to the Issuer  45
Section 8.06 Reinstatement 45
   
  ARTICLE Nine  
  AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS  
Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders  46
Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders  47
Section 9.03 Compliance with the Trust Indenture Act  48
Section 9.04 Revocation and Effect of Consents  48
Section 9.05 Notation on or Exchange of Notes  49
Section 9.06 Trustee To Sign Amendments, Etc.  49
   
  ARTICLE Ten  
  SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE  
Section 10.01 Guarantee  49
Section 10.02 Limitation on Subsidiary Guarantor Liability  50
Section 10.03 Execution and Delivery of Subsidiary Guarantee  51
Section 10.04 Release of a Subsidiary Guarantor  51
     
  ARTICLE Eleven  
  MISCELLANEOUS  
Section 11.01 Trust Indenture Act Controls 52
Section 11.02 Notices  52
Section 11.03 Communications by Holders with Other Holders  53
Section 11.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent  54
Section 11.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion  54
Section 11.06 Rules by Paying Agent or Registrar  54
Section 11.07 Legal Holidays  54

 

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Section 11.08 Governing Law 55 
Section 11.09 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements 55 
Section 11.10 No Recourse Against Others 55 
Section 11.11 Successors 55 
Section 11.12 Duplicate Originals 55 
Section 11.13 Severability 55 

 

SIGNATURES S-1
     
Exhibit A - Form of Note
Exhibit B - Form of Legends
Exhibit C - Form of Notation of Subsidiary Guarantee

  

Note: This Table of Contents shall not, for any purpose, be deemed to be part of this Indenture.

 

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INDENTURE dated as of September 20, 2019 among Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Issuer”), each of the Subsidiary Guarantors named herein, as Subsidiary Guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, a national banking association organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as Trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

The Issuer has duly authorized the creation of an issue of 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 and, to provide therefor, the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors have duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make the Notes, when duly issued and executed by the Issuer and authenticated and delivered hereunder, the valid and binding obligations of the Issuer and to make this Indenture a valid and binding agreement of the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors have been done.

 

THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Notes by the Holders thereof, the parties hereto covenant and agree, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders, as follows:

 

ARTICLE One

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

Section 1.01        Definitions.

 

Set forth below are certain defined terms used in this Indenture.

 

Acquired Indebtedness” means Indebtedness of a Person existing at the time such Person becomes a Subsidiary or that is assumed in connection with an Asset Acquisition from such Person by a Subsidiary and not incurred by such Person in connection with, or in anticipation of, such Person becoming a Subsidiary or such Asset Acquisition; provided, however, that Indebtedness of such Person that is redeemed, defeased, retired or otherwise repaid at the time of or immediately upon consummation of the transactions by which such Person becomes a Subsidiary or such Asset Acquisition shall not be Acquired Indebtedness.

 

Adjusted Consolidated Net Income” means, for any period, the aggregate net income (or loss) (before giving effect to cash dividends on preferred stock of the Issuer or charges resulting from the redemption of preferred stock of the Issuer) of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries for such period determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP; provided, however, that the following items shall be excluded in computing Adjusted Consolidated Net Income, without duplication:

 

(1)         the net income of any Person, other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary, except to the extent of the amount of dividends or other distributions actually paid to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries by such Person during such period;

 

 

 

 

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

 

(3)         any after-tax gains or losses attributable to asset sales; and

 

(4)         all extraordinary gains and extraordinary losses.

 

Adjusted Total Assets” means, for any Person, the sum of:

 

(1)         Total Assets for such Person as of the end of the fiscal quarter preceding the Transaction Date as set forth on the most recent quarterly or annual consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, prepared in conformity with GAAP and filed with the SEC or provided to the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.10; and

 

(2)         any increase in Total Assets following the end of such quarter including, without limitation, any increase in Total Assets resulting from the application of the proceeds of any additional Indebtedness.

 

Affiliate” means, as applied to any Person, any other Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under direct or indirect common control with, such Person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

Agent” means any Registrar or Paying Agent.

 

amend” means to amend, supplement, restate, amend and restate or otherwise modify, including successively; and “amendment” shall have a correlative meaning.

 

Asset Acquisition” means:

 

(1)         an investment by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries in any other Person pursuant to which such Person shall become a Subsidiary or shall be merged into or consolidated with the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that such Person’s primary business is related, ancillary, incidental or complementary to the businesses of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries on the date of such investment; or

 

(2)         an acquisition by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries from any other Person of assets that constitute substantially all of a division or line of business, or one or more healthcare properties, of such Person; provided, however, that the assets and properties acquired are related, ancillary, incidental or complementary to the businesses of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries on the date of such acquisition.

 

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Asset Disposition” means the sale or other disposition by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, other than to the Issuer or another Subsidiary, of:

 

(1)         all or substantially all of the Capital Stock of any Subsidiary; or

 

(2)         all or substantially all of the assets that constitute a division or line of business, or one or more healthcare properties, of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the United States Code, as amended, or any insolvency or other similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors.

 

Board of Directors” means, as to any Person, the board of directors (or similar governing body) of such Person or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

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

 

Business Day” means a day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which banking institutions in New York or Maryland are authorized or required by law to close.

 

Capital Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting), including partnership interests, whether general or limited, in the equity of such Person, whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter, including, without limitation, all Common Stock and Preferred Stock.

 

Capitalized Lease” means, as applied to any Person, any lease of any property, whether real, personal or mixed, of which the discounted present value of the rental obligations of such Person as lessee, in conformity with GAAP, is required to be capitalized on the balance sheet of such Person as a finance lease.

 

Capitalized Lease Obligations” means the discounted present value of the rental obligations under a Capitalized Lease as reflected on the balance sheet of such Person as determined in conformity with GAAP.

 

Closing Date” means September 20, 2019.

 

Common Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) that have no preference on liquidation or with respect to distributions over any other class of Capital Stock, including partnership interests, whether general or limited, of such Person’s equity, whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter, including, without limitation, all series and classes of common stock.

 

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Consolidated EBITDA” means, for any period, Adjusted Consolidated Net Income for such period plus amounts which have been deducted and minus amounts which have been added for, without duplication:

 

(1)         Consolidated Interest Expense;

 

(2)         provision for taxes based on income;

 

(3)         impairment losses and gains on sales or other dispositions of properties and other Investments;

 

(4)         real estate related depreciation and amortization expense;

 

(5)         the effect of any non-recurring, non-cash items;

 

(6)         amortization of deferred charges;

 

(7)         gains or losses on early extinguishment of Indebtedness; and

 

(8)         acquisition expenses;

 

all as determined on a consolidated basis for the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in conformity with GAAP; provided, however, that, if any Subsidiary is not a Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Consolidated EBITDA shall be reduced (to the extent not already reduced in Adjusted Consolidated Net Income or otherwise reduced in accordance with GAAP) by an amount equal to:

 

(x)       the amount of the Adjusted Consolidated Net Income attributable to such Subsidiary multiplied by

 

(y)       the percentage ownership interest in the income of such Subsidiary not owned on the last day of such period by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Consolidated Interest Expense” means, for any period, the aggregate amount of interest expense in respect of Indebtedness of the Issuer and the Subsidiaries during such period, all as determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP including, without limitation (without duplication):

 

(1)         amortization of debt issuance costs, debt discount or premium and other financing fees and expenses;

 

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(2)         the interest portion of any deferred payment obligations;

 

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

 

(4)         the net costs associated with Interest Rate Agreements and Indebtedness that is Guaranteed or secured by assets of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries; and

 

(5)         all but the principal component of rentals in respect of Capitalized Lease Obligations paid, accrued or scheduled to be paid or to be accrued by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries;

 

excluding, to the extent included in interest expense above, the amount of such interest expense of any Subsidiary if the net income of such Subsidiary is excluded in the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (2) of the definition thereof (but only in the same proportion as the net income of such Subsidiary is excluded from the calculation of Adjusted Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clause (2) of the definition thereof), as determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP.

 

Corporate Trust Office” means the corporate trust office of the Trustee located at Two Midtown Plaza, 1349 W. Peachtree Street, NW, Suite 1050, EX-GA-ATPT, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, Attention: Corporate Trust Department, or such other office, designated by the Trustee by written notice to the Issuer, at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered.

 

Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

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

 

Depository” means The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, or a successor thereto registered under the Exchange Act or other applicable statute or regulation.

 

Disqualified Stock” means any class or series of Capital Stock of any Person that by its terms or otherwise is:

 

(1)         required to be redeemed prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes,

 

(2)         redeemable at the option of the holder of such class or series of Capital Stock, at any time prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes, or

 

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(3)         convertible into or exchangeable for Capital Stock referred to in clause (1) or (2) above or Indebtedness having a scheduled maturity prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes;

 

provided, however, that any Capital Stock that would not constitute Disqualified Stock but for customary provisions thereof giving holders thereof the right to require such Person to repurchase or redeem such Capital Stock upon the occurrence of an “asset sale” or “change of control” occurring prior to the Stated Maturity of the Notes shall not constitute Disqualified Stock.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or any successor statute or statutes thereto.

 

Existing Note Indentures” means the indenture governing the Issuer’s 4.375% senior notes due 2023, the indenture governing the Issuer’s 4.950% senior notes due 2024, the indenture governing the Issuer’s 4.500% senior notes due 2025, the indenture governing the Issuer’s 5.250% senior notes due 2026, the indenture governing the Issuer’s 4.500% senior notes due 2027 and the indenture governing the Issuer’s 4.750% senior notes due 2028 (each an “Existing Note Indenture”), as each such Existing Note Indenture may be supplemented from time to time.

 

Fair Market Value” means the price that would be paid in an arm’s-length transaction between an informed and willing seller under no compulsion to sell and an informed and willing buyer under no compulsion to buy, as determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of the Issuer, whose determination shall be conclusive if evidenced by a Board Resolution.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America as in effect as of the date of this indenture, including, without limitation, those set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession. Except as otherwise specifically provided in this Indenture, all terms of an accounting or financial nature and all ratios and computations contained or referred to in this Indenture shall be computed in conformity with GAAP applied on a consistent basis.

 

Guarantee” means any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of any Person directly or indirectly guaranteeing any Indebtedness of any other Person and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, any obligation, direct or indirect, contingent or otherwise, of such Person:

 

(1)         to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness of such other Person (whether arising by virtue of partnership arrangements, or by agreements to keep-well, to purchase assets, goods, securities or services (unless such purchase arrangements are on arm’s-length terms and are entered into in the ordinary course of business), to take-or-pay, or to maintain financial statement conditions or otherwise); or

 

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(2)         entered into for purposes of assuring in any other manner the obligee of such Indebtedness of the payment thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part);

 

provided, however, that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit in the ordinary course of business. The term “Guarantee” used as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

Holder” means any registered holder, from time to time, of the Notes.

 

Incur” means, with respect to any Indebtedness, to incur, create, issue, assume, Guarantee or otherwise become liable for or with respect to, or become responsible for, the payment of, contingently or otherwise, such Indebtedness, including an “Incurrence” of Acquired Indebtedness; provided, however, that neither the accrual of interest nor the accretion of original issue discount shall be considered an Incurrence of Indebtedness.

 

Indebtedness” means, with respect to any Person at any date of determination (without duplication):

 

(1)         all indebtedness of such Person for borrowed money;

 

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

 

(3)         the face amount of letters of credit or other similar instruments, excluding obligations with respect to letters of credit (including trade letters of credit) securing obligations (other than obligations described in (1) or (2) above or (4), (5) or (6) below) entered into in the ordinary course of business of such Person to the extent such letters of credit are not drawn upon or, if drawn upon, to the extent such drawing is reimbursed no later than the third Business Day following receipt by such Person of a demand for reimbursement;

 

(4)         all unconditional obligations of such Person to pay amounts representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property (which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto), except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or Trade Payable;

 

(5)         all Capitalized Lease Obligations;

 

(6)         all Indebtedness of other Persons secured by a Lien on any asset of such Person, whether or not such Indebtedness is assumed by such Person; provided, however, that the amount of such Indebtedness shall be the lesser of (A) the Fair Market Value of such asset at that date of determination and (B) the amount of such Indebtedness;

 

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and also includes, to the extent not otherwise included, any non-contingent obligation of such Person to be liable for, or to pay, as obligor, guarantor or otherwise (other than for purposes of collection in the ordinary course of business), Indebtedness of the types referred to in items (1) through (6) above of another Person (it being understood that Indebtedness shall be deemed to be Incurred by such Person whenever such Person shall create, assume, guarantee (on a non-contingent basis) or otherwise become liable in respect thereof). In addition,

 

(1)         the amount outstanding at any time of any Indebtedness issued with original issue discount shall be deemed to be the face amount with respect to such Indebtedness less the remaining unamortized portion of the original issue discount of such Indebtedness at the date of determination in conformity with GAAP, and

 

(2)         Indebtedness shall not include any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes.

 

Indenture” means this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

interest” means, with respect to the Notes, interest on the Notes.

 

Interest Coverage Ratio” means, on any Transaction Date, the ratio of:

 

(x)       the aggregate amount of Consolidated EBITDA for the then most recent four fiscal quarters prior to such Transaction Date for which reports have been filed with the SEC or provided to the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.10 (“Four Quarter Period”) to

 

(y)       the aggregate Consolidated Interest Expense during such Four Quarter Period. In making the foregoing calculation,

 

(1)         pro forma effect shall be given to any Indebtedness Incurred or repaid (other than in connection with an Asset Acquisition or Asset Disposition) during the period (“Reference Period”) commencing on the first day of the Four Quarter Period and ending on the Transaction Date (other than Indebtedness Incurred or repaid under a revolving credit or similar arrangement), in each case as if such Indebtedness had been Incurred or repaid on the first day of such Reference Period;

 

(2)         Consolidated Interest Expense attributable to interest on any Indebtedness (whether existing or being Incurred) computed on a pro forma basis and bearing a floating interest rate shall be computed as if the rate in effect on the Transaction Date (taking into account any Interest Rate Agreement applicable to such Indebtedness if such Interest Rate Agreement has a remaining term in excess of 12 months or, if shorter, at least equal to the remaining term of such Indebtedness) had been the applicable rate for the entire period;

 

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(3)         pro forma effect shall be given to Asset Dispositions and Asset Acquisitions and Investments (including giving pro forma effect to the application of proceeds of any Asset Disposition and any Indebtedness Incurred or repaid in connection with any such Asset Acquisitions or Asset Dispositions) that occur during such Reference Period but subsequent to the end of the related Four Quarter Period as if they had occurred and such proceeds had been applied on the first day of such Reference Period; and

 

(4)         pro forma effect shall be given to asset dispositions and asset acquisitions (including giving pro forma effect to (i) the application of proceeds of any asset disposition and any Indebtedness Incurred or repaid in connection with any such asset acquisitions or asset dispositions and (ii) expense and cost reductions calculated on a basis consistent with Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act) that have been made by any Person that has become a Subsidiary or has been merged with or into the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries during such Reference Period but subsequent to the end of the related Four Quarter Period and that would have constituted asset dispositions or asset acquisitions during such Reference Period but subsequent to the end of the related Four Quarter Period had such transactions occurred when such Person was a Subsidiary as if such asset dispositions or asset acquisitions were Asset Dispositions or Asset Acquisitions and had occurred on the first day of such Reference Period;

 

provided, however, that to the extent that clause (3) or (4) of this paragraph requires that pro forma effect be given to an Asset Acquisition or Asset Disposition or asset acquisition or asset disposition, as the case may be, such pro forma calculation shall be based upon the four full fiscal quarters immediately preceding the Transaction Date of the Person, or division or line of business, or one or more healthcare properties, of the Person that is acquired or disposed of to the extent that such financial information is available.

 

Interest Payment Date” means the Stated Maturity of an installment of interest on the Notes.

