UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, DC 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):   April 11, 2012

 

MFA FINANCIAL, INC.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

 

Maryland   1-13991   13-3974868

(State or Other Jurisdiction

of Incorporation)

 

(Commission

File No.)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

 

350 Park Avenue, 20 th Floor, New York, New York 10022

(Address of Principal Executive Office) (Zip Code)

 

Registrant’s Telephone Number, Including Area Code:   (212) 207-6400

 

    Not Applicable    
  (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)  

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

¨ Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

 

 
 

 

ITEM 1.01. ENTRY INTO A MATERIAL DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT.

 

On April 11, 2012, MFA Financial, Inc. (“MFA”) issued and sold $100 million aggregate principal amount of its 8.00% Senior Notes due 2042 (the “Notes”) in a public offering pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-170097), as amended, and a related prospectus, including the related prospectus supplement, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

The Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Base Indenture”), and a first supplemental indenture thereto, dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Supplemental Indenture” and, together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), each between MFA and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”). 

 

The Notes bear interest at a rate of 8.00% per year on the principal amount, accruing from April 11, 2012.  Interest is payable quarterly in arrears on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on July 15, 2012.  The Notes will mature on April 15, 2042, unless previously redeemed or repurchased in accordance with their terms prior to such date.

 

MFA may redeem the Notes, in whole or in part, at any time on or after April 15, 2017, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the redemption date.

 

Upon a change of control (as defined in the Indenture), MFA will be required to make an offer to repurchase all outstanding Notes at a price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the repurchase date.

 

The Notes are MFA’s senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of MFA’s unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness.  However, the Notes are effectively subordinated to all of MFA’s secured indebtedness, which includes MFA’s repurchase agreements, securitized debt, obligation to return securities obtained as collateral, and other financing arrangements, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness, and are effectively subordinated to all liabilities of MFA’s subsidiaries.

 

The Notes contain certain restrictions on MFA’s ability to merge, consolidate or sell all or substantially all of its assets.  Otherwise, the Indenture does not contain any provisions that would limit MFA’s ability to incur indebtedness.

 

The following events are considered “Events of Default,” which may result in the acceleration of the maturity of the Notes:

 

· if MFA defaults in the payment of interest on the Notes, and such default continues for 30 days;

 

· if MFA defaults in the payment of the principal of the Notes when the same becomes due and payable upon maturity, upon redemption or otherwise;

 

· MFA’s failure to pay the repurchase price when due in connection with a change of control;

 

· if MFA fails to comply with any of its other agreements in the Notes or in the Indenture, which failure continues for 90 days after MFA receives notice from the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding;

 

 
 

 

· if MFA defaults after the expiration of any applicable grace period in the payment of principal when due on, or resulting in acceleration of, other indebtedness for borrowed money, other than non-recourse indebtedness of MFA or any of MFA’s subsidiaries or indebtedness of any structured finance subsidiary (as defined in the Indenture), where the aggregate principal amount with respect to which the default or acceleration has occurred exceeds $100 million and such indebtedness is not discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration is not cured or rescinded, prior to written notice of acceleration of the Notes; and

 

· if certain events of bankruptcy or insolvency occur with respect to MFA.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to the Notes occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then outstanding may declare the principal of the Notes to be due and payable immediately.

 

The summary of the foregoing transactions is qualified in its entirety by reference to the text of the Base Indenture and the Supplemental Indenture and related global note, which are included as Exhibits 4.1, 4.2 and 4.3, respectively, hereto and are incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 8.01. OTHER EVENTS.

 

The Notes were sold pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) among MFA, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, UBS Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as representatives of the underwriters named therein (collectively, the “Underwriters”).  Pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, MFA granted the Underwriters an option to purchase up to an additional $15 million aggregate principal amount of Notes solely to cover overallotments.  The foregoing summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Underwriting Agreement, which is attached hereto as Exhibit 1.1 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

ITEM 9.01. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS.

 

(d)   Exhibits.
     
1.1   Underwriting Agreement, dated as of April 3, 2012, among MFA, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, UBS Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.
     
4.1   Indenture, dated as of April 11, 2012, between MFA and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.
     
4.2   First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 11, 2012, between MFA and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee.
     
4.3   Form of 8.00% Senior Note due 2042 (included in Exhibit 4.2 hereto).
     
5.1   Opinion of K&L Gates LLP, relating to the validity of the Notes.
     
8.1   Opinion of K&L Gates LLP, relating to certain tax matters concerning the Notes.
     
23.1   Consent of K&L Gates LLP (included in Exhibits 5.2 and 8.1 hereto).

 

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

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

 

  MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Harold E. Schwartz
    Name: Harold E. Schwartz
    Title: Senior Vice President and General Counsel

 

Date: April 11, 2012

 

 

 

Exhibit 1.1

 

MFA FINANCIAL, INC.

 

8.00% Senior Notes due 2042

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

April 3, 2012

 

 
 

 

UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

 

April 3, 2012                                   

 

Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
UBS Securities LLC
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
           as Representatives of the several Underwriters,

 

c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036

 

UBS Securities LLC
677 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06901

Wells Fargo Securities, LLC
301 S. College Street
Charlotte, NC 28288

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

MFA Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “ Company ”), proposes to issue and sell, severally and not jointly, to the several underwriters listed in Schedule A hereto (collectively, the “ Underwriters ”), for whom Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC (“ Morgan Stanley ”), UBS Securities LLC and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC are acting as representatives (the “ Representatives ”), $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 8.00% Senior Notes due 2042 (the “ Firm Securities ”) of the Company. In addition, the Company proposes to grant to the Underwriters the option to purchase from the Company up to an additional $15,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the 8.00% Senior Notes due 2042 (the “ Additional Securities ”). The Firm Securities and the Additional Securities are hereinafter collectively sometimes referred to as the “ Securities .” The Securities are described in the Prospectus which is referred to below.

 

The Company has prepared and filed, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Securities Act ”), with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “ Commission ”) a registration statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-170097), as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, including a base prospectus, with respect to the Securities, which registration statement incorporates by reference documents which the Company has filed, or will file, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (collectively, the “ Exchange Act ”). Such registration statement has become effective under the Securities Act.

 

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Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Registration Statement ,” as used herein, means the registration statement, as amended by Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 thereto and as amended at the time of such registration statement’s effectiveness for purposes of Section 11 of the Securities Act, as such section applies to the respective Underwriters (the “ Effective Time ”), including (i) all documents filed as a part thereof or incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, (ii) any information contained or incorporated by reference in a prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act, to the extent such information is deemed, pursuant to Rule 430B or Rule 430C under the Securities Act, to be part of the registration statement at the Effective Time, and (iii) any registration statement filed to register the offer and sale of Securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act. References herein to the or this “ Agreement ” refer to this Underwriting Agreement.