 

Interest Rate Agreement” means any interest rate protection agreement, interest rate future agreement, interest rate option agreement, interest rate swap agreement, interest rate cap agreement, interest rate collar agreement, interest rate hedge agreement, option or future contract or other similar agreement or arrangement with respect to interest rates.

 

Investment” in any Person means any direct or indirect advance, loan or other extension of credit (including, without limitation, by way of Guarantee or similar arrangement, but excluding advances to customers in the ordinary course of business that are, in conformity with GAAP, recorded as accounts receivable on the consolidated balance sheet of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries) or capital contribution to (by means of any transfer of cash or other property (tangible or intangible) to others or any payment for property or services solely for the account or use of others, or otherwise), or any purchase or acquisition of Capital Stock, bonds, notes, debentures or other similar instruments issued by, such Person.

 

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Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, security interest, encumbrance, lien or charge of any kind (including, without limitation, any conditional sale or other title retention agreement or lease in the nature thereof or any agreement to give any security interest).

 

Notes” means, collectively, the Issuer’s 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 issued in accordance with Section 2.02 (whether issued on the Closing Date, issued as Additional Notes, or otherwise issued after the Closing Date) treated as a single class of securities under this Indenture, as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms of this Indenture.

 

Officer” means any of the following of the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor, as applicable: the Chairman of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, the Chief Financial Officer, the President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary.

 

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion from legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of, or counsel to, the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantor or the Trustee.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or other agency or political subdivision thereof or other entity of any kind.

 

Preferred Stock” means, with respect to any Person, any and all shares, interests, participations or other equivalents (however designated, whether voting or non-voting) that have a preference on liquidation or with respect to distributions over any other class of Capital Stock, including preferred partnership interests, whether general or limited, or such Person’s preferred or preference stock, whether outstanding on the Closing Date or issued thereafter, including, without limitation, all series and classes of such preferred or preference stock.

 

principal” means, with respect to the Notes, the principal of and premium, if any, on the Notes.

 

Prospectus Supplement” means the prospectus supplement, dated September 20, 2019, relating to the offering of the Notes.

 

Record Date” means the applicable Record Date specified in the Notes; provided, however, that if any such date is not a Business Day, the Record Date shall be the first day immediately succeeding such specified day that is a Business Day.

 

redeem” means to redeem, repurchase, purchase, defease, retire, discharge or otherwise acquire or retire for value; and “redemption” shall have a correlative meaning; provided, however, that this definition shall not apply for purposes of Section 5 of the Notes or Article Three.

 

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Redemption Date,” when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, means the date fixed for such redemption pursuant to this Indenture and the Notes.

 

Redemption Price,” when used with respect to any Note to be redeemed, means the price fixed for such redemption, payable in immediately available funds, pursuant to this Indenture and the Notes.

 

Responsible Officer” means, when used with respect to the Trustee, any officer in the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of such officer’s knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and shall also mean any officer who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture.

 

SEC” means the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Secured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness secured by a Lien upon the property of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any successor statute or statutes thereto.

 

Significant Subsidiary,” with respect to any Person, means any subsidiary of such Person that satisfies the criteria for a “significant subsidiary” set forth in Rule 1.02(w) of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act.

 

Stated Maturity” means:

 

(1)         with respect to any debt security, the date specified in such debt security as the fixed date on which the final installment of principal of such debt security is due and payable; and

 

(2)         with respect to any scheduled installment of principal of or interest on any debt security, the date specified in such debt security as the fixed date on which such installment is due and payable.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the voting power of the outstanding Voting Stock is owned, directly or indirectly, by such Person and one or more other Subsidiaries of such Person and the accounts of which would be consolidated with those of such Person in its consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP, if such statements were prepared as of such date.

 

Subsidiary Guarantee” means a Guarantee by each Subsidiary Guarantor for payment of the Notes by such Subsidiary Guarantor. The Subsidiary Guarantee will be an unsecured senior obligation of each Subsidiary Guarantor and will be unconditional regardless of the enforceability of the Notes and this Indenture. Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Subsidiary Guarantee by a Subsidiary Guarantor shall provide by its terms that it shall be automatically and unconditionally released and discharged under the circumstances described in Section 10.04 hereof.

 

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Subsidiary Guarantors” means (i) each Subsidiary that is a guarantor of Indebtedness under the Existing Note Indentures on the Closing Date and (ii) each other Person that is required to become a Subsidiary Guarantor by the terms of this Indenture after the Closing Date, in each case, until such Person is released from its Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

Total Assets” means the sum (without duplication) of:

 

(1)         Undepreciated Real Estate Assets; and

 

(2)         all other assets (excluding intangibles and accounts receivable) of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in conformity with GAAP.

 

Total Unencumbered Assets” as of any date means the sum of:

 

(1)         those Undepreciated Real Estate Assets not securing any portion of Secured Indebtedness; and

 

(2)         all other assets (but excluding intangibles and accounts receivable) of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries not securing any portion of Secured Indebtedness determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP;

 

provided, however, that all investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, unconsolidated limited partnerships, unconsolidated limited liability companies and other unconsolidated entities shall be excluded from Total Unencumbered Assets to the extent that such investments would have otherwise been included.

 

Trade Payables” means, with respect to any Person, any accounts payable or any other indebtedness or monetary obligation to trade creditors created, assumed or Guaranteed by such Person or any of its Subsidiaries arising in the ordinary course of business in connection with the acquisition of goods or services.

 

Transaction Date” means, with respect to the Incurrence of any Indebtedness by the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries, the date such Indebtedness is to be Incurred.

 

Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended.

 

Trustee” means the party named as such in this Indenture until a successor replaces it in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and thereafter means such successor.

 

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Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” means, as of any date, the cost (being the original cost to the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries plus capital improvements) of real estate assets of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on such date, including, but not limited to, right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as finance leases on the balance sheet of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, before depreciation and amortization of such real estate assets, determined on a consolidated basis in conformity with GAAP; provided, however that “Undepreciated Real Estate Assets” shall not include right-of-use assets associated with leases of property required to be reflected as operating leases on the balance sheet of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP.

 

Unsecured Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries that is not Secured Indebtedness.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” means direct obligations of, obligations guaranteed by, or participations in pools consisting solely of obligations of or obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America for the payment of which obligations or guarantee the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged and that are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

 

U.S. Legal Tender” means such coin or currency of the United States of America that at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 

Voting Stock” means with respect to any Person, Capital Stock of any class or kind ordinarily having the power to vote for the election of directors, managers or other voting members of the governing body of such Person.

 

Wholly Owned” means, with respect to any Subsidiary of any Person, the ownership of all of the outstanding Capital Stock of such Subsidiary (other than any director’s qualifying shares or Investments by individuals mandated by applicable law) by such Person or one or more Wholly Owned Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

Section 1.02        Other Definitions.

 

Term Defined in Section
“Additional Notes” 2.02
“Authentication Order” 2.02
“Covenant Defeasance” 8.02
“Event of Default” 6.01
“Four Quarter Period” 1.01
“Global Note” 2.01
“Initial Global Notes” 2.01
“Initial Notes” 2.02
“Issuer” Preamble
“Legal Defeasance” 8.02
“Participants” 2.15
“Paying Agent” 2.03
“Payment Date” 1.01
“Physical Notes” 2.01
“Primary Treasury Dealer” 1.01
“Reference Period” 1.01
“Registrar” 2.03

 

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Section 1.03        Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

 

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the Trust Indenture Act, such provision is incorporated by reference in, and made a part of, this Indenture. The following Trust Indenture Act terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

 

indenture securities” means the Notes.

 

indenture security holder” means a Holder.

 

indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

 

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

 

obligor” on the indenture securities means the Issuer, any Subsidiary Guarantor or any other obligor on the Notes.

 

All other Trust Indenture Act terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the Trust Indenture Act, defined by Trust Indenture Act reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings assigned to them therein.

 

Section 1.04        Rules of Construction.

 

Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

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

 

(2)         or” is not exclusive;

 

(3)         words in the singular include the plural, and words in the plural include the singular;

 

(4)         provisions apply to successive events and transactions;

 

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

 

(6)         the words “including,” “includes” and similar words shall be deemed to be followed by “without limitation.”

 

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ARTICLE Two

THE NOTES

 

Section 2.01        Form and Dating.

 

The Notes and the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit A hereto. The Notes may have notations, legends or endorsements required by law, stock exchange rule or usage. The Issuer shall approve the form of the Notes and any notation, legend or endorsement on them. Each Note shall be dated the date of its issuance and show the date of its authentication. Each Note shall have an executed Subsidiary Guarantee from each of the Subsidiary Guarantors existing on the Closing Date endorsed thereon substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

 

The terms and provisions contained in the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees shall constitute, and are hereby expressly made, a part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee, by their execution and delivery of this Indenture, expressly agree to such terms and provisions and to be bound thereby.

 

Notes issued as of the Closing Date shall be issued in the form of one or more global Notes, each in registered form, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A, deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depository, duly executed by the Issuer (and having an executed Subsidiary Guarantee from each of the Subsidiary Guarantors endorsed thereon) and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided and shall bear any legends required by applicable law (the “Initial Global Notes”).

 

Notes issued after the Closing Date shall be issued initially in the form of one or more global Notes in registered form, substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A, deposited with the Trustee, as custodian for the Depository, duly executed by the Issuer (and having an executed Subsidiary Guarantee from each of the Subsidiary Guarantors endorsed thereon) and authenticated by the Trustee as hereinafter provided and shall bear any legends required by applicable law (together with the Initial Global Notes, the “Global Notes”).

 

The aggregate principal amount of the Global Notes may from time to time be increased or decreased by adjustments made on the records of the Trustee, as custodian for the Depository, as hereinafter provided. Notes issued in exchange for interests in a Global Note may be issued in the form of definitive Notes registered in the name or names of Persons other than a Depository for Global Notes or a nominee or nominees thereof (the “Physical Notes”).

 

Section 2.02        Execution, Authentication and Denomination; Additional Notes.

 

One Officer of the Issuer (who shall have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate actions) shall sign the Notes for the Issuer by manual or facsimile signature. One Officer of a Subsidiary Guarantor (who shall have been duly authorized by all requisite corporate or other applicable entity actions) shall sign the Subsidiary Guarantee for such Subsidiary Guarantor by manual or facsimile signature.

 

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If an Officer whose signature is on a Note or Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be, was an Officer at the time of such execution but no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note, the Note shall nevertheless be valid.

 

A Note (and the Subsidiary Guarantees in respect thereof) shall not be valid until an authorized signatory of the Trustee manually signs the certificate of authentication on the Note. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Note has been authenticated under this Indenture.

 

The Trustee shall authenticate (i) on the Closing Date, Notes for original issue in the aggregate principal amount not to exceed $500,000,000 (the “Initial Notes”) and (ii) Additional Notes (as defined below) in an unlimited amount (so long as not otherwise prohibited by the terms of this Indenture, including Section 4.07) in each case upon a written order of the Issuer in the form of a certificate of an Officer of the Issuer (an “Authentication Order”). Each such Authentication Order shall specify the amount of Notes to be authenticated and the date on which the Notes are to be authenticated, whether the Notes are to be Initial Notes or Additional Notes and whether the Notes are to be issued as certificated Notes or Global Notes or such other information as the Trustee may reasonably request. In addition, with respect to authentication pursuant to clause (ii) of the first sentence of this paragraph, the first such Authentication Order from the Issuer shall be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel of the Issuer in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee.

 

The Issuer may, from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, issue additional Notes (the “Additional Notes”) having the same ranking and the same interest rate, maturity and other terms as the outstanding Notes, except for the public offering price, the issue date and, if applicable, the initial interest payment date and initial interest accrual date.

 

All Notes issued under this Indenture, including Additional Notes, shall be treated as a single class for all purposes under this Indenture; provided that if the Additional Notes are not fungible for U.S. federal income tax with the Initial Notes, the Additional Notes shall be issued under a separate CUSIP or ISIN number. The Additional Notes shall bear any legend required by applicable law.

 

The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent reasonably acceptable to the Issuer to authenticate Notes. Unless otherwise provided in the appointment, an authenticating agent may authenticate Notes whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Issuer and Affiliates of the Issuer. The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Notes under this Indenture if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability.

 

The Notes shall be issuable only in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof.

 

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Section 2.03        Registrar and Paying Agent.

 

The Issuer shall maintain or cause to be maintained an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, where (a) Notes may be presented or surrendered for registration of transfer or for exchange (“Registrar”), (b) Notes may, subject to Section 2 of the Notes, be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”) and (c) notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Notes and this Indenture may be served. The Issuer may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Issuer of its obligation to maintain or cause to be maintained an office or agency in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, for such purposes. The Issuer may act as Registrar or Paying Agent, except that for the purposes of Articles Three and Eight, neither the Issuer nor any Affiliate of the Issuer shall act as Paying Agent. The Registrar shall keep a register of the Notes and of their transfer and exchange. The Issuer, upon notice to the Trustee, may have one or more co-registrars and one or more additional paying agents reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar and the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent. The Issuer initially appoints the Trustee as Registrar and Paying Agent until such time as the Trustee has resigned or a successor has been appointed.

 

The Issuer shall enter into an appropriate agency agreement with any Agent not a party to this Indenture, which agreement shall implement the provisions of this Indenture that relate to such Agent. The Issuer shall notify the Trustee, in advance, of the name and address of any such Agent. If the Issuer fails to maintain a Registrar or Paying Agent, the Trustee shall act as such.

 

Section 2.04        Paying Agent To Hold Assets in Trust.

 

The Issuer shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee or the Issuer or any Subsidiary to agree in writing that each Paying Agent shall hold in trust for the benefit of Holders or the Trustee all assets held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes (whether such assets have been distributed to it by the Issuer or any other obligor on the Notes), and shall notify the Trustee of any Default by the Issuer (or any other obligor on the Notes) in making any such payment. The Issuer at any time may require a Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and account for any assets disbursed and the Trustee may at any time during the continuance of any payment Default, upon written request to a Paying Agent, require such Paying Agent to distribute all assets held by it to the Trustee and to account for any assets distributed. Upon distribution to the Trustee of all assets that shall have been delivered by the Issuer to the Paying Agent, the Paying Agent shall have no further liability for such assets.

 

Section 2.05        Holder Lists.

 

The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders. If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at least two (2) Business Days prior to each Interest Payment Date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders, which list may be conclusively relied upon by the Trustee.

 

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Section 2.06        Transfer and Exchange.

 

Subject to Section 2.15, when Notes are presented to the Registrar with a request to register the transfer of such Notes or to exchange such Notes for an equal principal amount of Notes of other authorized denominations, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange as requested if its requirements for such transaction are met; provided, however, that the Notes surrendered for transfer or exchange shall be duly endorsed or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Registrar, duly executed by the Holder thereof or his or her attorney duly authorized in writing. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate Notes at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

 

Without the prior written consent of the Issuer, the Registrar shall not be required to register the transfer of or exchange of any Note (i) during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Notes and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, (ii) selected for redemption in whole or in part pursuant to Article Three, except the unredeemed portion of any Note being redeemed in part, and (iii) beginning at the opening of business on any Record Date and ending on the close of business on the related Interest Payment Date.

 

Any Holder of a beneficial interest in a Global Note shall, by acceptance of such beneficial interest, agree that transfers of beneficial interests in such Global Notes may be effected only through a book-entry system maintained by the Holder of such Global Note (or its agent) in accordance with the applicable legends thereon, and that ownership of a beneficial interest in the Note shall be required to be reflected in a book-entry system.

 

Section 2.07        Replacement Notes.

 

If a mutilated Note is surrendered to the Trustee or if the Holder of a Note claims that the Note has been lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken, the Issuer shall issue and the Trustee shall authenticate a replacement Note if the Trustee’s requirements are met. Such Holder must provide an indemnity bond or other indemnity, sufficient in the judgment of both the Issuer and the Trustee, to protect the Issuer, the Trustee or any Agent from any loss which any of them may suffer if a Note is replaced. The Issuer may charge such Holder for its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses in replacing a Note pursuant to this Section 2.07, including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel and of the Trustee.