 

The Company has furnished to you, for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Securities, copies of one or more preliminary prospectus supplements, if any, and the documents incorporated by reference therein, relating to the Securities (or in the case of any such documents incorporated by reference, that have been made available on the Commission’s EDGAR system). Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Pre-Pricing Prospectus ,” as used herein, means each such preliminary prospectus supplement, if any, in the form so furnished, including any basic prospectus (whether or not in preliminary form) furnished to you by the Company and attached to or used with such preliminary prospectus supplement. Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Basic Prospectus ,” as used herein, means any such basic prospectus and any basic prospectus furnished to you by the Company and attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement (as defined below).

 

Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Prospectus Supplement ,” as used herein, means the final prospectus supplement, relating to the Securities, filed by the Company with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on or before the second business day after the date hereof (or such earlier time as may be required under the Securities Act), in the form furnished by the Company to you for use by the Underwriters and by dealers in connection with the offering of the Securities.

 

Except where the context otherwise requires, “ Prospectus ,” as used herein, means the Prospectus Supplement together with the Basic Prospectus attached to or used with the Prospectus Supplement.

 

Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses ,” as used herein, means the documents listed on Schedule B attached hereto and each “road show” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act), if any, related to the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby that is a “written communication” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act). The Underwriters have not offered or sold and will not offer or sell, without the Company’s consent, any Securities by means of any “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) that is required to be filed by the Underwriters with the Commission pursuant to Rule 433 under the Securities Act, other than a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus.

 

Disclosure Package ,” as used herein, means any Pre-Pricing Prospectus or Basic Prospectus, in either case together with any combination of one or more of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any.

 

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Any reference herein to the registration statement, the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents, if any, incorporated by reference, or deemed to be incorporated by reference, therein (the “ Incorporated Documents ”), including, unless the context otherwise requires, the documents, if any, filed as exhibits to such Incorporated Documents. Any reference herein to the terms “ amend ,” “ amendment ” or “ supplement ” with respect to the Registration Statement, any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act on or after the initial effective date of the Registration Statement, or the date of such Basic Prospectus, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, and deemed to be incorporated therein by reference.

 

As used in this Agreement, “ business day ” shall mean a day on which the New York Stock Exchange (the “ NYSE ”) is open for trading. The terms “herein,” “hereof,” “hereto,” “hereinafter” and similar terms, as used in this Agreement, shall in each case refer to this Agreement as a whole and not to any particular section, paragraph, sentence or other subdivision of this Agreement. The term “or,” as used herein, is not exclusive.

 

The Company and the Underwriters agree as follows:

 

1.            Sale and Purchase . Upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Company agrees to issue and sell to the respective Underwriters and each of the Underwriters, severally and not jointly, agrees to purchase from the Company the respective principal amount of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter in Schedule A annexed hereto at a purchase price of 96.85% of the principal amount thereof with respect to Firm Securities, plus accrued interest, if any, from the time of purchase (as defined below). The Company is advised by the Representatives that the Underwriters intend (i) to make a public offering of their respective portions of the Firm Securities as soon as the Underwriters deem advisable after this Agreement has been executed and delivered and (ii) initially to offer the Firm Securities upon the terms set forth in the Prospectus. The Underwriters may from time to time increase or decrease the public offering price after the initial public offering to such extent as they may determine.

 

In addition, the Company hereby grants to the several Underwriters the option to purchase, and upon the basis of the warranties and representations and subject to the terms and conditions herein set forth, the Underwriters shall have the right to purchase, severally and not jointly, from the Company ratably in accordance with the number of Firm Securities to be purchased by each of them (subject to such adjustment as the Representatives may determine to ensure that the Additional Securities are issued in minimum denominations of no less than $25 and whole multiples of $25 in excess thereof), all or a portion of the Additional Securities, at the purchase price set forth above. This option may be exercised by the Representatives on behalf of the several Underwriters at any time or times on or before the thirtieth day following the date hereof, by written notice to the Company. Such notice shall set forth the aggregate number of Additional Securities as to which the option is being exercised and the date and time when the Additional Securities are to be delivered (such date and time being hereinafter referred to as the “ additional time of purchase ”); provided , however , that the additional time of purchase shall not be (i) earlier than the time of purchase (as defined below) or (ii) later than the tenth business day after the date on which the option shall have been exercised. The number of Additional Securities to be sold to each Underwriter shall be the number which bears the same proportion to the aggregate number of Additional Securities being purchased as the number of Firm Securities set forth opposite the name of such Underwriter on Schedule A hereto bears to the aggregate number of Firm Securities (subject, in each case, to such adjustment as the Representatives may determine to ensure that the Option Securities are issued in minimum denominations of no less than $25 and whole multiples of $25 in excess thereof), subject to adjustment in accordance with Section 8 hereof.

 

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2.            Payment and Delivery . Payment of the purchase price for the Firm Securities shall be made to the Company by federal funds wire transfer against delivery of the certificates for the Firm Securities to Morgan Stanley through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”) for the respective accounts of the Underwriters. Such payment and delivery shall be made at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on April 11, 2012 (unless another time shall be agreed to by Morgan Stanley and the Company or unless postponed in accordance with the provisions of Section 8 hereof). The time at which such payment and delivery are actually made is hereinafter sometimes called the “ time of purchase .” Electronic transfer of the Firm Securities shall be made to you at the time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as Morgan Stanley shall specify.

 

Payment of the purchase price for the Additional Securities shall be made at the additional time of purchase in the same manner and at the same office as the payment for the Firm Securities. Electronic transfer of the Additional Securities shall be made to you at the additional time of purchase in such names and in such denominations as Morgan Stanley shall specify.

 

Deliveries of the documents described in Section 6 hereof with respect to the purchase of the Securities shall be made at the offices of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP at 125 Broad Street, New York, New York 10004, at 10:00 A.M., New York City time, on the date of the closing of the purchase of the Firm Securities or the Additional Securities, as the case may be.

 

3.            Representations and Warranties of the Company . The Company represents and warrants to and, where applicable, agrees with, each of the Underwriters that:

 

(a)            The Registration Statement, as amended, has heretofore become effective under the Securities Act or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed to register the offer and sale of Securities pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, will be filed with the Commission and become effective under the Securities Act no later than 10:00 P.M., New York City time, on the date of this Agreement; no stop order of the Commission preventing or suspending the use of any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or the effectiveness of the Registration Statement, as amended, has been issued, and no proceedings for such purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, are contemplated by the Commission.