 

Every replacement Note is an additional obligation of the Issuer and every replacement Subsidiary Guarantee shall constitute an additional obligation of the Subsidiary Guarantor thereof.

 

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The provisions of this Section 2.07 are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of lost, destroyed or wrongfully taken Notes.

 

Section 2.08        Outstanding Notes.

 

Notes outstanding at any time are all the Notes that have been authenticated by the Trustee except those cancelled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation and those described in this Section 2.08 as not outstanding. A Note does not cease to be outstanding because the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors or any of their respective Affiliates hold the Note (subject to the provisions of Section 2.09).

 

If a Note is replaced pursuant to Section 2.07 (other than a mutilated Note surrendered for replacement), it ceases to be outstanding unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Note is held by a bona fide purchaser. A mutilated Note ceases to be outstanding upon surrender of such Note and replacement thereof pursuant to Section 2.07.

 

If the principal amount of any Note is considered paid under Section 4.01, it ceases to be outstanding and interest ceases to accrue. If on a Redemption Date or the Stated Maturity the Trustee or Paying Agent (other than the Issuer or an Affiliate thereof) holds U.S. Legal Tender or U.S. Government Obligations sufficient to pay all of the principal and interest due on the Notes payable on that date, then on and after that date such Notes cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue.

 

Section 2.09        Treasury Notes.

 

In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Notes have concurred in any direction, waiver or consent, Notes owned by the Issuer or any of its Affiliates shall be disregarded, except that, for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, waiver or consent, only Notes that the Trustee has been informed in writing are so owned shall be disregarded.

 

Section 2.10        Temporary Notes.

 

Until definitive Notes are ready for delivery, the Issuer may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Notes. Temporary Notes shall be substantially in the form of definitive Notes but may have variations that the Issuer considers appropriate for temporary Notes. Without unreasonable delay, the Issuer shall prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate definitive Notes in exchange for temporary Notes. Until such exchange, temporary Notes shall be entitled to the same rights, benefits and privileges as definitive Notes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, so long as the Notes are represented by a Global Note, such Global Note may be in typewritten form.

 

Section 2.11        Cancellation.

 

The Issuer at any time may deliver Notes to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Notes surrendered to them for transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee, or at the direction of the Trustee, the Registrar or the Paying Agent (other than the Issuer or a Subsidiary), and no one else, shall cancel and, at the written direction of the Issuer, shall dispose of all Notes surrendered for transfer, exchange, payment or cancellation in accordance with its customary procedures. Subject to Section 2.07, the Issuer may not issue new Notes to replace Notes that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation. If the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall acquire any of the Notes, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the Indebtedness represented by such Notes unless and until the same are surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to this Section 2.11.

 

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Section 2.12        Defaulted Interest.

 

If the Issuer defaults in a payment of interest on the Notes, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus (to the extent lawful) any interest payable on the defaulted interest, in any lawful manner. The Issuer may pay the defaulted interest to the persons who are Holders on a subsequent special record date, which date shall be the fifteenth day next preceding the date fixed by the Issuer for the payment of defaulted interest or the next succeeding Business Day if such date is not a Business Day. At least 15 days before any such subsequent special record date, the Issuer shall mail to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, a notice that states the subsequent special record date, the payment date and the amount of defaulted interest, and interest payable on such defaulted interest, if any, to be paid.

 

Section 2.13        CUSIP and ISIN Numbers.

 

The Issuer in issuing the Notes may use “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers, and if so, the Trustee shall use the “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers in notices of redemption or exchange as a convenience to Holders; provided, however, that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of the “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers printed in the notice or on the Notes, and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Notes. The Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the “CUSIP” or “ISIN” numbers.

 

Section 2.14        Deposit of Moneys.

 

Subject to Section 2 of the Notes, prior to 10:00 a.m. New York City time on each Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Redemption Date and Payment Date, the Issuer shall have deposited with the Paying Agent in immediately available funds money sufficient to make cash payments, if any, due on such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Redemption Date and Payment Date, as the case may be, in a timely manner which permits the Paying Agent to remit payment to the Holders on such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Redemption Date and Payment Date, as the case may be.

 

Section 2.15        Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes.

 

(a)          The Global Notes initially shall (i) be registered in the name of the Depository or the nominee of such Depository, (ii) be delivered to the Trustee as custodian for such Depository and (iii) bear legends as set forth in Exhibit B, as applicable.

 

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

 

(b)          Except as provided in this Section 2.15(b), transfers of Global Notes shall be limited to transfers in whole, but not in part, (i) by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, (ii) by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or (iii) by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such successor Depository.

 

Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.06 of this Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Note shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.06 of this Indenture for Physical Notes only if (i) such Depository notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Note or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Issuer fails to appoint a successor Depository within 90 days of such event, and (ii) the Issuer executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate (and any other deliverables required hereunder) stating that such Global Note shall be so exchangeable. Any Global Note that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Physical Notes registered in such names as the Depository shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the then outstanding principal amount of the Global Note with like tenor and terms.

 

(c)          In connection with the transfer of a Global Note as an entirety to beneficial owners pursuant to paragraph (b) of this Section 2.15, such Global Note shall be deemed to be surrendered to the Trustee for cancellation, and (i) the Issuer shall execute, (ii) the Subsidiary Guarantors shall execute notations of Subsidiary Guarantees on and (iii) the Trustee shall upon written instructions from the Issuer authenticate and deliver, to each beneficial owner identified by the Depository in exchange for its beneficial interest in such Global Note, an equal aggregate principal amount of Physical Notes of authorized denominations.

 

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

 

(e)          The Registrar shall retain copies of all letters, notices and other written communications received pursuant to Section 2.15. The Issuer shall have the right to inspect and make copies of all such letters, notices or other written communications at any reasonable time upon the giving of reasonable written notice to the Registrar.

 

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

 

(g)          The Trustee shall have no responsibility for the actions or omissions of the Depository, or the accuracy of the books and records of the Depository.

 

(h)          At such time as all beneficial interests in a particular Global Note have been exchanged for Physical Notes or a particular Global Note has been redeemed, repurchased or canceled in whole and not in part, each such Global Note shall be returned to or retained and canceled by the Trustee in accordance with Section 2.11 hereof. At any time prior to such cancellation, if any beneficial interest in a Global Note is exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note or for Physical Notes, the principal amount of Notes represented by such Global Note shall be reduced accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depository at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such reduction; and if the beneficial interest is being exchanged for or transferred to a Person who will take delivery thereof in the form of a beneficial interest in another Global Note, such other Global Note shall be increased accordingly and an endorsement shall be made on such Global Note by the Trustee or by the Depository at the direction of the Trustee to reflect such increase.

 

ARTICLE Three

REDEMPTION

 

Section 3.01        Notices to Trustee.

 

If the Issuer elects to redeem Notes pursuant to Section 5 of the Notes, it shall notify the Trustee in writing of the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price and the principal amount of Notes to be redeemed. The Issuer shall give notice of redemption to the Trustee at least 45 days but not more than 75 days before the Redemption Date (unless a shorter notice shall be agreed to by the Trustee in writing), together with such documentation and records as shall enable the Trustee to select the Notes to be redeemed.

 

Section 3.02        Selection of Notes To Be Redeemed.

 

If less than all of the Notes are to be redeemed at any time pursuant to Section 5 of the Notes, the Trustee will select Notes for redemption as follows:

 

(x)       if the Notes are listed on a national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Notes are listed; or

 

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(y)       if the Notes are not so listed, while the Notes are in book-entry form, in accordance with the procedures of the Depository, or if the Notes are no longer in book-entry form, on a pro rata basis, by lot or by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate.

 

No Notes of $2,000 or less shall be redeemed in part.

 

Section 3.03        Notice of Redemption.

 

At least 15 days but not more than 60 days before a Redemption Date, the Issuer shall mail a notice of redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, to each Holder whose Notes are to be redeemed at its registered address (except that a notice issued in connection with a redemption referred to in Section 8.01 may be more than 60 days before such Redemption Date). At the Issuer’s request, the Trustee shall forward the notice of redemption in the Issuer’s name and at the Issuer’s expense. Each notice for redemption shall identify the Notes (including the CUSIP or ISIN number) to be redeemed and shall state:

 

(1)         the Redemption Date;

 

(2)         the Redemption Price and the amount of accrued interest, if any, to be paid;

 

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

 

(4)         that Notes called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the Redemption Price plus accrued interest, if any;

 

(5)         that, unless the Issuer defaults in making the redemption payment, interest on Notes called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the Redemption Date, and the only remaining right of the Holders of such Notes is to receive payment of the Redemption Price upon surrender to the Paying Agent of the Notes redeemed;

 

(6)         if any Note is being redeemed in part, the portion of the principal amount of such Note to be redeemed and that, after the Redemption Date, and upon surrender and cancellation of such Note, a new Note or Notes in aggregate principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued;

 

(7)         if fewer than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the identification of the particular Notes (or portion thereof) to be redeemed, as well as the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed and the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be outstanding after such partial redemption; and

 

(8)         the Section of the Notes or the Indenture, as applicable, pursuant to which the Notes are to be redeemed.

 

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The notice, if mailed in a manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to give such notice by mail or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption in whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note. Notices of redemption may not be conditional.

 

Section 3.04        Effect of Notice of Redemption.

 

Once notice of redemption is mailed in accordance with Section 3.03, Notes called for redemption become due and payable on the Redemption Date and at the Redemption Price plus accrued interest, if any. Upon surrender to the Trustee or Paying Agent, such Notes called for redemption shall be paid at the Redemption Price (which shall include accrued interest thereon to, but not including, the Redemption Date), but installments of interest, the maturity of which is on or prior to the Redemption Date, shall be payable to Holders of record at the close of business on the relevant Record Dates. On and after the Redemption Date interest shall cease to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption unless the Issuer shall have not complied with its obligations pursuant to Section 3.05.

 

Section 3.05        Deposit of Redemption Price.

 

On or before 10:00 a.m. New York time on the Redemption Date, the Issuer shall deposit with the Paying Agent U.S. Legal Tender sufficient to pay the Redemption Price plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, of all Notes to be redeemed on that date.

 

If the Issuer complies with the preceding paragraph, then, unless the Issuer defaults in the payment of such Redemption Price plus accrued interest, if any, interest on the Notes to be redeemed will cease to accrue on and after the applicable Redemption Date, whether or not such Notes are presented for payment.

 

Section 3.06        Notes Redeemed in Part.

 

If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the original Note or Notes shall be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon surrender and cancellation of the original Note or Notes.

 

ARTICLE Four

COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01        Payment of Notes.

 

The Issuer shall pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes in the manner provided in the Notes and this Indenture. An installment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes shall be considered paid on the date it is due if the Trustee or Paying Agent (other than the Issuer or an Affiliate thereof) holds on that date U.S. Legal Tender designated for and sufficient to pay the installment. Interest on the Notes will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year comprised of twelve 30-day months.

 

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The Issuer shall pay interest on overdue principal (including post-petition interest in a proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law), and overdue interest, to the extent lawful, at the same rate per annum borne by the Notes.

 

Section 4.02        Maintenance of Office or Agency.

 

The Issuer shall maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, the office or agency required under Section 2.03 (which may be an office of the Trustee or an affiliate of the Trustee or Registrar). The Issuer shall give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such office or agency. If at any time the Issuer shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the address of the Trustee set forth in Section 11.02.

 

The Issuer may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Notes may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations. The Issuer will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

 

The Issuer hereby initially designates U.S. Bank National Association, located at Two Midtown Plaza, 1349 W. Peachtree Street, NW., Suite 1050, EX-GA-ATPT, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, Attention: Corporate Trust Department, as such office of the Issuer in accordance with Section 2.03.

 

Section 4.03        Corporate Existence.

 

Except as otherwise permitted by Article Five, the Issuer shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its corporate existence and the corporate, partnership or other existence of each of its Subsidiaries in accordance with the respective organizational documents of each such Subsidiary and the material rights (charter and statutory) and material franchises of the Issuer and each of its Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Issuer shall not be required to preserve any such right, franchise or corporate existence with respect to itself or any Subsidiary if the Board of Directors shall determine that the preservation thereof is no longer desirable in the conduct of the business of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, and that the loss thereof is not adverse in any material respect to the Holders of the Notes.

 

Section 4.04        Payment of Taxes.

 

The Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall, and shall cause each of the Subsidiaries to, pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged, before the same shall become delinquent, (a) all material taxes, assessments and governmental charges levied or imposed upon it or any of the Subsidiaries or upon the income, profits or property of it or any of the Subsidiaries and (b) all lawful claims for labor, materials and supplies which, in each case, if unpaid, might by law become a material liability or Lien upon the property of it or any of the Subsidiaries; provided, however, that the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall not be required to pay or discharge or cause to be paid or discharged any such tax, assessment, charge or claim whose amount the applicability or validity is being contested in good faith by appropriate actions and for which appropriate provision has been made.

 

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Section 4.05        Compliance Certificate; Notice of Default.

 

(a)          The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year, an Officers’ Certificate stating that a review of the activities of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries has been made under the supervision of the signing Officers with a view to determining whether the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors have kept, observed, performed and fulfilled their obligations under this Indenture and further stating, as to each such Officer signing such certificate, that to the best of such Officer’s knowledge, the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors during such preceding fiscal year has kept, observed, performed and fulfilled each and every such covenant and no Default occurred during such year and at the date of such certificate there is no Default that has occurred and is continuing or, if such signers do know of such Default, the certificate shall specify such Default and what action, if any, the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto. The Officers’ Certificate shall also notify the Trustee should the Issuer elect to change the manner in which it fixes the fiscal year end.

 

(b)          The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee promptly and in any event within five days after the Issuer becomes aware of the occurrence of any Default an Officers’ Certificate specifying the Default and what action, if any, the Issuer is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

Section 4.06        Waiver of Stay, Extension or Usury Laws.

 

The Issuer and each Subsidiary Guarantor covenants (to the extent permitted by applicable law) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or other law that would prohibit or forgive the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor from paying all or any portion of the principal of and/or interest on the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantee of any such Subsidiary Guarantor as contemplated herein, wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture, and (to the extent permitted by applicable law) each hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law, and covenants that it will not hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

Section 4.07        Limitation on Indebtedness.

 

(a)          The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness (including Acquired Indebtedness) if, immediately after giving effect to the Incurrence of such additional Indebtedness and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in conformity with GAAP is greater than 60% of Adjusted Total Assets.

 

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(b)          The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, Incur any Secured Indebtedness if, immediately after giving effect to the Incurrence of such additional Secured Indebtedness and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the aggregate principal amount of all outstanding Secured Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis determined in conformity with GAAP is greater than 40% of Adjusted Total Assets.

 

(c)          The Issuer will not, and will not permit any of its Subsidiaries to, Incur any Indebtedness other than the Notes issued on the Closing Date and other Indebtedness existing on the Closing Date; provided, however, that the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may Incur Indebtedness if, after giving effect to the Incurrence of such Indebtedness and the receipt and application of the proceeds therefrom, the Interest Coverage Ratio of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis would be greater than 1.5 to 1.0.

 

(d)          Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 4.07, the maximum amount of Indebtedness that the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries may Incur pursuant to this Section 4.07 shall not be deemed to be exceeded, with respect to any outstanding Indebtedness, due solely to the result of fluctuations in the exchange rates of currencies.

 

(e)          For purposes of determining any particular amount of Indebtedness under this Section 4.07, Guarantees, Liens or obligations with respect to letters of credit supporting Indebtedness otherwise included in the determination of such particular amount shall not be included.