 

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(b)            The Registration Statement complied each time it became effective, complies as of the date hereof and, as amended or supplemented, at the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Securities, will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act; the conditions to the use of Form S-3 in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities as contemplated hereby have been satisfied; the Registration Statement constitutes an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act); the Company has not received, from the Commission, a notice, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2), of objection to the use of the automatic shelf registration statement form; as of the determination date applicable to the Registration Statement (and any amendment thereof) and the offering contemplated hereby, the Company is a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act; the Registration Statement meets, and the offering and sale of the Securities as contemplated hereby complies with, the requirements of Rule 415 under the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(5) under the Securities Act, if applicable); the Registration Statement did not, as of the Effective Time, contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; each Pre-Pricing Prospectus complied, at the time it was filed with the Commission, and complies as of the date hereof, in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Act; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the date such Pre-Pricing Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with any combination of one or more of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each Basic Prospectus complied or will comply, as of its date and the date it was or will be filed with the Commission, complies as of the date hereof (if filed with the Commission on or prior to the date hereof) and, at the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Securities, will comply, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act; at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of such Basic Prospectus and the date such Basic Prospectus was filed with the Commission and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Basic Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and at no time during such period did or will any Basic Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, together with any combination of one or more of the then issued Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; each of the Prospectus Supplement and the Prospectus will comply, as of the date that it is filed with the Commission, the date of the Prospectus Supplement, the time of purchase, each additional time of purchase, if any, and at all times during which a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Securities, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Securities Act (in the case of the Prospectus, including, without limitation, Section 10(a) of the Securities Act); at no time during the period that begins on the earlier of the date of the Prospectus Supplement and the date the Prospectus Supplement is filed with the Commission and ends at the later of the time of purchase, the latest additional time of purchase, if any, and the end of the period during which a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Securities did or will any Prospectus Supplement or the Prospectus, as then amended or supplemented, include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; at no time during the period that begins on the date of such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus and ends at the time of purchase did or will any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that the Company makes no representation or warranty in this Section 3(b) with respect to any statement contained in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in reliance upon and in conformity with information concerning an Underwriter and furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in the Registration Statement, such Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus or such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus; each Incorporated Document, at the time such document was filed with the Commission or at the time such document became effective, as applicable, complied, in all material respects, with the requirements of the Exchange Act and did not include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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(c)            Prior to the execution of this Agreement, the Company has not, directly or indirectly, offered or sold any Securities by means of any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Securities Act) or used any “prospectus” (within the meaning of the Securities Act) in connection with the offer or sale of the Securities, in each case other than any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any; the Company has not, directly or indirectly, prepared, used or referred to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus except in compliance with Rule 163 or with Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act; assuming that such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus is so sent or given after the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission (and after such Permitted Free Writing Prospectus was, if required pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, filed with the Commission), the sending or giving, by any Underwriter, of any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus will satisfy the provisions of Rule 164 and Rule 433 under the Securities Act (without reliance on subsections (b), (c) and (d) of Rule 164); assuming a free-writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) is sent or given, the conditions set forth in one or more of subclauses (i) through (iv), inclusive, of Rule 433(b)(1) under the Securities Act are satisfied, and the registration statement relating to the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby, as initially filed with the Commission, includes a prospectus that, other than by reason of Rule 433 or Rule 431 under the Securities Act, satisfies the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act; the Company is not disqualified, by reason of subsection (f) or (g) of Rule 164 under the Securities Act, from using, in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities, “free writing prospectuses” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) pursuant to Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act; the Company is not an “ineligible issuer” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) as of the eligibility determination date for purposes of Rules 164 and 433 under the Securities Act with respect to the offering of the Securities contemplated by the Registration Statement; and the parties hereto agree and understand that the content of any and all “road shows” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) related to the offering of the Securities contemplated hereby is solely the property of the Company.

 

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(d)            The consolidated financial statements of the Company, together with the related schedules and notes thereto, set forth or included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, are accurate in all material respects and fairly present the financial condition of the Company as of the dates indicated and the results of operations, changes in financial position, stockholders’ equity and cash flows for the periods therein specified are in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles consistently applied throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise stated therein). The selected financial and statistical data included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, present fairly the information shown therein and, to the extent based upon or derived from the financial statements, have been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial statements presented therein. Any pro forma financial statements of the Company, and the related notes thereto, included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, present fairly the information shown therein, have been prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines with respect to pro forma financial statements and have been properly compiled on the basis described therein, and the assumptions used in the preparation thereof are reasonable and the adjustments used therein are appropriate to give effect to the transactions and circumstances referred to therein. The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries (as defined below) do not have any material liabilities or obligations, direct or contingent (including any off-balance sheet obligations), not disclosed in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus. No other financial statements are required to be set forth or to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, under the Securities Act.

 

(e)            The Prospectus delivered to the Underwriters for use in connection with this offering will be identical to the versions of the Prospectus created to be transmitted to the Commission for filing via EDGAR, except to the extent permitted by Regulation S-T.

 

(f)            The Company has been duly formed and incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Maryland and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation in each jurisdiction in which its ownership or lease of property or assets or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, except where the failure to so qualify would not have a material adverse effect on the business, assets, properties, prospects, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole (a “ Material Adverse Effect ”) and has full corporate power and authority necessary to own, hold, lease and/or operate its assets and properties, to conduct the business in which it is engaged and as described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and to enter into and perform its obligations under this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby, and the Company is in compliance in all material respects with the laws, orders, rules, regulations and directives issued or administered by any jurisdictions in which it owns or leases property or conducts business.