 

Section 4.08        Maintenance of Total Unencumbered Assets.

 

The Issuer and its Subsidiaries will maintain Total Unencumbered Assets of not less than 150% of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Unsecured Indebtedness of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

Section 4.09        Limitation on Issuances of Guarantees by Subsidiaries.

 

The Issuer will not permit any of its Subsidiaries, directly or indirectly, at any time after the issuance of the Notes (including following any release of a Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under this Indenture) to Guarantee any Indebtedness of the Issuer (that would constitute Indebtedness under clauses (1) or (2) of the definition thereof) in an amount at least equal to $50 million, unless such Subsidiary simultaneously executes and delivers a supplemental indenture to this Indenture providing for a Subsidiary Guarantee by such Subsidiary.

 

Section 4.10        Reports to Holders.

 

Whether or not the Issuer is then required to file reports with the SEC, the Issuer shall file with the SEC all such reports and other information as it would be required to file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) under the Exchange Act if it was subject thereto; provided, however, that, if filing such documents by the Issuer with the SEC is not permitted under the Exchange Act, the Issuer shall provide such documents to the Trustee and upon written request supply copies of such documents to any prospective Holder. The Issuer shall supply the Trustee and each Holder or shall supply to the Trustee for forwarding to each Holder, without cost to such Holder and at the expense of the Issuer, copies of such reports and other information.

 

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ARTICLE Five

SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

 

Section 5.01        Consolidation, Merger and Sale of Assets.

 

(a)          The Issuer will not consolidate with or merge with or into, or sell, convey, transfer, lease or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of its property and assets (as an entirety or substantially an entirety in one transaction or a series of related transactions) to, any Person or permit any Person to merge with or into the Issuer unless:

 

(1)         the Issuer shall be the continuing Person, or the Person (if other than the Issuer) formed by such consolidation or into which the Issuer is merged or that acquired or leased such property and assets of the Issuer shall be a corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company or other entity (other than an individual) organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or jurisdiction thereof and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all of the obligations of the Issuer on the Notes and under this Indenture;

 

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

 

(3)         immediately after giving effect to such transaction on a pro forma basis the Issuer, or any Person becoming the successor obligor of the Notes, as the case may be, could Incur at least $1.00 of Indebtedness under paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of Section 4.07; provided, however, that this clause (3) shall not apply to a consolidation or merger with or into a Wholly Owned Subsidiary with a positive net worth; provided further, however, that, in connection with any such merger or consolidation, no consideration (other than Capital Stock (other than Disqualified Stock) in the surviving Person or the Issuer) shall be issued or distributed to the holders of Capital Stock of the Issuer; and

 

(4)         the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate (attaching the arithmetic computations to demonstrate compliance with clause (3) above) and an Opinion of Counsel, in each case stating that such consolidation, merger or transfer and such supplemental indenture complies with this Section 5.01 and that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to such transaction have been complied with; provided, however, that clause (3) above does not apply if, in the good faith determination of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, whose determination shall be evidenced by a Board Resolution, the principal purpose of such transaction is to change the state of domicile of the Issuer; provided further, however, that any such transaction shall not have as one of its purposes the evasion of the foregoing limitations.

 

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(b)          Except as provided in Section 10.04, no Subsidiary Guarantor may consolidate with or merge with or into (whether or not such Subsidiary Guarantor is the surviving Person) another Person, unless:

 

(1)         either such Subsidiary Guarantor shall be the continuing Person or the Person (if other than such Subsidiary Guarantor) formed by such consolidation or into which such Subsidiary Guarantor is merged shall be a corporation or other legal entity organized and validly existing under the laws of the United States of America or any state or jurisdiction thereof and shall expressly assume, by a supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee, all of the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor and under this Indenture; and

 

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

 

(c)          For purposes of the foregoing, the transfer (by lease, assignment, sale or otherwise, in a single transaction or series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of one or more Subsidiary Guarantors, the Capital Stock of which constitutes all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Issuer, will be deemed to be the transfer of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Issuer.

 

(d)          Upon any such consolidation, combination or merger of the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor, or any such sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer in accordance with this Section 5.01, in which the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor is not the continuing obligor under the Notes or its Subsidiary Guarantee, the surviving entity formed by such consolidation or into which the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor is merged or the entity to which the sale, conveyance, transfer, lease or other disposition is made will succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor under this Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees with the same effect as if such surviving entity had been named therein as the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor and, except in the case of a lease, the Issuer or such Subsidiary Guarantor, as the case may be, will be released from the obligation to pay the principal of and interest on the Notes or in respect of its Subsidiary Guarantee, as the case may be, and all of the Issuer’s or such Subsidiary Guarantor’s other obligations and covenants under the Notes, this Indenture and its Subsidiary Guarantee, if applicable.

 

(e)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Subsidiary Guarantor may (i) consolidate with or merge with or into the Issuer or another Subsidiary Guarantor or (ii) convert into a corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company or trust organized under the laws of such Subsidiary Guarantor’s jurisdiction of organization or the laws of the United States of America or any state or jurisdiction thereof.

 

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ARTICLE Six

DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

Section 6.01        Events of Default.

 

Each of the following is an “Event of Default”:

 

(1)         default in the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, on any Note when they are due and payable at maturity, upon acceleration, redemption or otherwise;

 

(2)         default in the payment of interest on any Note when it is due and payable, and such default continues for a period of 30 days;

 

(3)         default in the performance or breach of the provisions of this Indenture applicable to mergers, consolidations and transfers of all or substantially all of the assets of the Issuer;

 

(4)         the Issuer defaults in the performance of or breaches any other covenant or agreement of the Issuer in this Indenture or under the Notes (other than a default specified in clause (1), (2) or (3) above) and such default or breach continues for the earlier of (i) 60 consecutive days and (ii) such shorter period specified for comparable defaults under any Existing Note Indenture (or under any indenture pursuant to which the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor has issued any Indebtedness that refinances or refunds (x) the Indebtedness under such Existing Note Indenture or (y) such refinancing or refunding Indebtedness) after written notice by the Trustee or the Holders of 25% or more in aggregate principal amount of the Notes;

 

(5)         there occurs with respect to any issue or issues of Indebtedness of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary having an outstanding principal amount of $50 million or more in the aggregate for all such issues of all such Persons, whether such Indebtedness now exists or shall hereafter be created,

 

(i)                 an event of default that has caused the Holder thereof to declare such Indebtedness to be due and payable prior to its Stated Maturity and such Indebtedness has not been discharged in full or such acceleration has not been rescinded or annulled within 30 days of such acceleration, and/or

 

(ii)              the failure to make a principal payment at the final (but not any interim) fixed maturity and such defaulted payment shall not have been made, waived or extended within 30 days of such payment default;

 

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(6)         a court of competent jurisdiction enters a decree or order for:

 

(i)                 relief in respect of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary in an involuntary case under any applicable Bankruptcy Law now or hereafter in effect,

 

(ii)              appointment of a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary, or

 

(iii)            the winding up or liquidation of the affairs of the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary and, in each case, such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

 

(7)         the Issuer or any Significant Subsidiary:

 

(i)                 commences a voluntary case under any applicable Bankruptcy Law now or hereafter in effect, or consents to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under such law,

 

(ii)              consents to the appointment of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator or similar official of the Issuer or such Significant Subsidiary or for all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Issuer or such Significant Subsidiary, or

 

(iii)            effects any general assignment for the benefit of its creditors.

 

Section 6.02        Acceleration.

 

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clause (6) or (7) of Section 6.01 that occurs with respect to the Issuer) occurs and is continuing under this Indenture, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, by written notice to the Issuer (and to the Trustee if such notice is given by the Holders), may, and the Trustee at the request of the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding shall, declare the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes to be immediately due and payable. Upon a declaration of acceleration, such principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest shall be immediately due and payable. In the event of a declaration of acceleration because an Event of Default set forth in clause (5) of Section 6.01 has occurred and is continuing, such declaration of acceleration shall be automatically rescinded and annulled if the event of default triggering such Event of Default pursuant to clause (5) of Section 6.01 shall be remedied or cured by the Issuer or the relevant Significant Subsidiary or waived by the holders of the relevant Indebtedness within 60 days after the declaration of acceleration with respect thereto.

 

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If an Event or Default specified in clause (6) or (7) of Section 6.01 occurs with respect to the Issuer, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued interest on the Notes then outstanding shall automatically become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. The Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes, by written notice to the Issuer and to the Trustee, may waive all past defaults and rescind and annul a declaration of acceleration and its consequences if:

 

(x)       all existing Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes that have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived;

 

(y)       the rescission would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction; and

 

(z)       in the event of a cure or waiver of a Default of the type set forth in Section 6.01(6) or (7), the Trustee shall have received an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel that such Default has been cured or waived.

 

No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereto.

 

Section 6.03        Other Remedies.

 

If a Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may pursue any available remedy by proceeding at law or in equity to collect the payment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes or to enforce the performance of any provision of the Notes or this Indenture.

 

The Trustee may maintain a proceeding even if it does not possess any of the Notes or does not produce any of them in the proceeding. A delay or omission by the Trustee or any Holder in exercising any right or remedy accruing upon a Default shall not impair the right or remedy or constitute a waiver of or acquiescence in the Default. No remedy is exclusive of any other remedy. All available remedies are cumulative to the extent permitted by law.

 

Section 6.04        Waiver of Past Defaults.

 

Subject to Sections 2.09, 6.07 and 9.02, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes (which may include consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer of Notes) by notice to the Trustee may waive an existing Default and its consequences, except a Default in the payment of principal of, or interest on, any Note as specified in Section 6.01(1) or (2). The Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the requisite percentage of Holders have consented to such waiver and attaching copies of such consents. When a Default is waived, it is cured and ceases.

 

Section 6.05        Control by Majority.

 

The Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee. Subject to Section 7.01, however, the Trustee may refuse to follow any direction that conflicts with law or this Indenture, that may involve the Trustee in personal liability, or that the Trustee determines in good faith may be unduly prejudicial to the rights of Holders of Notes not joining in the giving of such direction received from the Holders of Notes; provided, however, that the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with any such direction received from the Holders of the Notes.

 

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In the event the Trustee takes any action or follows any direction pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to indemnification against any loss or expense caused by taking such action or following such direction.

 

Section 6.06        Limitation on Suits.

 

No Holder will have any right to institute any proceeding with respect to this Indenture or for any remedy thereunder, unless:

 

(1)         the Holder gives the Trustee written notice of a continuing Event of Default;

 

(2)         the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes make a written request to the Trustee to pursue the remedy;

 

(3)         such Holder or Holders offer the Trustee indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee against any costs, liability or expense;

 

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

 

(5)         during such 60-day period, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes do not give the Trustee a direction that is inconsistent with the request.

 

However, such limitations do not apply to the right of any Holder of a Note to receive payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or interest on, such Note or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the due date expressed in the Notes, which right shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the Holder.

 

A Holder may not use this Indenture to prejudice the rights of another Holder or to obtain a preference or priority over such other Holder.

 

Section 6.07        Rights of Holders To Receive Payment.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Indenture, the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on, a Note, on or after the respective due dates therefor, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of the Holder.

 

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Section 6.08        Collection Suit by Trustee.

 

If a Default in payment of principal or interest specified in Section 6.01(1) or (2) occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may recover judgment in its own name and as trustee of an express trust against the Issuer or any other obligor on the Notes for the whole amount of principal and accrued interest and fees remaining unpaid, together with interest on overdue principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful, interest on overdue installments of interest, in each case at the rate per annum borne by the Notes and such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

 

Section 6.09        Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

 

The Trustee may file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and the Holders allowed in any judicial proceedings relating to the Issuer, their creditors or their property and shall be entitled and empowered to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any Custodian in any such judicial proceedings is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agent and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Notes or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding. The Trustee shall be entitled to participate as a member of any official committee of creditors in the matters as it deems necessary or advisable.

 

Section 6.10        Priorities.

 

If the Trustee collects any money or property pursuant to this Article Six, it shall pay out the money or property in the following order:

 

First: to the Trustee for amounts due under Section 7.07;

 

Second: to Holders for interest accrued on the Notes, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for interest;

 

Third: to Holders for principal amounts due and unpaid on the Notes, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on the Notes for principal; and

 

Fourth: to the Issuer or, if applicable, the Subsidiary Guarantors, as their respective interests may appear.

 

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The Trustee, upon prior notice to the Issuer, may fix a record date and payment date for any payment to Holders pursuant to this Section 6.10.

 

Section 6.11        Undertaking for Costs.

 

In any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, a court in its discretion may require the filing by any party litigant in the suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of the suit, and the court in its discretion may assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in the suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by the party litigant. This Section 6.11 does not apply to a suit by the Trustee, a suit by a Holder pursuant to Section 6.07, or a suit by a Holder or Holders of more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes.

 

ARTICLE Seven

TRUSTEE

 

Section 7.01        Duties of Trustee.

 

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

 

(b)          Except during the continuance of a Default:

 

(1)         The Trustee need perform only those duties as are specifically set forth herein or in the Trust Indenture Act and no duties, covenants, responsibilities or obligations shall be implied in this Indenture against the Trustee.

 

(2)         In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon certificates (including Officers’ Certificates) or opinions (including Opinions of Counsel) furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture. However, in the case of any such certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine the certificates and opinions to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

 

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

 

(1)         This paragraph does not limit the effect of Section 7.01(b).

 

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

 

(3)         The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in accordance with a direction received by it pursuant to Section 6.05.

 

(d)          No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or to take or omit to take any action under this Indenture or take any action at the request or direction of Holders if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds is not assured to it.

 

(e)          Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to this Section 7.01.

 

(f)           The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Issuer. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

(g)          In the absence of bad faith, negligence or willful misconduct on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee shall not be responsible for the application of any money by any Paying Agent other than the Trustee.

 

Section 7.02        Rights of Trustee.

 

Subject to Section 7.01:

 

(a)          The Trustee may rely conclusively on any resolution, certificate (including any Officers’ Certificate), statement, instrument, opinion (including any Opinion of Counsel), notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, or other paper or document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper Person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

(b)          Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, which shall conform to the provisions of Section 11.05. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate or Opinion of Counsel.

 

(c)          The Trustee may act through its attorneys and agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent (other than an agent who is an employee of the Trustee) appointed with due care.

 

(d)          The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it reasonably believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers under this Indenture.

 

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(e)          The Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and the advice or opinion of such counsel as to matters of law shall be full and complete authorization and protection from liability in respect of any action taken, omitted or suffered by it hereunder in good faith and in accordance with the advice or opinion of such counsel.

 

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

 

(g)          The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate (including any Officers’ Certificate), statement, instrument, opinion (including any Opinion of Counsel), notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled, upon reasonable notice to the Issuer, to examine the books, records, and premises of the Issuer, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Issuer.

 

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

 

(i)            The permissive rights of the Trustee to do things enumerated in this Indenture shall not be construed as duties.

 

(j)            Except with respect to Section 4.01 and 4.05, the Trustee shall have no duty to inquire as to the performance of the Issuer with respect to the covenants contained in Article Four. In addition, the Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of an Event of Default except (i) any Default or Event of Default occurring pursuant to Sections 4.01, 6.01(1) or 6.01(2) or (ii) any Default or Event of Default known to a Responsible Officer.

 

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

 

Section 7.03        Individual Rights of Trustee.

 

The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer, its Subsidiaries or its respective Affiliates with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. However, the Trustee must comply with Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

 

Section 7.04        Trustee’s Disclaimer.

 

The Trustee shall not be responsible for and makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Notes, it shall not be accountable for the Issuer’s use of the proceeds from the Notes, and it shall not be responsible for any statement of the Issuer in this Indenture or any document issued in connection with the sale of Notes or any statement in the Notes other than the Trustee’s certificate of authentication. The Trustee makes no representations with respect to the effectiveness or adequacy of this Indenture.