 

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(g)            As of December 31, 2011, the Company had no “significant subsidiaries” (as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act) and, as of the date hereof, 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, except (a) that it owns (i) a 100% ownership interest in PF One Corporation, a Nebraska corporation (“ PF One ”), which in turn owns an 0.24% ownership interest in Lealand Place, LLC, a Georgia limited liability company (“ Lealand ” or, as the case may be, the “ Property Entities ”), (ii) a 100% ownership interest in Retirement Centers Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“ RCC ”), which in turn owns an 11.75% ownership interest in Lealand, (iii) a 100% ownership interest in MFA Owings Chase, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ MFA Owings ”), which in turn owns a 1% general partner interest in Owings Chase Limited Partnership, a Maryland limited partnership (“ Owings Chase ”), which in turn owns a 1.32% ownership interest in Lealand, (iv) a 99% limited partner interest in Owings Chase, (v) an 86.69% ownership interest in Lealand, (vi) a 100% ownership interest in MFA Spartan, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“ Spartan Inc. ”), which in turn owns a 100% ownership interest in MFA Spartan II, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Spartan II LLC ”), (vii) a 100% ownership interest in MFA Manager (Incentive), LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Incentive LLC ”), (viii) a 100% ownership interest in MFA Spartan Manager, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ Spartan Manager LLC ”), (ix) a 100% ownership interest in MFResidential Investments, Inc., a Maryland corporation (“ MFResidential ”), and (x) a 100% ownership interest in MFResidential Assets I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“ MFResidential Assets I ”), (together with PF One, RCC, MFA Owings, Owings Chase, Spartan Inc., Spartan II LLC, Incentive LLC, Spartan Manger LLC and MFResidential, the “ Subsidiaries ”); (b) that it owns the securities comprising the Investment Portfolio (as defined below); and (c) as otherwise disclosed in (or incorporated by reference into) the Registration Statement and/or Prospectus. Complete and correct copies of the articles of incorporation and of the bylaws or other formation documents of the Company and each of the Subsidiaries, as applicable, and all amendments thereto have been made available to the Representatives and/or their counsel and, except as set forth in the exhibits to, or incorporated by reference into, the Registration Statement, no changes therein will be made subsequent to the date hereof and prior to the time of purchase or, if applicable, the additional time of purchase. To the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary has been duly formed and incorporated or organized and is validly existing as a corporation, partnership or limited liability company in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation or formation or organization and is duly qualified to do business and is in good standing as a foreign corporation, partnership or limited liability company 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 would not have a Material Adverse Effect and to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary has full corporate, partnership or limited liability power and authority, as applicable, necessary to own, hold, lease and/or operate its assets and properties and to conduct its business in which it is engaged and as described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and, to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary is in compliance in all material respects with the laws, orders, rules, regulations and directives issued or administered by jurisdictions in which it owns or leases property or conducts business; to the Company’s knowledge, all of the outstanding shares of capital stock or other equity interests, as the case may be, of each of the Subsidiaries have been duly authorized and validly issued, are fully paid and nonassessable, and 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 and are not subject to any security interest, other encumbrance or adverse claims; and to the Company’s knowledge, 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.

 

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(h)            Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, 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 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) (i) its respective charter, bylaws, certificate of formation, partnership agreement or limited liability company agreement, as the case may be, or (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 properties may be bound or affected the effect of which breach, violation or default under clause (ii) could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, and the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement, the Indenture (as defined below), or the Securities, or the issuance and sale of the Securities and the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will not 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) (i) the charter, bylaws, certificate of formation, partnership agreement or limited liability company agreement, as the case may be, of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Subsidiaries, or (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, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Subsidiaries is a party or by which any of them or any of their respective properties may be bound or affected, the effect of which breach, violation or default under this clause (ii) could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (iii) any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule or any decree, judgment or order applicable to the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Subsidiaries.

 

(i)            As of December 31, 2011, as of the date of this Agreement, as of the time of purchase, and as of the additional time of purchase, the Company had, has and will have, as applicable, an authorized, issued and outstanding capitalization as set forth in the sections of the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus entitled “Capitalization” (and any similar sections or information, if any, contained in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus) (subject to, in the case of the additional time of purchase, the issuance of Additional Securities to the Underwriters). All of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and nonassessable, 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.

 

(j)            This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and is a legal, valid and binding agreement of the Company enforceable in accordance with its terms, except to the extent that (i) enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles and (ii) the indemnification and contribution provisions of Section 9 hereof may be limited by federal or state securities laws and public policy considerations in respect thereof.

 

(k)            The descriptions of the Securities and the Indenture, to be dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Base Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee (the “Trustee”), together with the Supplemental Indenture to be dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”), set forth under the heading “Description of the Notes” in the Prospectus and “Description of Debt Securities” in the Basic Prospectus, insofar as such statements purport to summarize certain provisions of the Securities and Indenture, provide a fair summary of such provisions.

 

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(l)            The Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. The Indenture has been duly authorized by the Company and, when duly executed and delivered in accordance with its terms by each of the parties thereto, will constitute a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(m)            The Securities will be in the form contemplated by the Indenture, have been duly authorized and, when executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and 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, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture, subject to applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles of general applicability.

 

(n)            No approval, authorization, consent, qualification or order of or filing with any national, state or local governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency is required in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the transaction contemplated hereby or the performance by the Company of its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities other than (i) registration of the Securities under the Securities Act, which has been effected (or, with respect to any registration statement to be filed hereunder pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, will be effected in accordance herewith), (ii) any necessary qualification under the securities or blue sky laws of the various jurisdictions in which the Securities are being offered by the Underwriters, or (iii) such approvals obtained in connection with the approval of the listing of the Securities on the NYSE.

 

(o)            Except as set forth in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus and the Prospectus, (i) no person, as such term is defined in Rule 1-02 of Regulation S-X promulgated under the Securities Act (each, a “ Person ”), has the right, contractual or otherwise, to cause the Company to issue or sell to such Person any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company, (ii) no Person has any preemptive rights, resale rights, rights of first refusal or other rights to purchase any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company, and (iii) 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, in the case of each of the foregoing clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Securities as contemplated thereby or otherwise; except for registration rights granted to certain former shareholders of America First Mortgage Advisory Corporation, a Maryland corporation (“ America First ”), in connection with the consummation of the transactions contemplated in that certain Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated September 24, 2001, among the Company, America First and the other parties thereto (the “ Merger Agreement ”), no Person has the right, contractual or otherwise, to require the Company to register under the Securities Act any shares of capital stock or other securities of the Company, or to include any such shares or other securities in the Registration Statement or the offering contemplated thereby, whether as a result of the filing or effectiveness of the Registration Statement or the sale of the Securities as contemplated thereby or otherwise.

 

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(p)            KPMG LLP, whose reports on the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the year ended December 31, 2011 and the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting are filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, is the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board; Ernst & Young LLP, whose report on the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of December 31, 2010 and for the years ended December 31, 2010 and December 31, 2009 is filed with the Commission as part of the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, was the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm as required by the Securities Act and by the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. The interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and has been prepared in accordance with the Commission's rules and guidelines applicable thereto.

 

(q)            The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary has all necessary licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals and has made all necessary filings required under any federal, state, local or foreign law, regulation or rule, and has obtained all necessary permits, authorizations, consents and approvals from other Persons, in order to conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and Prospectus except such as could not have a Material Adverse Effect. Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary is in violation of, or in default under, any such license, permit, 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 such Subsidiary, the effect of which could have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company is not required by any applicable law to obtain accreditation or certification from any governmental agency or authority in order to provide the products and services which it currently provides or which it proposes to provide as set forth in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, except such accreditations or certifications that the Company has already obtained.

 

(r)            The descriptions in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus of the legal or governmental proceedings, affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions, contracts, leases and other legal documents therein described present fairly the information required to be shown, and there are no legal or governmental proceedings, affiliate transactions, off-balance sheet transactions, contracts, leases, or other documents of a character required to be described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or to be filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement which are not described or filed as required. All agreements between the Company and third parties expressly referenced in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, are legal, valid and binding obligations of the Company enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, except to the extent enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium or similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable principles.

 

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(s)            There are no actions, suits, claims, investigations, inquiries or proceedings pending or, to the best of the Company’s knowledge, threatened to which either the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers or directors is a party or of which any of their respective properties or other assets is subject at law or in equity, or before or by any federal, state, local or foreign governmental or regulatory commission, board, body, authority or agency which could result in a judgment, decree or order having individually or in the aggregate a Material Adverse Effect or prevent, or interfere in any material respect with, the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby or the ability of the Company to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the Indenture or the Securities.

 

(t)            During the 24 calendar months prior to the date of this Agreement, the Company has timely filed with the Commission all documents and other material required to be filed pursuant to Sections 13, 14 and 15(d) under the Exchange Act. During the 36 calendar months preceding the filing of the Registration Statement, the Company filed all reports required to be filed pursuant to Sections 13, 14 and 15(d) under the Exchange Act. Without prejudice to the representations and warranties contained in Section 3(b), as of the date of this Agreement, the aggregate market value of the Company’s voting stock held by nonaffiliates of the Company was equal to or greater than $150 million.

 

(u)            Subsequent to the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, there has not been (i) any material adverse change, or any development which in the Company’s reasonable judgment is likely to cause a material adverse change, in the business, properties, management or assets described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, or the results of operations, condition (financial or otherwise), net worth, business or 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, except transactions in the ordinary course of business, (iii) any obligation, direct or contingent (including off-balance sheet obligations), which is material to the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iv) any change in the capital stock or, except obligations incurred in the ordinary course, outstanding indebtedness of the Company or (v) any dividend or distribution of any kind declared, paid or made by the Company on any class of its capital stock. The Company has no material contingent obligation (including off-balance sheet obligations) which is not disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus.

 

(v)            The Company has not defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults would have a Material Adverse Effect. The Company has not filed a report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since the filing of its last Annual Report on Form 10-K, indicating that it (i) has failed to pay any dividend or sinking fund installment on preferred stock or (ii) has defaulted on any installment on indebtedness for borrowed money or on any rental on one or more long-term leases, which defaults would have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(w)            Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Subsidiaries nor any of their respective directors, officers 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 or resale of the Securities.

 

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(x)            At the time of purchase, the Company will have submitted to the NYSE an application for listing the securities thereon. The Company has not received any notice from the NYSE regarding the delisting of the its common stock, $0.01 par value, from the NYSE.

 

(y)            Neither the Company nor any of its affiliates (i) is required to register as a “broker” or “dealer” in accordance with the provisions of the Exchange Act or (ii) directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls or has any other association with (within the meaning of Article I of the Bylaws of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“ FINRA ”)) any member firm of the FINRA.

 

(z)            The Company has not relied upon the Representatives or legal counsel for the Underwriters for any legal, tax or accounting advice in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities.

 

(aa)          Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company delivered to the Representatives or to counsel for the Underwriters pursuant to or in connection with this Agreement shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company to each Underwriter as to the matters covered thereby.

 

(bb)          As of December 31, 2011, the investment portfolio (the “ Investment Portfolio ”) of the Company consisted of the investments described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. As of the date of this Agreement and except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus, the Company has no plan or intention to materially alter its stated investment policies and operating policies and strategies, as such are described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, including making any change to any guidelines applicable to investment percentages or the assets-to-equity ratio currently employed by the Company; the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries have good and marketable title to all properties and assets owned directly by them, in each case free and clear of all liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages and defects (except for any security interest, lien encumbrance or claim that may otherwise exist under any applicable repurchase agreement or as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus), except such as do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such asset or property by the Company or any Subsidiary, as the case may be; the Company does not directly own any real property; any real property and buildings held under lease directly by the Company are held under valid, existing and enforceable leases, with such exceptions, liens, security interests, pledges, charges, encumbrances, mortgages and defects, as are not material and do not interfere with the use made or proposed to be made of such property and buildings by the Company.

 

(cc)          The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each of the Subsidiaries has filed on a timely basis (taking into account all applicable extensions) all necessary federal, state, local and foreign income and franchise tax returns, if any such returns were required to be filed, through the date hereof and have paid all taxes shown as due thereon; and no tax deficiency has been asserted against the Company or any of the Subsidiaries, nor does the Company know of any tax deficiency which is likely to be asserted against any such entity which, if determined adversely to any such entity, could have a Material Adverse Effect; all tax liabilities, if any, are adequately provided for on the books of the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Subsidiaries.

 

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(dd)          The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary owns or possesses adequate license or other rights to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, software and design licenses, trade secrets, manufacturing processes, other intangible property rights and know-how, if any (collectively “ Intangibles ”), necessary to entitle the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary to conduct its business as described in the Prospectus, and neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary has received notice of infringement of or conflict with (and knows of no such infringement of or conflict with) asserted rights of others with respect to any Intangibles which could have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ee)          Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Property Entities has authorized or conducted or has knowledge of the generation, transportation, storage, presence, use, treatment, disposal, release, or other handling of any hazardous substance, hazardous waste, hazardous material, hazardous constituent, toxic substance, pollutant, contaminant, asbestos, radon, polychlorinated biphenyls, petroleum product or waste (including crude oil or any fraction thereof), natural gas, liquefied gas, synthetic gas or other material defined, regulated, controlled or potentially subject to any remediation requirement under any environmental law (collectively, “ Hazardous Materials ”), on, in, under or affecting any real property currently leased or owned or by any means controlled by the Company or any Property Entity, including any real property underlying any loan held by any Property Entity (collectively, the “ Real Property ”), except in material compliance with applicable laws; to the knowledge of the Company, the Real Property, and the Company’s and the Property Entities’ operations with respect to the Real Property, are in compliance with all federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and other governmental requirements relating to pollution, control of chemicals, management of waste, discharges of materials into the environment, health, safety, natural resources, and the environment (collectively, “ Environmental Laws ”), and the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, the Property Entities are in material compliance with, all licenses, permits, registrations and government authorizations necessary to operate under all applicable Environmental Laws; except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, the Property Entities has received any written or oral notice from any governmental entity or any other Person and there is no pending or threatened claim, litigation or any administrative agency proceeding that: alleges a violation of any Environmental Laws by the Company or any of the Property Entities; or that the Company or any of the Property Entities is a liable party or a potentially responsible party under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, 42 U.S.C. ss. 9601, Et seq., or any state superfund law; has resulted in or could result in the attachment of an environmental lien on any of the Real Property; or alleges that the Company or any of the Property Entities is liable for any contamination of the environment, contamination of the Real Property, damage to natural resources, property damage, or personal injury based on their activities or the activities of their predecessors or third parties (whether at the Real Property or elsewhere) involving Hazardous Materials, whether arising under the Environmental Laws, common law principles, or other legal standards.