 

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Section 7.05        Notice of Default.

 

If a Default occurs and is continuing and is deemed to be known to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.02 (j), the Trustee shall mail to each Holder notice of the uncured Default within 30 days after such Default occurs. Except in the case of a Default in payment of principal of, or interest on, any Note, including an accelerated payment and the failure to make a payment on a Payment Date pursuant to a Default in complying with the provisions of Article Five, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as the Board of Directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers, of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interest of the Holders.

 

Section 7.06        Reports by Trustee to Holders.

 

Within 60 days after each December 1, beginning with December 1, 2019, the Trustee shall, to the extent that any of the events described in Trust Indenture Act § 313(a) occurred within the previous twelve months, but not otherwise, mail to each Holder a brief report dated as of such date that complies with Trust Indenture Act § 313(a). The Trustee also shall comply with Trust Indenture Act §§ 313(b), 313(c) and 313(d).

 

A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Holders shall be mailed to the Issuer and filed with the SEC and each securities exchange, if any, on which the Notes are listed.

 

The Issuer shall notify the Trustee if the Notes become listed on any securities exchange or of any delisting thereof and the Trustee shall comply with Trust Indenture Act § 313(d).

 

Section 7.07        Compensation and Indemnity.

 

The Issuer shall pay to the Trustee from time to time such compensation as the Issuer and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for its services hereunder. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Issuer shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable disbursements, expenses and advances (including reasonable fees and expenses of counsel) incurred or made by it in addition to the compensation for its services, except any such disbursements, expenses and advances as may be attributable to the Trustee’s negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct. Such expenses shall include the reasonable fees and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel.

 

The Issuer shall indemnify each of the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee and its agents for, and hold them harmless against, any and all loss, damage, claims including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee), liability or expense incurred by them except for such actions to the extent caused by any negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct on their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this trust including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending themselves against or investigating any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of the Trustee’s rights, powers or duties hereunder. The Trustee shall notify the Issuer promptly of any claim asserted against the Trustee or any of its agents for which it may seek indemnity. The Issuer may, subject to the approval of the Trustee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee and its agents subject to the claim may have separate counsel and the Issuer shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel; provided, however, that the Issuer will not be required to pay such fees and expenses if, subject to the approval of the Trustee (which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld), it assumes the Trustee’s defense and there is no conflict of interest between the Issuer and the Trustee and its agents subject to the claim in connection with such defense as reasonably determined by the Trustee. The Issuer need not pay for any settlement made without its written consent. The Issuer need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability to the extent incurred by the Trustee through its negligence, bad faith or willful misconduct.

 

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To secure the Issuer’s payment obligations in this Section 7.07, the Trustee shall have a Lien prior to the Notes against all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee, except money or property held in trust to pay principal and interest on particular Notes.

 

When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after a Default specified in Section 6.01(6) or 6.01 (7) occurs, such expenses and the compensation for such services shall be paid to the extent allowed under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the foregoing provisions of this Section 7.07 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture or the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

Section 7.08        Replacement of Trustee.

 

The Trustee may resign at any time by so notifying the Issuer in writing. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may remove the Trustee by so notifying the Issuer and the Trustee and may appoint a successor Trustee. The Issuer may remove the Trustee if:

 

(1)         the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

 

(2)         the Trustee is adjudged a bankrupt or an insolvent;

 

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

 

(4)         the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

 

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Issuer shall notify each Holder of such event and shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee. Within one year after the successor Trustee takes office, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Notes may appoint a successor Trustee to replace the successor Trustee appointed by the Issuer.

 

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A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Issuer. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer, after payment of all sums then owing to the Trustee pursuant to Section 7.07, all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee, subject to the Lien provided in Section 7.07, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail notice of its succession to each Holder.

 

If a successor Trustee does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Issuer or the Holders of at least 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Notes may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee at the expense of the Issuer.

 

If the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10, any Holder may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee and the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

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

 

Section 7.09        Successor Trustee by Merger, Etc. 

 

If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the resulting, surviving or transferee corporation without any further act shall, if such resulting, surviving or transferee corporation is otherwise eligible hereunder, be the successor Trustee; provided that such corporation shall be otherwise qualified and eligible under this Article Seven.

 

Section 7.10        Eligibility; Disqualification.

 

This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirement of Trust Indenture Act §§ 310 (a)(1), 310(a)(2) and 310(a)(5). The Trustee shall have a combined capital and surplus of at least $150,000,000 as set forth in its most recent published annual report of condition. The Trustee shall comply with Trust Indenture Act § 310(b); provided, however, that there shall be excluded from the operation of Trust Indenture Act § 310(b)(1) any indenture or indentures under which other securities, or certificates of interest or participation in other securities, of the Issuer are outstanding, if the requirements for such exclusion set forth in Trust Indenture Act § 310(b)(1) are met. The provisions of Trust Indenture Act § 310 shall apply to the Issuer and any other obligor of the Notes.

 

Section 7.11        Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Issuer.

 

The Trustee, in its capacity as Trustee hereunder, shall comply with Trust Indenture Act § 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in Trust Indenture Act § 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to Trust Indenture Act § 311(a) to the extent indicated.

 

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ARTICLE Eight

DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; DEFEASANCE

 

Section 8.01        Termination of the Issuer’s Obligations.

 

The Issuer may terminate its obligations under the Notes and this Indenture and the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the Subsidiary Guarantees and this Indenture and this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect, except those obligations referred to in the penultimate paragraph of this Section 8.01, if:

 

(1)         either

 

(A)       all the Notes theretofore authenticated and delivered (except lost, stolen or destroyed Notes which have been replaced or paid and Notes for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Issuer and thereafter repaid to the Issuer or discharged from such trust) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(B)        all Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (1) have become due and payable or (2) will become due and payable within one year, or are to be called for redemption within one year, under arrangements reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Issuer, and the Issuer has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee funds in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire Indebtedness on the Notes not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes to the date of maturity or redemption, as the case may be, together with irrevocable instructions from the Issuer directing the Trustee to apply such funds to the payment thereof at maturity or redemption, as the case may be; provided that with respect to any redemption that requires the payment of the Applicable Premium (as defined in the form of Note in Exhibit A), the amount deposited shall be sufficient for purposes of this paragraph to the extent that an amount is deposited with the Trustee equal to the Applicable Premium calculated as of the date of the notice of redemption, with any deficit as of the date of the redemption only required to be deposited with the Trustee on or prior to the date of the redemption;

 

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(2)         the Issuer has paid all sums payable by the Issuer under this Indenture, and

 

(3)         the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel stating that all conditions precedent under this Indenture relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

 

In the case of clause (B) of this Section 8.01, and subject to the next sentence and notwithstanding the foregoing paragraph, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 2.05, 2.06, 2.07, 2.08, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03 (as to legal existence of the Issuer only), 7.07, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive until the Notes are no longer outstanding pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 2.08. After the Notes are no longer outstanding, the Issuer’s obligations in Sections 7.07, 8.05 and 8.06 shall survive.

 

After such delivery or irrevocable deposit, the Trustee upon request shall acknowledge in writing the discharge of the Issuer’s obligations under the Notes and this Indenture except for those surviving obligations specified above.

 

Section 8.02        Legal Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

 

(a)          The Issuer may, at its option and at any time, elect to have either paragraph (b) or (c) below applied to all outstanding Notes upon compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 8.03.

 

(b)          Upon the Issuer’s exercise under Section 8.02(a) hereof of the option applicable to this Section 8.02(b), the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.03, be deemed to have been discharged from their obligations with respect to all outstanding Notes on the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “Legal Defeasance”). For this purpose, Legal Defeasance means that the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire Indebtedness represented by the outstanding Notes and Subsidiary Guarantees, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “outstanding” only for the purposes of Section 8.04 hereof and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in (i) and (ii) below, and to have satisfied all its other obligations under such Notes and this Indenture and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be deemed to have satisfied all of their obligations under the Subsidiary Guarantees and this Indenture (and the Trustee, on demand of and at the expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following provisions which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder:

 

(i)      the rights of Holders of outstanding Notes to receive, solely from the trust fund described in Section 8.04, and as more fully set forth in such Section 8.04, payments in respect of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on such Notes when such payments are due;

 

(ii)      the Issuer’s obligations with respect to such Notes under Article Two and Section 4.02 hereof;

 

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(iii)      the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and the Issuer’s obligations in connection therewith; and

 

(iv)      the provisions of this Article Eight applicable to Legal Defeasance.

 

Subject to compliance with this Article Eight, the Issuer may exercise its option under this Section 8.02 (b) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 8.02(c).

 

(c)          Upon the Issuer’s exercise under paragraph (a) hereof of the option applicable to this paragraph (c), the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors shall, subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.03, be released from their respective obligations under the covenants contained in Sections 4.03 (other than with respect to the legal existence of the Issuer), 4.04, 4.07, 4.08, 4.09 and 4.10 and clause (3) of Section 5.01(a) with respect to the outstanding Notes on and after the date the conditions set forth in Section 8.03 are satisfied (hereinafter, “Covenant Defeasance”), and the Notes shall thereafter be deemed not “outstanding” for the purposes of any direction, waiver, consent or declaration or act of Holders (and the consequences of any thereof) in connection with such covenants, but shall continue to be deemed “outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder (it being understood that such Notes shall not be deemed outstanding for accounting purposes). For this purpose, Covenant Defeasance means that, with respect to the outstanding Notes, the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors may omit to comply with and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in any such covenant, whether directly or indirectly, by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to any such covenant or by reason of any reference in any such covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute an Event of Default under Section 6.01, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Notes shall be unaffected thereby. In addition, upon the Issuer’s exercise under paragraph (a) hereof of the option applicable to this paragraph (c), subject to the satisfaction of the conditions set forth in Section 8.03, clauses (3), (4), and (5) of Section 6.01 shall not constitute Events of Default.

 

Section 8.03        Conditions to Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

The following shall be the conditions to the application of either Section 8.02(b) or 8.02(c) hereof to the outstanding Notes:

 

(1)         the Issuer must irrevocably deposit with the Trustee, in trust, for the benefit of the Holders, U.S. Legal Tender, U.S. Government Obligations or a combination thereof, in such amounts as will be sufficient (without reinvestment), in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants selected by the Issuer, to pay the principal of and interest and premium, if any, on the Notes on the stated date for payment or on the redemption date Notes;

 

(2)         in the case of Legal Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States confirming that:

 

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(a)       the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by the Internal Revenue Service, a ruling, or

 

(b)       since the date of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Legal Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Legal Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(3)         in the case of Covenant Defeasance, the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel in the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee confirming that the Holders will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such Covenant Defeasance and will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such Covenant Defeasance had not occurred;

 

(4)         no Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit (other than a Default resulting from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit);

 

(5)         the Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a Default under this Indenture or a default under any other material agreement or instrument to which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is a party or by which the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries is bound (other than any such Default or default resulting solely from the borrowing of funds to be applied to such deposit);

 

(6)         the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by it with the intent of preferring the Holders over any other creditors of the Issuer or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other of its creditors; and

 

(7)         the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that the conditions provided for in, in the case of the Officers’ Certificate, clauses (1) through (6), as applicable, and, in the case of the Opinion of Counsel, clauses (2), if applicable, and/or (3) and (5) of this Section 8.03 have been complied with.

 

Section 8.04        Application of Trust Money.

 

The Trustee or Paying Agent shall hold in trust U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations deposited with it pursuant to this Article Eight, and shall apply the deposited U.S. Legal Tender and the money from U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Indenture to the payment of the principal of and the interest on the Notes. The Trustee shall be under no obligation to invest said U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations, except as it may agree with the Issuer.

 

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The Issuer shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 8.03 or the principal and interest received in respect thereof, other than any such tax, fee or other charge which by law is for the account of the Holders of the outstanding Notes.

 

Anything in this Article Eight to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Issuer from time to time upon the Issuer’s request any U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations held by it as provided in Section 8.03 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof that would then be required to be deposited to effect an equivalent Legal Defeasance or Covenant Defeasance.

 

Section 8.05        Repayment to the Issuer.

 

The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Issuer upon request any money held by them for the payment of principal or interest that remains unclaimed for two years; provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any payment, may at the expense of the Issuer cause to be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of New York or mail to each Holder entitled to such money notice that such money remains unclaimed and that after a date specified therein which shall be at least 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer. After payment to the Issuer, Holders entitled to such money must look to the Issuer for payment as general creditors unless an applicable law designates another Person.

 

Section 8.06        Reinstatement.

 

If the Trustee or Paying Agent is unable to apply any U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article Eight by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, or if the funds deposited with the Trustee to effect Covenant Defeasance are insufficient to pay the principal of, and interest on, the Notes when due, the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture, and the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to this Article Eight until such time as the Trustee or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with this Article Eight; provided that if the Issuer has made any payment of interest on, or principal of, any Notes because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Issuer shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Notes to receive such payment from the U.S. Legal Tender and U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee or Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE Nine

AMENDMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS AND WAIVERS

 

Section 9.01        Without Consent of Holders.

 

(a)          The Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee, together, may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees without notice to or consent of any Holder:

 

(1)         to cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees;

 

(2)         to provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or in place of certificated Notes;

 

(3)         to provide for the assumption of the Issuer’s or a Subsidiary Guarantor’s obligations to the Holders of the Notes in the case of a merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of the assets, in accordance with Article Five;

 

(4)         to add any additional Subsidiary Guarantee by any additional Subsidiary Guarantor (which supplemental indenture need not be executed by existing Subsidiary Guarantors);

 

(5)         to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from any of its obligations under its Subsidiary Guarantee or this Indenture (to the extent permitted by this Indenture);

 

(6)         to make any change that would not materially adversely affect the rights of any Holder;

 

(7)         to make any change to conform this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees to the “Description of the Notes” section of the Prospectus Supplement of the Issuer relating to the Notes dated September 17, 2019;

 

(8)         to comply with requirements of the SEC in order to effect or maintain the qualification of this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or

 

(9)         to evidence and provide for the acceptance of an appointment by a successor trustee;

 

provided, however, that the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate, each stating that such amendment or supplement complies with the provisions of this Section 9.01.

 

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Section 9.02        With Consent of Holders.

 

(a)          Subject to Section 6.07, the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee, together, with the written consent of the Holder or Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may amend or supplement this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees, without notice to any other Holders. Subject to Sections 6.07, the Holder or Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding Notes may waive compliance with any provision of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees without notice to any other Holders.

 

(b)          Notwithstanding Section 9.02(a), without the consent of each Holder affected, no amendment or waiver may:

 

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

 

(2)         reduce the principal amount of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any Note;

 

(3)         change the place of payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, any Note;

 

(4)         impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment on or after the Stated Maturity (or, in the case of a redemption, on or after the Redemption Date) of any Note;

 

(5)         reduce the above-stated percentages of outstanding Notes the consent of whose Holders is necessary to modify or amend this Indenture;

 

(6)         waive a default in the payment of principal of, premium, if any, or interest on the Notes;

 

(7)         voluntarily release a Subsidiary Guarantor of the Notes, except as permitted by this Indenture;

 

(8)         reduce the percentage or aggregate principal amount of outstanding Notes the consent of whose Holders is necessary for waiver of compliance with Sections 6.02 and 6.04; or

 

(9)         modify or change any provisions of this Indenture affecting the ranking of the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees in any manner adverse to the Holders of the Notes.

 

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

 

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(d)          A consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver under this Indenture by any Holder given in connection with an exchange (in the case of an exchange offer) or a tender (in the case of a tender offer) of such Holder’s Notes will not be rendered invalid by such tender or exchange.

 

(e)          After an amendment, supplement or waiver under this Section 9.02 becomes effective, the Issuer shall mail to the Holders affected thereby a notice briefly describing the amendment, supplement or waiver. Any failure of the Issuer to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

Section 9.03        Compliance with the Trust Indenture Act.