 

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(ff)            The Company has established and maintains and evaluates “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15 under the Exchange Act) and “internal control over financial reporting” (as such term is defined in Rules 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; such system of internal control over financial reporting provides reasonable assurance that the interactive data in eXtensible Business Reporting Language incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus fairly presents the information called for in all material respects and is prepared in accordance with the Commission’s rules and guidelines applicable thereto; 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 each such certification are complete and correct; the Company, the Subsidiaries and the Company’s directors and officers are each 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.

 

(gg)            The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each of the Subsidiaries maintains insurance (issued by insurers of recognized financial responsibility) of the types and in the amounts generally deemed adequate, if any, for their respective businesses and consistent with insurance coverage maintained by similar companies in similar businesses, including, but not limited to, insurance covering real and personal property owned or leased by the Company and the Subsidiaries against theft, damage, destruction, acts of vandalism and all other risks customarily insured against, all of which insurance is in full force and effect.

 

(hh)            Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary is in violation, and none of them has received notice of any violation with respect to, any applicable environmental, safety or similar law applicable to its business and which, in the case of the Property Entities, could reasonably expect to result in a Material Adverse Effect. The Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary have received all permits, licenses or other approvals required of them under applicable federal and state occupational safety and health and environmental laws and regulations to conduct their businesses, and the Company and, to the Company’s knowledge, each Subsidiary is in compliance with all terms and conditions of any such permit, license or approval, except any such violation of law or regulation, failure to receive required permits, licenses or other approvals or failure to comply with the terms and conditions of such permits, licenses or approvals which could not, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(ii)            The Company has not incurred any liability for any finder’s fees or similar payments in connection with the transactions herein contemplated, except as may otherwise exist with respect to the Underwriters pursuant to this Agreement.

 

(jj)            There are no existing or threatened labor disputes with the employees of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary which are likely to have individually or in the aggregate a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(kk)            None of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary or any employee or agent of the Company or any Subsidiary, has made any payment of funds or received or retained any funds in violation of any law, rule or regulation or of a character required to be disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any. No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of any of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers and stockholders of the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary, on the other hand, which is required by the Securities Act to be described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, that is not so described.

 

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(ll)            The Company has been, and upon the sale of the Securities will continue to be, organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation as a “real estate investment trust” (a “ REIT ”) under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “ Code ”), for all taxable years commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1998. The proposed method of operation of the Company as described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, will enable the Company to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code, and no actions have been taken (or not taken which are required to be taken) which would cause such qualification to be lost. The Company intends to continue to operate in a manner which would permit it to qualify as a REIT under the Code. The Company has no intention of changing its operations or engaging in activities which would cause it to fail to qualify, or make economically undesirable its continued qualification, as a REIT.

 

(mm)            Neither the Company, nor to the knowledge of the Company, the Property Entities, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities, 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 (the “ Investment Company Act ”).

 

(nn)            No relationship, direct or indirect, exists between or among the Company or any Subsidiary or any affiliate of them, on the one hand, and the directors, officers, stockholders or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary, on the other hand, which is required by the rules of the FINRA to be described in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, which is not so described. Except as otherwise disclosed in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, there are no material outstanding loans or advances or material guarantees of indebtedness by the Company or, to the Company’s knowledge, any Subsidiary or any affiliate of them to or for the benefit of any of the officers or directors of the Company or any Subsidiary or any of the members of the families of any of them.

 

(oo)            Neither the Company nor, to the Company’s knowledge, any of the Subsidiaries has sustained since the date of the last audited financial statements included in the Registration Statement 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.

 

(pp)            The Company has a signed copy of the Registration Statement, as initially filed with the Commission, and of all amendments thereto (including all exhibits thereto and documents incorporated by reference therein).

 

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4.            Certain Covenants of the Company . The Company hereby covenants and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

  

(a)            The Company will furnish such information as may be required and otherwise will cooperate in qualifying the Securities for offering and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions (both domestic and foreign) as the Representatives may designate and to maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities, provided that the Company shall not be required to qualify as a foreign corporation or to consent to the service of process under the laws of any such jurisdiction (except service of process with respect to the offering and sale of the Securities). The Company will promptly advise the Representatives of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose.

 

(b)            The Company will make available to the Underwriters in New York City, as soon as practicable after this Agreement becomes effective, and furnish to the Underwriters, as many copies of the Prospectus (or of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented if the Company shall have made any amendments or supplements thereto after the effective date of the Registration Statement) as the Underwriters may request from time to time for the purposes contemplated by the Securities Act; in case any Underwriter is required to deliver (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule), in connection with the sale of the Securities, a prospectus after the nine-month period referred to in Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act, or after the time a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement is required pursuant to Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, the Company will prepare, at its expense, promptly upon request such amendment or amendments to the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as may be necessary to permit compliance with the requirements of Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act or Item 512(a) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act, as the case may be.

 

(c)            The Company will advise the Representatives immediately, confirming such advice in writing, of (i) the receipt of any comments from the Commission relating to any filing of the Company under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, (ii) any request by the Commission for amendments or supplements to the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or for additional information with respect thereto, (iii) the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any order preventing or suspending the use of any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, (iv) the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction, (v) the initiation, threatening or contemplation of any proceedings for any of such purposes and, if the Commission or any other governmental agency or authority should issue any such order, the Company will make every reasonable effort to obtain the lifting or removal of such order as soon as possible, for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities. The Company will advise the Representatives promptly of any proposal to amend or supplement the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, including by filing any documents that would be incorporated therein by reference and, for so long as the delivery of a prospectus is required in connection with the offering or sale of the Securities, to file no such amendment or supplement to which the Representatives shall, after discussion with the Company, reasonably object in writing.

 

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(d)            If, at the time this Agreement is executed and delivered, it is necessary or appropriate for a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, or a Registration Statement under Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, to be filed with the Commission and become effective before the Securities may be sold, the Company will use its best efforts to cause such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement to be filed and become effective, and will pay any applicable fees in accordance with the Securities Act, as soon as possible; and the Company will advise you promptly and, if requested by you, will confirm such advice in writing, (i) when such post-effective amendment or such Registration Statement has become effective, and (ii) if Rule 430A under the Securities Act is used, when the Prospectus is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act (which the Company agrees to file in a timely manner in accordance with such Rules).

 

(e)            If, at any time during the period when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Securities, the Registration Statement shall cease to comply with the requirements of the Securities Act with respect to eligibility for the use of the form on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission or the Registration Statement shall cease to be an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act) or the Company shall have received, from the Commission, a notice, pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2), of objection to the use of the form on which the Registration Statement was filed with the Commission, the Company will (i) promptly notify you, (ii) promptly file with the Commission a new registration statement under the Securities Act, relating to the Securities, or a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement, which new registration statement or post-effective amendment shall comply with the requirements of the Securities Act and shall be in a form satisfactory to you, (iii) use its best efforts to cause such new registration statement or post-effective amendment to become effective under the Securities Act as soon as practicable, (iv) promptly notify you of such effectiveness and (v) take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the Prospectus; all references herein to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include each such new registration statement or post-effective amendment, if any.

 

(f)            If the third anniversary of the initial effective date of the Registration Statement (within the meaning of Rule 415(a)(5) under the Securities Act) shall occur at any time during the period when a prospectus is required by the Securities Act to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) in connection with any sale of Securities, the Company will file with the Commission, prior to such third anniversary, a new registration statement under the Securities Act relating to the Securities, which new registration statement shall comply with the requirements of the Securities Act (including, without limitation, Rule 415(a)(6) under the Securities Act) and shall be in a form satisfactory to you; such new registration statement shall constitute an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act); provided , however , that if the Company is not then eligible to file an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), then such new registration statement need not constitute an “automatic shelf registration statement” (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act), but the Company shall use its best efforts to cause such new registration statement to become effective under the Securities Act as soon as practicable, but in any event within 180 days after such third anniversary and promptly notify you of such effectiveness; the Company shall take all other action necessary or appropriate to permit the public offering and sale of the Securities to continue as contemplated in the Prospectus; all references herein to the Registration Statement shall be deemed to include each such new registration statement, if any.

 

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(g)            The Company will pay the fees applicable to the Registration Statement in connection with the offering of the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Securities Act (without reliance on the proviso to Rule 456(b)(1)(i) under the Act) and in compliance with Rule 456(b) and Rule 457(r) under the Securities Act.

 

(h)            The Company will advise the Underwriters promptly of the happening of any event known to the Company within the time during which a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered (whether physically or through compliance with Rule 172 under the Securities Act or any similar rule) under the Securities Act which would require the making of any change in the Prospectus then being used, or in the information incorporated by reference therein, so that the Prospectus would not include an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a 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, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law. If within the time during which a Prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Securities Act any event shall occur or condition shall exist which, in the reasonable opinion of the Company, the Representatives or their respective counsel, would require the making of any change in the Prospectus then being used, or in the information incorporated by reference therein, so that the Prospectus would not include an untrue statement of material fact or omit to state a 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, or if it is necessary at any time to amend or supplement the Prospectus to comply with any law, the Company will promptly prepare and furnish to the Underwriters copies of the proposed amendment or supplement before filing any such amendment or supplement with the Commission and thereafter promptly furnish, at the Company’s own expense, to the Underwriters and to dealers copies in such quantities and at such locations as the Representatives may from time to time reasonably request of an appropriate amendment to the Registration Statement or supplement to the Prospectus so that the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in the circumstances when it is so delivered, be misleading or so that the Prospectus will comply with the law.

 

(i)            The Company will make generally available to its stockholders as soon as practicable, and in the manner contemplated by Rule 158 of the Securities Act but in any event not later than 15 months after the end of the Company’s current fiscal quarter, an earnings statement (which need not be audited) covering a 12-month period beginning after the date upon which the Prospectus Supplement is filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act that shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and Rule 158 thereunder and will advise the Underwriters in writing when such statement has been made available.

 

(j)            The Company will apply the net proceeds from the sale of the Securities in the manner set forth under the caption “Use of proceeds” in the Prospectus Supplement.

 

(k)            The Company will furnish to the Representatives, not less than two business days before a filing with the Commission during the period referred to in paragraph (e) above, a copy of any amendment to the Registration Statement following the date hereof and a copy of any document proposed to be filed pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and during such period will file all such documents in a manner and within the time periods required by the Exchange Act.

 

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(l)            During the period beginning on the date hereof and continuing to and including 30 days after the time of purchase (the “ Lock-Up Period ”), the Company will not offer, sell, contract to sell or otherwise dispose of any of its debt securities or warrants to purchase or otherwise acquire debt securities of the Company substantially similar to the Securities (other than (i) the Securities, (ii) commercial paper issued in the ordinary course of business or (iii) securities or warrants permitted with the prior written consent of the Representatives).

 

(m)            The Company will use its best efforts to cause the Securities to be listed on the NYSE and to maintain such listing and to file with the NYSE all documents and notices required by the NYSE of companies that have securities that are listed on the NYSE.

 

(n)            The Company will engage and maintain, at its expense, a registrar and transfer agent for the Securities.

 

(o)            The Company will pay all expenses, fees and taxes (other than any transfer taxes and fees and disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters, except as set forth under Section 5 hereof or in clause (iii) or (iv) below) in connection with (i) the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, and any amendments or supplements thereto, and the printing and furnishing of copies of each thereof to the Underwriters and to dealers (including costs of mailing and shipment), (ii) the issuance, sale and delivery of the Securities by the Company, (iii) the qualification, if any, of the Securities for offering and sale under state laws and the determination of their eligibility for investment under state law as aforesaid (the legal fees and filing fees and other disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters) and the printing and furnishing of copies of any blue sky surveys or legal investment surveys to the Underwriters and to dealers, (iv) any listing of the Securities on the NYSE and any registration thereof under the Exchange Act, (v) the filing, if any, for review of the public offering of the Securities by the FINRA, (vi) any fees charged by the rating agencies for the rating of the Securities, (vii) the costs and charges of any trustee, its counsel, transfer agent, registrar or depositary, (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to presentations or meetings undertaken in connection with the marketing of the offering and sale of the Securities to prospective investors and the Underwriters’ sales forces, including, without limitation, expenses associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees and expenses of any consultants engaged by the Company in connection with the road show presentations, travel, lodging and other expenses incurred by the officers of the Company and any such consultants, and (ix) the performance of the Company’s other obligations hereunder.