 

From the date on which this Indenture is qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, every amendment, waiver or supplement of this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees shall comply with the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

 

Section 9.04        Revocation and Effect of Consents.

 

Until an amendment, waiver or supplement becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Note. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Note or portion of his Note by notice to the Trustee or the Issuer received before the date on which the Trustee receives an Officers’ Certificate certifying that the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Notes have consented (and not theretofore revoked such consent) to the amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

The Issuer may, but shall not be obligated to, fix a record date for the purpose of determining the Holders entitled to consent to any amendment, supplement or waiver, which record date shall be at least 30 days prior to the first solicitation of such consent. If a record date is fixed, then notwithstanding the last sentence of the immediately preceding paragraph, those Persons who were Holders at such record date (or their duly designated proxies), and only those Persons, shall be entitled to revoke any consent previously given, whether or not such Persons continue to be Holders after such record date. No such consent shall be valid or effective for more than 90 days after such record date. The Issuer shall inform the Trustee in writing of the fixed record date if applicable.

 

After an amendment, supplement or waiver becomes effective, it shall bind every Holder, unless it makes a change described in any of clauses (1) through (8) of Section 9.02(b), in which case, the amendment, supplement or waiver shall bind only each Holder of a Note who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Note or portion of a Note that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Note; provided, however, that any such waiver shall not impair or affect the right of any Holder to receive payment of principal of, and interest on, a Note, on or after the respective due dates therefor, or to bring suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates without the consent of such Holder.

 

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Section 9.05        Notation on or Exchange of Notes.

 

If an amendment, supplement or waiver changes the terms of a Note, the Issuer may require the Holder of the Note to deliver it to the Trustee. The Issuer shall provide the Trustee with an appropriate notation on the Note about the changed terms and cause the Trustee to return it to the Holder at the Issuer’s expense. Alternatively, if the Issuer or the Trustee so determines, the Issuer in exchange for the Note shall issue, and the Trustee shall authenticate, a new Note that reflects the changed terms. Failure to make the appropriate notation or issue a new Note shall not affect the validity and effect of such amendment, supplement or waiver.

 

Section 9.06        Trustee To Sign Amendments, Etc. 

 

The Trustee shall execute any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article Nine; provided, however, that the Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, execute any such amendment, supplement or waiver which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture. The Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel and an Officers’ Certificate each stating that the execution of any amendment, supplement or waiver authorized pursuant to this Article Nine is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and constitutes legal, valid and binding obligations of the Issuer enforceable in accordance with its terms. Such Opinion of Counsel shall be at the expense of the Issuer.

 

ARTICLE Ten

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE

 

Section 10.01    Guarantee.

 

Subject to this Article Ten, each of the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby, jointly and severally, unconditionally guarantees to each Holder of a Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and to the Trustee and its successors and assigns, irrespective of the validity and enforceability of this Indenture, the Notes or the obligations of the Issuer hereunder or thereunder, that: (a) the principal of and interest on the Notes will be promptly paid in full when due, whether at maturity, by acceleration, redemption or otherwise, and interest on the overdue principal of and interest on the Notes, if any, if lawful, and all other obligations of the Issuer to the Holders or the Trustee hereunder or thereunder will be promptly paid in full or performed, all in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof; and (b) in case of any extension of time of payment or renewal of any Notes or any of such other obligations, that same will be promptly paid in full when due or performed in accordance with the terms of the extension or renewal, whether at stated maturity, by acceleration or otherwise. Failing payment when due of any amount so guaranteed or any performance so guaranteed for whatever reason, the Subsidiary Guarantors shall be jointly and severally obligated to pay the same immediately. Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that this is a guarantee of payment and not a guarantee of collection.

 

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The Subsidiary Guarantors hereby agree that their obligations hereunder shall be unconditional, irrespective of the validity, regularity or enforceability of the Notes or this Indenture, the absence of any action to enforce the same, any waiver or consent by any Holder of the Notes with respect to any provisions hereof or thereof, the recovery of any judgment against the Issuer, any action to enforce the same or any other circumstance which might otherwise constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor. Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby waives, to the extent permitted by applicable law, diligence, presentment, demand of payment, filing of claims with a court in the event of insolvency or bankruptcy of the Issuer, any right to require a proceeding first against the Issuer, protest, notice and all demands whatsoever and covenant that this Note Guarantee shall not be discharged except by complete performance of the obligations contained in the Notes and this Indenture.

 

If any Holder or the Trustee is required by any court or otherwise to return to the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors or any custodian, trustee, liquidator or other similar official acting in relation to either the Issuer or the Subsidiary Guarantors, any amount paid by either to the Trustee or such Holder, this Subsidiary Guarantee, to the extent theretofore discharged, shall be reinstated in full force and effect.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor agrees that it shall not be entitled to any right of subrogation in relation to the Holders in respect of any obligations guaranteed hereby until payment in full of all obligations guaranteed hereby. Each Subsidiary Guarantor further agrees that, as between the Subsidiary Guarantors, on the one hand, and the Holders and the Trustee, on the other hand, (x) the maturity of the obligations guaranteed hereby may be accelerated as provided in Article Six hereof for the purposes of this Subsidiary Guarantee, notwithstanding any stay, injunction or other prohibition preventing such acceleration in respect of the obligations guaranteed hereby, and (y) in the event of any declaration of acceleration of such obligations as provided in Article Six hereof, such obligations (whether or not due and payable) shall forthwith become due and payable by the Subsidiary Guarantors for the purpose of this Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

Section 10.02    Limitation on Subsidiary Guarantor Liability.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor, and by its acceptance of Notes, each Holder, hereby confirms that it is the intention of all such parties that the Subsidiary Guarantee of such Subsidiary Guarantor not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Bankruptcy Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar federal or state law to the extent applicable to any Subsidiary Guarantee. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Trustee, the Holders and the Subsidiary Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor will, after giving effect to such maximum amount and all other contingent and fixed liabilities of such Subsidiary Guarantor that are relevant under such laws, and after giving effect to any collections from, rights to receive contribution from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantor in respect of the obligations of such other Subsidiary Guarantor under this Article Ten, result in the obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance. Each Subsidiary Guarantor that makes a payment for distribution under its Subsidiary Guarantee is entitled to a contribution from each other Subsidiary Guarantor in a pro rata amount based on the adjusted net assets of each Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

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Section 10.03    Execution and Delivery of Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

To evidence its Subsidiary Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01, each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that a notation of such Subsidiary Guarantee substantially in the form included in Exhibit C shall be endorsed by an Officer of such Subsidiary Guarantor on each Note authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and that this Indenture shall be executed on behalf of such Subsidiary Guarantor by an Officer.

 

Each Subsidiary Guarantor hereby agrees that its Subsidiary Guarantee set forth in Section 10.01 shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding any failure to endorse on each Note a notation of such Subsidiary Guarantee.

 

If an Officer whose signature is on this Indenture or on the Subsidiary Guarantee no longer holds that office at the time the Trustee authenticates the Note on which a Subsidiary Guarantee is endorsed, the Subsidiary Guarantee shall be valid nevertheless.

 

The delivery of any Note by the Trustee, after the authentication thereof hereunder, shall constitute due delivery of the Subsidiary Guarantee set forth in this Indenture on behalf of the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

Section 10.04    Release of a Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

A Subsidiary Guarantor shall be automatically and unconditionally released from its obligations under its Note Guarantee and its obligations under this Indenture:

 

(1)         upon any sale, exchange or transfer to a Person not an Affiliate of the Issuer of all of the Capital Stock held by the Issuer and its Subsidiaries in, or all or substantially all of the assets of, such Subsidiary Guarantor;

 

(2)         upon the liquidation or dissolution of such Subsidiary Guarantor; provided that no Default or Event of Default shall occur as a result thereof;

 

(3)         if the Issuer exercises its Legal Defeasance option under Section 8.02(b) or its Covenant Defeasance option under Section 8.02(c), or if the Issuer’s obligations under this Indenture are discharged in accordance with Section 8.01; or

 

(4)         if a Subsidiary Guarantor ceases to guarantee the obligations of the Issuer under any such Indebtedness of the Issuer that would constitute Indebtedness under clauses (1) or (2) under the definition thereof in an amount at least equal to $50 million;

 

provided, however, that in the case of clauses (1) and (2) above, (x) such sale or other disposition is made to a Person other than the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries and (y) such sale or disposition is otherwise permitted by this Indenture. Upon any such occurrence specified in this Section 10.04, at the Issuer’s request, and upon delivery to the Trustee of an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent under the Indenture relating to such release have been complied with, the Trustee shall execute any documents reasonably requested by the Issuer evidencing such release. A Person that has been released pursuant to this Section 10.04 shall cease to be a Subsidiary Guarantor for all purposes under this Indenture from and after the date of such release unless and until such Person again becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor pursuant to Section 4.09.

 

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Nothing contained in this Indenture or in any of the Notes shall prevent any consolidation or merger of a Subsidiary Guarantor with or into the Issuer (in which case such Subsidiary Guarantor shall no longer be a Subsidiary Guarantor) or another Subsidiary Guarantor or shall prevent any sale or conveyance of the property of a Subsidiary Guarantor as an entirety or substantially as an entirety to the Issuer or another Subsidiary Guarantor.

 

ARTICLE Eleven

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01    Trust Indenture Act Controls.

 

If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies, or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed to be included in this Indenture by the Trust Indenture Act, such required or deemed provision shall control.

 

Section 11.02    Notices.

 

Any notices or other communications required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing, and shall be sufficiently given if made by hand delivery, by telex, by nationally recognized overnight courier service, by telecopier or registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, addressed as follows:

 

if to the Issuer or a Subsidiary Guarantor:

 

c/o Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
303 International Circle, Suite 200
Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030
Attention: Robert O. Stephenson

Telephone: (410) 427-1700
Facsimile: (410) 427-8800

 

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with a copy to:

 

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP
One Atlantic Center
Fourteenth Floor
1201 W. Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta, Georgia 30309-3471
Attention: Eliot Robinson

Telephone: (404) 572-6600
Facsimile: (404) 572-6999

 

if to the Trustee:

 

U.S. Bank National Association
Two Midtown Plaza
1349 W. Peachtree Street, NW., Suite 1050
EX-GA-ATPT
Atlanta, Georgia 30309
Attention: Corporate Trust Department

Telephone: (404) 965-7218
Facsimile: (404) 365-7946

 

Each of the Issuer and the Trustee by written notice to each other such Person may designate additional or different addresses for notices to such Person. Any notice or communication to the Issuer and the Trustee, shall be deemed to have been given or made as of the date so delivered if personally delivered; when replied to; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; five (5) calendar days after mailing if sent by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid (except that a notice of change of address shall not be deemed to have been given until actually received by the addressee); and next Business Day if by nationally recognized overnight courier service.

 

Any notice or communication mailed to a Holder shall be mailed to him by first class mail or other equivalent means at his address as it appears on the registration books of the Registrar and shall be sufficiently given to him if so mailed within the time prescribed.

 

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

 

Section 11.03    Communications by Holders with Other Holders.

 

Holders may communicate pursuant to Trust Indenture Act § 312(b) with other Holders with respect to their rights under this Indenture, the Notes or the Subsidiary Guarantees. The Issuer, the Trustee, the Registrar and any other Person shall have the protection of Trust Indenture Act § 312(c).

 

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Section 11.04    Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent.

 

Upon any request or application by the Issuer to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee at the request of the Trustee:

 

(1)         an Officers’ Certificate, in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee, stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent to be performed or effected by the Issuer, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

 

(2)         an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

 

Section 11.05    Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion.

 

Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture, other than the Officers’ Certificate required by Section 4.05, shall include:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(4)         a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of each such Person, such condition or covenant has been complied with; provided, however, that with respect to matters of fact, an Opinion of Counsel may rely on an Officers’ Certificate or certificates of public officials.

 

Section 11.06    Rules by Paying Agent or Registrar.

 

The Paying Agent or Registrar may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for their functions.

 

Section 11.07    Legal Holidays.

 

If a payment date is not a Business Day, payment may be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day.

 

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Section 11.08    Governing Law.

 

This Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

Section 11.09    No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements.

 

This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of any of the Issuer or any of its Subsidiaries. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

Section 11.10    No Recourse Against Others.

 

No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member or manager or controlling person of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer under the Notes or this Indenture or of any Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. Such waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

Section 11.11    Successors.

 

All agreements of the Issuer and the Subsidiary Guarantors in this Indenture, the Notes and the Note Guarantees shall bind their respective successors. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

 

Section 11.12    Duplicate Originals.

 

All parties may sign any number of copies of this Indenture. Each signed copy or counterpart shall be an original, but all of them together shall represent the same agreement.

 

Section 11.13    Severability.

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law, in case any one or more of the provisions in this Indenture, in the Notes or in the Subsidiary Guarantees shall be held invalid, illegal or unenforceable, in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby, it being intended that all of the provisions hereof shall be enforceable to the full extent permitted by law.

 

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

 

  OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC., as Issuer
   
  By:    /s/ Robert O. Stephenson
    Name:    Robert O. Stephenson
    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 

 

 

 

  OHI HEALTHCARE PROPERTIES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, as a Subsidiary Guarantor
   
  By:    /s/ Robert O. Stephenson
    Name:    Robert O. Stephenson
    Title: Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer and Secretary

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 

 

 

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
   
  By:    /s/ David Ferrel
    Name:    David Ferrell
    Title: Vice President

 

[Signature Page to Indenture]

 

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[Insert the Global Note Legend, if applicable pursuant to the provisions of the Indenture]

 

OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC.
3.625% Senior Notes due 2029

 

  CUSIP No.
No. [   ] $

 

OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC., a Maryland corporation (the “Issuer”), for value received promises to pay to Cede & Co., or its registered assigns, the principal sum of [       ] DOLLARS [or such other amount as is provided in a schedule attached hereto]a on October 1, 2029.

 

Interest Payment Dates: April 1 and October 1, commencing April 1, 2020. Record Dates: March 15 and September 15.

 

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note contained herein, which will for all purposes have the same effect as if set forth at this place.

 

 

a This language should be included only if the Note is issued in global form. b This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be signed manually or by facsimile by its duly authorized officer.

 

Dated:

 

  OMEGA HEALTHCARE INVESTORS, INC., as Issuer
   
  By:     
    Name:     
    Title:  

 

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[FORM OF] TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

This is one of the 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 described in the within-mentioned Indenture.

 

Dated:

 

  U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee
   
  By:                         
  Authorized Signatory

 

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(Reverse of Note)

 

3.625% Senior Notes due 2029

 

Capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture referred to below unless otherwise indicated.

 

SECTION 1. Interest. Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Issuer”), promises to pay interest on the principal amount of this Note at 3.625% per annum from September 20, 2019 until maturity. The Issuer will pay interest semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year, or if any such day is not a Business Day, on the next succeeding Business Day (each an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing April 1, 2020. Interest on the Notes will accrue from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid, from September 20, 2019. The Issuer shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue principal and premium, if any, from time to time on demand to the extent lawful at the interest rate applicable to the Notes; it shall pay interest (including post-petition interest in any proceeding under any Bankruptcy Law) on overdue installments of interest (without regard to any applicable grace periods) from time to time on demand at the same rate to the extent lawful. Interest will be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

SECTION 2. Method of Payment. The Issuer will pay interest on the Notes to the Persons who are registered Holders of Notes at the close of business on March 15 or September 15 next preceding the Interest Payment Date, even if such Notes are canceled after such record date and on or before such Interest Payment Date, except as provided in Section 2.12 of the Indenture with respect to defaulted interest. The Notes will be issued in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Issuer shall pay principal, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and private debts (“U.S. Legal Tender”). Principal of, premium, if any, and interest on the Notes will be payable at the office or agency of the Issuer maintained for such purpose except that, at the option of the Issuer, the payment of interest may be made by check mailed to the Holders of the Notes at their respective addresses set forth in the register of Holders of Notes. Until otherwise designated by the Issuer, the Issuer’s office or agency in New York will be the office of the Trustee maintained for such purpose.

 

SECTION 3. Paying Agent and Registrar. Initially, U.S. Bank National Association, the Trustee under the Indenture, will act as Paying Agent and Registrar. The Issuer may change any Paying Agent or Registrar without notice to any Holder. Except as provided in the Indenture, the Issuer or any of their Subsidiaries may act in any such capacity.

 

SECTION 4. Indenture. The Issuer issued the Notes under an Indenture dated as of September 20, 2019 (“Indenture”) by and among the Issuer, the Subsidiary Guarantors and the Trustee. The terms of the Notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (15 U.S. Code §§ 77aaa-77bbbb) (the “Trust Indenture Act”). The Notes are subject to all such terms, and Holders are referred to the Indenture and the Trust Indenture Act for a statement of such terms.

 

SECTION 5. Optional Redemption. The Notes will be redeemable at the option of the Issuer, in whole or in part, at any time, and from time to time, upon not less than 15 days’ nor more than 60 days’ notice. If the Notes are redeemed prior to the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price will be equal to the greater of:

 

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(a)       100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, and

 

(b)       the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Notes to be redeemed (exclusive of interest accrued to the applicable Redemption Date) assuming that such Notes matured, and that interest on such Notes was payable, on the Par Call Date, discounted to such Redemption Date on a semiannual basis, assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months, at the Treasury Rate plus 30 basis points (the “Applicable Premium”),

 

plus, in each case of clauses (a) and (b) above, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the applicable Redemption Date; provided, however, that if the Redemption Date falls after the Record Date and on or prior to the corresponding Interest Payment Date, the Issuer will pay the full amount of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on such Interest Payment Date to the Holder of Notes at the close of business on the corresponding Record Date (instead of the holder surrendering its Notes for redemption).

 

If the Notes are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the Redemption Price will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, such Redemption Date.

 

Treasury Rate” means (1) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the remaining life of the Notes, yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be determined and the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest month), or (2) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum 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 the applicable Redemption Date. The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the third Business Day preceding the applicable Redemption Date.

 

Comparable Treasury Issue” means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the Notes, the United States Treasury security selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having an actual or interpolated maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed (assuming for this purpose that such Notes matured on the Par Call Date) that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed.

 

Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the Notes:

 

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

 

(ii)       if the Issuer obtains fewer than five but more than one such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, the average of all such quotations, or

 

(iii)       if the Issuer obtains only one such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation for such Redemption Date, that Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation.

 

Independent Investment Banker” means, with respect to any Redemption Date for the Notes, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Issuer with respect to such Redemption Date.

 

Par Call Date” means July 1, 2029.

 

Reference Treasury Dealer” means (1) Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and a Primary Treasury Dealer selected by Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. and (2) any one other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Issuer; provided, however, that if any Reference Treasury Dealers referred to in clause (1) above ceases to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Issuer will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 

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

 

SECTION 6. [Reserved].

 

SECTION 7. Notice of Redemption. Notice of redemption will be mailed by first class mail at least 15 days but not more than 60 days before the redemption date to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed at its registered address. Notes in denominations larger than $2,000 may be redeemed in part. If any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption that relates to such Note shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed. A new Note in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued in the name of the Holder thereof upon cancellation of the original Note. On and after the Redemption Date interest ceases to accrue on Notes or portions thereof called for redemption.

 

SECTION 8. Mandatory Redemption. The Issuer shall not be required to make mandatory redemption payments with respect to the Notes.

 

SECTION 9. Additional Notes. The Issuer may, from time to time, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, create and issue additional notes (the “Additional Notes”) ranking pari passu with the Initial Notes in all respects (or in all respects except for the public offering price of the Additional Notes, the issue date thereof, the payment of interest accruing on the Additional Notes prior to the issue date thereof or except for the first payment of interest on the Additional Notes following the issue date thereof). The Additional Notes shall be treated as a single class with the Initial Notes and have the same terms as to status, redemption or otherwise as the Initial Notes, provided that if such Additional Notes are not fungible with the Initial Notes for U.S. federal income tax purposes, such Additional Notes will have a separate CUSIP or ISIN number.

 

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SECTION 10. Denominations, Transfer, Exchange. The Notes are in registered form without coupons in denominations of $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof. The transfer of Notes may be registered and Notes may be exchanged as provided in the Indenture. The Registrar and the Trustee may require a Holder, among other things, to furnish appropriate endorsements and transfer documents and the Issuer may require a Holder to pay any taxes and fees required by law or permitted by the Indenture. The Issuer and the Registrar are not required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption. Also, the Issuer and the Registrar are not required to transfer or exchange any Notes for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

 

SECTION 11. Persons Deemed Owners. The registered Holder of a Note may be treated as its owner for all purposes.

 

SECTION 12. Amendment, Supplement and Waiver. Subject to certain exceptions set forth in the Indenture, the Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees may be amended or supplemented with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding, and any existing Default or compliance with any provision may be waived with the consent of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding. Without notice to or consent of any Holder, the parties thereto may also amend or supplement the Indenture, the Notes and the Subsidiary Guarantees under the limited circumstances provided in the Indenture.

 

SECTION 13. Defaults and Remedies. If a Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes generally may declare all the Notes to be due and payable immediately. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the case of a Default arising from certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency as set forth in the Indenture, with respect to the Issuer, all outstanding Notes will become due and payable without further action or notice. Holders of the Notes may not enforce the Indenture or the Notes except as provided in the Indenture. Subject to certain limitations, Holders of a majority in principal amount of the then outstanding Notes may direct the Trustee in its exercise of any trust or power. The Trustee may withhold from Holders of the Notes notice of any continuing Default if it determines that withholding notice is in their interest. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding by notice to the Trustee may on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes waive any existing Default and its consequences under the Indenture except a continuing Default in the payment of interest on, or the principal of, or the premium on, the Notes.

 

SECTION 14. Restrictive Covenants. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the ability of the Issuer and its Subsidiaries to incur indebtedness or to consolidate, merge or sell all or substantially all of its assets, and require the Issuer and its Subsidiaries, on a consolidated basis, to maintain a minimum ratio of Total Unencumbered Assets to Unsecured Indebtedness. The limitations are subject to a number of important qualifications and exceptions. The Issuer must annually report to the Trustee on compliance with such limitations and other provisions in the Indenture.

 

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SECTION 15. No Recourse Against Others. No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member or manager or controlling person of the Issuer or any Subsidiary Guarantor shall have any liability for any obligations of the Issuer under the Notes or the Indenture, or of any Subsidiary Guarantor under its Subsidiary Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. Each Holder of Notes by accepting a Note waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for issuance of the Notes.

 

SECTION 16. Subsidiary Guarantees. This Note will be entitled to the benefits of certain Subsidiary Guarantees made for the benefit of the Holders. Reference is hereby made to the Indenture for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and obligations thereunder of the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustee and the Holders.

 

SECTION 17. Trustee Dealings with the Issuer. Subject to certain terms, the Trustee under the Indenture, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Notes and may otherwise deal with the Issuer, their Subsidiaries or their respective Affiliates as if it were not the Trustee.

 

SECTION 18. Authentication. This Note shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent.

 

SECTION 19. Abbreviations. Customary abbreviations may be used in the name of a Holder or an assignee, such as: TEN COM (= tenants in common), TEN ENT (= tenants by the entirety), JT TEN (= joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common), CUST (= Custodian), and U/G/M/A (= Uniform Gifts to Minors Act).

 

SECTION 20. CUSIP and ISIN Numbers. Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform Security Identification Procedures, the Issuer has caused CUSIP and ISIN numbers to be printed on the Notes and the Trustee may use CUSIP or ISIN numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders. No representation is made as to the accuracy of such numbers either as printed on the Notes or as contained in any notice of redemption and reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers placed thereon.

 

SECTION 21. Governing Law. This Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

The Issuer will furnish to any Holder upon written request and without charge a copy of the Indenture.

 

A-8

 

 

ASSIGNMENT FORM

 

I or we assign and transfer this Note to

 

 
 
 

(Print or type name, address and zip code of assignee or transferee)

 

 

(Insert Social Security or other identifying number of assignee or transferee)

 

and irrevocably appoint_________________ agent to transfer this Note on the books of the Issuer. The agent may substitute another to act for him.

 

Dated:  ___________ Signed:  
    (Sign exactly as name appears on the other side of this Note)

 

Signature Guarantee:  
  Participant in a recognized Signature Guarantee Medallion Program (or other signature guarantor program reasonably acceptable to the Trustee)

 

A-9

 

 

SCHEDULE OF PRINCIPAL AMOUNTb

 

The initial principal amount at maturity of this Global Note shall be $      . The following decreases/increases in the principal amount at maturity of this Global Note have been made:

 

Date of

Decrease/Increase

  Amount of decrease
in Principal Amount
of this Global Note
  Amount of increase
in Principal Amount
of this Global Note
  Principal Amount of
this Global Note
following such
decrease (or increase)
  Signature of
authorized officer of
Trustee or Note
Custodian
                 

 

 

b       This schedule should be included only if the Note is issued in global form.

 

A-10

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF LEGENDS

 

Each Global Note authenticated and delivered hereunder shall bear the following legend:

 

THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITORY OR A NOMINEE OF A DEPOSITORY OR A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITORY IN CUSTODY FOR THE BENEFICIAL OWNERS HEREOF.

 

THIS NOTE IS NOT TRANSFERABLE TO ANY PERSON UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES EXCEPT THAT (A) THE TRUSTEE OR THE REGISTRAR MAY MAKE SUCH NOTATIONS HEREON AS MAY BE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.02 OF THE INDENTURE, (B) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE EXCHANGED IN WHOLE BUT NOT IN PART PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.15(b) OF THE INDENTURE, (C) EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN SECTION 2.15(b) OF THE INDENTURE, THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE TRANSFERRED IN WHOLE, BUT NOT IN PART, ONLY (X) BY THE DEPOSITORY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY, (Y) BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY TO THE DEPOSITORY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITORY OR (Z) BY THE DEPOSITORY OR ANY NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITORY OR TO A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITORY, AND (D) THIS GLOBAL NOTE MAY BE DELIVERED TO THE TRUSTEE FOR CANCELLATION PURSUANT TO SECTION 2.11 OF THE INDENTURE.

 

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

 

B-1

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTEE

 

For value received, each of the undersigned (including any successor Person under the Indenture) hereby unconditionally guarantees, jointly and severally, to the extent set forth in the Indenture (as defined below) to the Holder of this Note the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on this Note in the amounts and at the times when due and interest on the overdue principal, premium, if any, and interest, if any, of this Note when due, if lawful, and, to the extent permitted by law, the payment or performance of all other obligations of the Issuer under the Indenture or the Notes, to the Holder of this Note and the Trustee, all in accordance with and subject to the terms and limitations of this Note, the Indenture, including Article Ten thereof, and this Subsidiary Guarantee. This Subsidiary Guarantee will become effective in accordance with Article Ten of the Indenture and its terms shall be evidenced therein. The validity and enforceability of any Subsidiary Guarantee shall not be affected by the fact that it is not affixed to any particular Note.

 

Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Indenture dated as of September 20, 2019, among Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Issuer”), the Subsidiary Guarantors named therein and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as amended or supplemented (the “Indenture”).

 

The obligations of the undersigned to the Holders of Notes and to the Trustee pursuant to this Subsidiary Guarantee and the Indenture are expressly set forth in Article Ten of the Indenture and reference is hereby made to the Indenture for the precise terms of the Subsidiary Guarantee and all of the other provisions of the Indenture to which this Subsidiary Guarantee relates.

 

No director, officer, employee, incorporator, stockholder, member or manager or controlling person of any Subsidiary Guarantor, as such, shall have any liability for any obligations of such Subsidiary Guarantor under such Subsidiary Guarantor’s Subsidiary Guarantee or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligation or its creation.

 

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

 

This Subsidiary Guarantee is subject to release upon the terms set forth in the Indenture.

 

 

C-1

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Subsidiary Guarantor has caused its Subsidiary Guarantee to be duly executed.

 

Date:

 

  [             ]
   
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

C-2

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

September 20, 2019

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

303 International Circle

Suite 200

Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030

 

Re: Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-228321)

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have served as Maryland counsel to Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with certain matters of Maryland law arising out of the registration and issuance by the Company of up to $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”), as guaranteed by OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership, a Delaware limited partnership and a subsidiary of the Company (the “Guarantor”), covered by the above-referenced Registration Statement, and all amendments thereto (collectively, the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). The Notes are to be issued in an underwritten public offering (the “Offering”) pursuant to the Prospectus Supplement (as defined herein). We understand that Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP is providing you with an opinion regarding the Company, the Guarantor, and certain tax matters.

 

I. Documents Reviewed and Matters Considered

 

In connection with our representation of the Company, and as a basis for the opinions hereinafter set forth, we have examined originals, or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of the following documents (herein collectively referred to as the “Documents”):

 

(i) the Registration Statement, and the related form of prospectus included therein, in the form in which it was transmitted to the Commission under the 1933 Act;

 

(ii) the Prospectus Supplement, dated as of September 17, 2019 (the “Prospectus Supplement”);

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
 
September 20, 2019
Page 2

 

(iii) the charter of the Company (the “Charter”), certified by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation of Maryland (the “SDAT”);

 

(iv) the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company (the “Bylaws”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

 

(v) a Certificate of Status of the SDAT to the effect that the Company is in good standing, dated September 13, 2019;

 

(vi) the Underwriting Agreement dated as of September 17, 2019 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), entered into by and among the Company, BofA Securities, Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, each individually and in their capacity as representatives of the several Underwriters named on Schedule 1 attached thereto, and Guarantor;

 

(vii) the Indenture, dated as of the date hereof (the “Indenture”), by and among the Company, the Guarantor, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee;

 

(viii) resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company and the Pricing Committee of the Board of Directors relating to, among other matters, the sale and issuance of the Notes (the “Resolutions”), certified as of the date hereof by an officer of the Company;

 

(ix) a certificate executed by an officer of the Company, dated as of the date hereof; and

 

(x) such other documents and matters as we have deemed necessary or appropriate to express the opinions set forth below, subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein.

 

II. Assumptions

 

In expressing the opinions set forth below, we have assumed the following:

 

(a) Each individual executing any of the Documents, whether on behalf of such individual or another person, is legally competent to do so.

 

(b) Each individual executing any of the Documents on behalf of a party (other than the Company) is duly authorized to do so.

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
 
September 20, 2019
Page 3

 

(c) Each of the parties (other than the Company) executing any of the Documents has duly and validly executed and delivered each of the Documents to which such party is a signatory, and such party’s obligations set forth therein are legal, valid and binding and are enforceable in accordance with all stated terms.

 

(d) All Documents submitted to us as originals are authentic. The form and content of all Documents submitted to us as unexecuted drafts do not differ in any respect relevant to this opinion from the form and content of such Documents as executed and delivered.

 

(e) All Documents submitted to us as certified or photostatic copies conform to the original documents. All signatures on all Documents are genuine. All public records reviewed or relied upon by us or on our behalf are true and complete. All representations, warranties, statements and information contained in the Documents are true and complete. There has been no oral or written modification of or amendment to any of the Documents, and there has been no waiver of any provision of any of the Documents, by action or omission of the parties or otherwise.

 

III. Opinions

 

Based upon the foregoing, and subject to the assumptions, limitations and qualifications stated herein, it is our opinion that:

 

1. The Company is a corporation duly incorporated and validly existing under and by virtue of the laws of the State of Maryland and is in good standing with the SDAT.

 

2. The execution, delivery and performance of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the issuance of the Notes have been duly authorized by the Company.

 

IV. Qualifications and Limitations

 

(A) The foregoing opinions are limited to the laws of the State of Maryland and we do not express any opinion herein concerning any other law. We express no opinion as to the applicability or effect of federal or state securities laws, including the securities laws of the State of Maryland, or as to federal or state laws regarding fraudulent transfers. To the extent that any matter as to which our opinion is expressed herein would be governed by the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Maryland, we do not express any opinion on such matter. The opinions expressed herein are subject to the effect of judicial decisions which may permit the introduction of parol evidence to modify the terms or the interpretation of agreements.

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.
 
September 20, 2019
Page 4

 

(B) The opinions expressed herein are limited to the matters specifically set forth herein and no other opinions shall be inferred beyond the matters expressly stated. We assume no obligation to supplement this opinion letter if any applicable law changes after the date hereof or if we become aware of any fact that might change the opinions expressed herein after the date hereof.

 

(C) This opinion is being furnished to you for submission to the Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K relating to the Offering (the “Current Report”), which is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Current Report and the said incorporation by reference and to the use of the name of our firm therein. 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 1933 Act.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  /s/ SHAPIRO SHER GUINOT & SANDLER, P.A
   
  SHAPIRO SHER GUINOT & SANDLER, P.A.

 

 

Exhibit 5.2

 

[Letterhead of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP]

 

September 20, 2019

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

303 International Circle

Suite 200

Hunt Valley, Maryland 21030

 

Re: Offering of Senior Notes

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have served as special counsel to Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Parent”), and OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership (the “Guarantor”) in connection with the sale to the several underwriters named in the Underwriting Agreement (as defined below) by the Parent of the offering of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Parent’s 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”), and the guarantee of the Notes by the Guarantor (the “Guarantee” together with the Notes, the “Securities”) in each case, pursuant to the terms of that certain Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”), dated as of September 17, 2019, by and among the Parent, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, BofA Securities, Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc. and J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, on behalf of themselves and as the representatives of the several underwriters named on Schedule 1 thereto (collectively, the “Underwriters”) and the Guarantor. The Notes and the Guarantee are being issued pursuant to the Indenture, dated as of September 20, 2019 (the “Indenture”) between the Parent, the Guarantor and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

 

In connection herewith, we have examined:

 

(1) The automatic shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-228321) (the “Registration Statement”) covering the Securities, filed by the Parent and the Guarantor registrant with the Commission on November 9, 2018 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”);

 

(2) the Underwriting Agreement;

 

(3) the Indenture;

 

(4) the form of Notes attached as Exhibit A to the Indenture;

 

(5) the form of Guarantee attached as Exhibit C to the Indenture;

 

 

 

 

(6) the prospectus dated November 9, 2018 (the “Base Prospectus”) as supplemented by the Prospectus dated September 17, 2019 related to the Securities (together, the “Prospectus”);

 

(7) the limited partnership agreement of the Guarantor organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, as in effect on the date hereof and as certified by the Secretary of the Guarantor (the “Organizational Documents”); and

 

(8) certificate of the Secretary of the Guarantor, certifying as to resolutions relating to the transactions referred to herein and the incumbency of officers.

 

The documents referenced as items (1) through (6) above are collectively referred to as the “Transaction Documents.” The documents referenced as items (1) through (8) above are collectively referred to as the “Reviewed Documents.”

 

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such other limited partnership records, agreements and instruments of the Guarantor, certificates of public officials and officers or other appropriate representatives of the Guarantor, and such other documents, records and instruments, and we have made such legal and factual inquiries, as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for us to render the opinions hereinafter expressed. In our examination of the Reviewed Documents and the foregoing, we have assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the legal competence and capacity of natural persons, the authenticity of documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity with authentic original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies or by facsimile or other means of electronic transmission, or which we obtained from the Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or other sites maintained by a court or government authority or regulatory body, and the authenticity of the originals or such latter documents. If any document we examined in printed, word processed or similar form has been filed with the Commission on EDGAR or such court or governmental authority or regulatory body, we have assumed that the document so filed is identical to the document we examined except for formatting changes. When relevant facts were not independently established, we have relied without independent investigation as to matters of fact upon statements of governmental officials and upon representations made in or pursuant to certificates and statements of appropriate representatives of the Guarantor.

 

In connection herewith, we have assumed that, other than with respect to the Guarantor, all of the documents referred to in this opinion have been duly authorized by, have been duly executed and delivered by, and constitute the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of, all of the parties thereto, all of the signatories to such documents have been duly authorized by all such parties and all such parties are duly organized and validly existing and have the power and authority (corporate or other) to execute, deliver and perform such documents. We understand that Shapiro Sher Guinot & Sandler, P.A., special Maryland counsel to the Parent, is delivering to you an opinion letter, dated the date hereof, with respect to certain of the foregoing matters and other matters addressed therein.

 

 

 

 

Based upon the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject to the assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that when the Securities have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indentures, and issued and delivered to the Underwriters in exchange for payment for the Notes in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will be validly issued and constitute valid and binding obligations of the Guarantor, as applicable, enforceable in accordance with their terms.

 

In addition to the assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth above, the opinions set forth herein is further limited by, subject to and based upon the following assumptions, comments, qualifications, limitations and exceptions:

 

(a)       Our opinions set forth herein reflect only the application of New York State law (excluding, without limitation, (A) all laws, rules and regulations of cities, counties and other political subdivisions of New York and (B) the securities, blue sky and criminal laws of New York, as to which we express no opinion), and to the extent required by the foregoing opinions, the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act (6 Delaware Code Chapter 17), (the jurisdictions referred to in this sentence being sometimes collectively referred to herein as the “Opinion Jurisdictions”). The opinions set forth herein are made as of the date hereof and are subject to, and may be limited by, future changes in the factual matters set forth herein, and we undertake no duty to advise you of the same. The opinions expressed herein are based upon the law in effect (and published or otherwise generally available) on the date hereof, and we assume no obligation to revise or supplement these opinions should such law be changed by legislative action, judicial decision or otherwise. In rendering our opinion, we have not considered, and hereby disclaim any opinion as to, the application or impact of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Opinion Jurisdictions, or in the case of Delaware, any other laws of such states.

 

(b)       Our opinions contained herein are limited by (i) applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, receivership, moratorium or similar laws affecting or relating to the rights and remedies of creditors generally including, without limitation, laws relating to fraudulent transfers or conveyances, preferences and equitable subordination, (ii) general principles of equity (regardless of whether considered in a proceeding in equity or at law) and (iii) an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

 

(c)       Our opinions are further subject to the effect of generally applicable rules of law arising from statutes, judicial and administrative decisions, and the rules and regulations of governmental authorities that: (i) limit or affect the enforcement of provisions of a contract that purport to require waiver of the obligations of good faith, fair dealing, diligence and reasonableness; (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 of a party for, liability for its own action or inaction, to the extent the action or inaction involves negligence, recklessness, willful misconduct or unlawful conduct; (iv) may, where less than all of the 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; and (v) govern and afford judicial discretion regarding the determination of damages and entitlement to attorneys’ fees.

 

 

 

 

(d)       We express no opinion as to:

 

(i)       the enforceability of (A) any provision of the Indentures or the Securities (together, the “Operative Documents”) purporting or attempting to (1) confer exclusive jurisdiction and/or venue upon certain courts or otherwise waive the defenses of forum non conveniens or improper venue, (2) confer subject matter jurisdiction on a court not having independent grounds therefor, (3) modify or waive the requirements for effective service of process for any action that may be brought, (4) waive the right of the Parent, the Guarantor or any other person to a trial by jury, (5) provide that remedies are cumulative or that decisions by a party are conclusive, (6) modify or waive the rights to notice, legal defenses, statutes of limitations, statutes of repose (including the tolling of the same) or other benefits that cannot be waived under applicable law or (7) provide for or grant a power of attorney, or (B) any provision of the Operative Documents relating to choice of law;

 

(ii)       the enforceability of (A) any rights to indemnification or contribution provided for in the Operative Documents which are violative of public policy underlying any law, rule or regulation (including any federal or state securities law, rule or regulation) or the legality of such rights, (B) any provisions in the Operative Documents purporting to provide to the Trustee or any other person the right to receive costs and expenses beyond those reasonably incurred by it, or (C) provisions in the Operative Documents whose terms are left open for later resolution by the parties; or

 

(e)       Enforceability of the Guarantee is further subject to the qualification that certain waivers, procedures, remedies, and other provisions of the Guarantee may be unenforceable under or limited by the laws of the Opinion Jurisdictions; however, such laws do not in our opinion, substantially prevent the practical realization of the benefits intended by the Guarantee, except that the application of principles of guaranty and suretyship to the acts or omissions of the holder of the Guarantee after execution and delivery of the Guarantee may prevent the practical realization of the benefits intended by the Guarantee through a release or discharge of the Guarantor.

 

 

 

 

We do not render any opinions except as set forth above. We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Parent’s Current Report on Form 8-K and to the use of our name under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Prospectus. We also consent to your filing copies of this opinion letter as an exhibit to the Registration Statement with agencies of such states as you deem necessary in the course of complying with the laws of such states regarding the offering and sale of the Securities. In giving such consent, we do not thereby concede that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission thereunder.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

 

Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.1

 

[Letterhead of Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP]

 

 

 

 

September 20, 2019

 

 

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

303 International Circle

Suite 200

Hunt Valley, MD 21030

 

RE: Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have served as special counsel to Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), and each of the subsidiary guarantors of the Company listed on Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “Subsidiary Guarantors”) in connection with that certain Underwriting Agreement, dated as of September 17, 2019 (the “Underwriting Agreement”), among BofA Securities, Inc., Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc., J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Well Fargo Securities, LLC, on behalf of themselves and as the representatives of the several underwriters named on Schedule 1 thereto, the Company and the Subsidiary Guarantors, providing for, among other things, the offering of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 3.625% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “Notes”). The Notes are being offered pursuant to the Company’s Registration Statement (as amended, the “Registration Statement”) on Form S-3 (File No. 333-228321) as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on November 9, 2018, the form of prospectus included therein (the “Basic Prospectus”), and the Prospectus Supplement dated September 17, 2019, (the “Prospectus Supplement,” and together with the Basic Prospectus, the “Prospectus”).

 

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and are familiar with originals and copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of:

 

(1) the Indenture, dated as of the date hereof, by and among the Company, the Subsidiary Guarantors, and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee;

 

(2) the Underwriting Agreement;

 

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

September 20, 2019

Page 2

 

(3) the Registration Statement;

 

(4) the Basic Prospectus;

 

(5) the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated September 17, 2019 (together with the Basic Prospectus, the “Preliminary Prospectus”); and

 

(6) the Prospectus Supplement.

 

We have also examined and relied on originals or copies certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction of the Articles of Incorporation, the Articles of Amendment, Articles of Amendment and Restatement, and Articles Supplementary thereto, of the Company and its subsidiaries, and such other documents, certificates, and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate. We also have relied upon factual statements and representations made to us by representatives of the Company that are set forth in a certificate executed and provided to us by the Company (the “Officers’ Certificate”). With respect to the ownership of stock of the Company for certain periods prior to March 8, 2004, we also have relied on a letter from Explorer Holdings, L.P., regarding the ownership of stock of the Company by Explorer Holdings, L.P., Explorer Holdings Level II, L.P., and Hampstead Investment Partners III, L.P.. For purposes of this opinion, we have assumed the validity and accuracy of the documents, certificates and records set forth above, and that the statements and representations made in the Officers’ Certificate are and will remain true and complete. We also have assumed that the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, the Prospectus, and such other documents, certificates and records and that the statements as to factual matters contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus, and the Prospectus are true, correct and complete and will continue to be true, correct and complete through the completion of the transactions contemplated therein. For purposes of this opinion, however, we have not assumed the correctness of any statement to the effect that the Company qualifies as a real estate investment trust (“REIT”) under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder (the “Regulations”).

 

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

September 20, 2019

Page 3

 

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 certified, conformed or photo copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies, or by facsimile or other means of electronic transmission, or which we obtained from the SEC’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval system (“EDGAR”) or other sites maintained by a court or governmental authority or regulatory body and the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. If any document we examined in printed, word processed or similar form has been filed with the SEC on EDGAR or such court or governmental authority or regulatory body, we have assumed that the document so filed is identical to the document we examined except for formatting changes. In making our examination of documents executed, or to be executed, by the parties indicated therein, we have assumed that each party (other than the Company) has, or will have, the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and we have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the execution and delivery by such parties and the validity and binding effect thereof on such parties. All of the documents we have reviewed will be complied with without waiver. Finally, in connection with the opinions rendered below, we have assumed that during its taxable year ended December 31, 1992, and in each subsequent taxable year to present, the Company has operated and will continue to operate in such a manner that makes and will continue to make the representations contained in the Officers’ Certificate true for each of such years, as of the date hereof, and any representation made as a belief, made “to the knowledge of,” or made in a similarly qualified manner is true, correct, and complete, as of the date hereof, without such qualification.

 

In rendering our opinion, we have considered the applicable provisions of the Code, the Regulations, pertinent judicial authorities, interpretive rulings of the Internal Revenue Service and such other authorities as we have considered relevant, all in effect as of the date hereof. It should be noted that statutes, regulations, judicial decisions and administrative interpretations are subject to change at any time (possibly with retroactive effect). A change in the authorities or the accuracy or completeness of any of the information, documents, certificates, records, statements, representations, covenants, or assumptions on which our opinion is based could affect our conclusions.

 

Based on the foregoing, in reliance thereon and subject thereto and to the limitations stated below, it is our opinion that:

 

(a)       From and including the Company’s taxable year ended December 31, 1992, the Company was and is organized in conformity with the requirements for, its actual method of operation through the date hereof has permitted, and its proposed methods of operations as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus will permit the Company to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and the Company has qualified and will so qualify, and the Company will continue to meet such requirements and qualify as a REIT after consummation of the contemplated transactions and the application of the proceeds, if any, from the offering of the Notes by the Company as described in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus.

 

 

 

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc.

September 20, 2019

Page 4

 

(b)       The discussion in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Prospectus under the heading (1) “CERTAIN UNITED STATES FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS” and (2) “U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS” in the Basic Prospectus, as supplemented by documents incorporated by reference therein and the discussion specified in clause (1), in so far as such statements constitute a summary of U.S. federal tax matters, taken together, fairly and accurately summarizes such matters in all material respects.

 

The Company’s qualification and taxation as a REIT depends upon the Company’s ability to meet on a continuing basis, through actual annual operating and other results, the various requirements under the Code with regard to, among other things, the sources of its gross income, the composition of its assets, the level of its distributions to stockholders, the diversity of its stock ownership, and various other qualification tests imposed under the Code. We will not review the Company’s compliance with these requirements on a continuing basis. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the actual results of the operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, the sources of their income, the nature of their assets, the level of the Company’s distributions to stockholders, and the diversity of its stock ownership for any given taxable year will satisfy the requirements under the Code for qualification and taxation as a REIT and conform to the representations in the Officers’ Certificate.

 

Except as set forth above, we express no opinion to any party as to the tax consequences, whether federal, state, local or foreign, of the offering discussed in the Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus or of any transaction related thereto or contemplated thereby. We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Current Report on Form 8-K and to the reference to Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP under the heading “CERTAIN LEGAL MATTERS” in the Prospectus. 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 Securities Act. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof, and we are under no obligation to advise you of, supplement, or revise our opinion to reflect, any changes (including changes that have retroactive effect) in applicable law or any information, document, certificate, record, statement, representation, covenant or assumption relied upon herein that becomes incorrect or untrue.

 

Very truly yours,

 

/s/ Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP

 

 

 

 

 

Schedule A

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Subsidiary Guarantors

 

Subsidiary Guarantor Jurisdiction of Incorporation/Formation
OHI Healthcare Properties Limited Partnership Delaware