 

(p)            The Company will comply with Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act (without reliance on Rule 164(b) under the Securities Act) and with Rule 433(g) under the Securities Act with respect to any free-writing prospectus (as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

 

(q)            The Company will not (i) take, directly or indirectly, prior to termination of the underwriting syndicate contemplated by this Agreement, any action designed to stabilize or manipulate the price of any security of the Company, or which may cause or result in, or which might in the future reasonably be expected to cause or result in, the stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company, to facilitate the sale or resale of any of the Securities, (ii) sell, bid for, purchase or pay any Person (other than as contemplated by the provisions hereof) any compensation for soliciting purchases of the Securities, or (iii) prior to the expiration of the Lock-Up Period or any applicable waiver thereof granted after the date hereof, pay or agree to pay to any Person any compensation for soliciting any order to purchase any other securities of the Company, excluding any such compensation relating to the Company’s existing Discount Waiver, Director Stock Purchase and Dividend Reinvestment Plan.

 

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(r)           The Company will not invest in futures contracts, options on futures contracts or options on commodities unless the Company is exempt from the registration requirements of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, or otherwise complies with the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended. In addition, the Company will not engage in any activities which might be subject to the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, unless such activities are exempt from that act or otherwise comply with that act or with an applicable no-action letter to the Company from the Commodities Futures Trading Commission.

 

(s)           The Company will comply with all of the provisions of any undertakings in the Registration Statement.

 

(t)           The Company has been organized and operated in conformity with the requirements for qualification and taxation of the Company as a REIT under the Code, and the Company’s proposed methods of operation will enable the Company to continue to meet the requirements for qualification and taxation as a REIT under the Code for subsequent taxable years.

 

(u)           The Company will not be or become, at any time prior to the expiration of three years after the date of the Agreement, an “investment company,” as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act.

 

(v)           The Company has retained KPMG LLP as its qualified accountants and qualified tax experts (i) to test procedures and conduct annual compliance reviews designed to determine compliance with the REIT provisions of the Code and (ii) to otherwise assist the Company in monitoring appropriate accounting systems and procedures designed to determine compliance with the REIT provisions of the Code.

 

(w)           The Company will comply with all requirements imposed upon it by the Securities Act and the Exchange Act as from time to time in force, so far as necessary to permit the continuance of sales of, or dealings in, the Securities as contemplated by the provisions hereof and the Prospectus.

 

(x)            The Company will maintain such controls and other procedures, including, without limitation, those required by Sections 302 and 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the applicable regulations thereunder, that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the Commission’s rules and forms, including, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by the Company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to the Company’s management, including its chief executive officer and chief financial officer, or persons performing similar functions, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and to ensure that material information relating to the Company is made known to them by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which such periodic reports are being prepared.

 

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(y)           The Company will comply with all applicable provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

 

5.           Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses . If the Securities are not delivered for any reason other than the termination of this Agreement pursuant to the default by one or more of the Underwriters in its or their respective obligations hereunder, the Company shall, in addition to paying the amounts described in Section 4(o) hereof, reimburse the Underwriters for all of their out-of-pocket expenses, including the fees and disbursements of their counsel.

 

6.           Conditions of Underwriters’ Obligations . The several obligations of the Underwriters hereunder are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company on the date hereof and at the time of purchase (and the several obligations of the Underwriters at the additional time of purchase are subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company on the date hereof, at the time of purchase (unless previously waived) and at the additional time of purchase, as the case may be), the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions precedent:

 

(a)           The Company shall furnish to the Representatives at the time of purchase and at the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, an opinion and letter of K&L Gates LLP, counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters, and dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, with reproduced copies for each of the other Underwriters and in form satisfactory to Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, substantially in the forms of Exhibit A-1 and Exhibit A-2 attached hereto.

 

(b)           The Company shall furnish to the Representatives at the time of purchase and at the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, an opinion of Venable LLP, special Maryland counsel for the Company, addressed to the Underwriters, and dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, with reproduced copies for each of the other Underwriters and in form satisfactory to Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, substantially in the form of Exhibit A-3 attached hereto.

 

(c)           The Representatives shall have received from KPMG LLP and Ernst & Young LLP letters dated the date of this Agreement and the time of purchase and the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, and addressed to the Underwriters (with reproduced copies for each of the Underwriters) in the forms heretofore approved by the Representatives relating to the financial statements, including any pro forma financial statements of the Company and such other matters customarily covered by comfort letters issued in connection with a registered public offering.

 

In the event that the letters referred to above set forth any such changes, decreases or increases, it shall be a further condition to the obligations of the Underwriters that (i) such letters shall be accompanied by a written explanation from the Company as to the significance thereof, unless the Representatives deems such explanation unnecessary, and (ii) such changes, decreases or increases do not, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the purchase and delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any.

 

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(d)           The Representatives shall have received at the time of purchase and at the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, an opinion and the favorable letter of Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, addressed to the Underwriters, dated the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, with respect to such matters as the Representatives shall reasonably request, and such counsel shall have received such papers and information as they may reasonably require to enable them to pass upon such matters. In rendering their opinion, Sullivan & Cromwell LLP may rely as to matters of Maryland law upon the opinion of Venable LLP, referred to in Section 6(b).

 

(e)           No amendment or supplement to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, including documents deemed to be incorporated by reference therein, shall be filed to which the Underwriters object in writing.

 

(f)           Prior to the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, (i) no stop order with respect to the effectiveness of the Registration Statement shall have been issued under the Securities Act or proceedings initiated under Section 8(d) or 8(e) of the Securities Act; (ii) the Registration Statement and all amendments thereto, or modifications thereof, if any, shall not contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading; and (iii) none of the Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and no amendment or supplement thereto, or modification thereof shall contain an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; (iv) no Disclosure Package, and no amendment or supplement thereto, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading; and (v) none of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, shall include an untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading.

 

(g)           All filings with the Commission required by Rule 424 under the Securities Act to have been filed by the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, shall have been made within the applicable time period prescribed for such filing by Rule 424.

 

(h)           Between the time of execution of this Agreement and the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, (i) no material and unfavorable change, financial or otherwise (other than as referred to in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus on the date hereof), in the business, condition, net worth or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole shall have occurred or become known and (ii) no transaction which is material and unfavorable to the Company shall have been entered into by the Company.

 

(i)           The Company will, at the time of purchase or additional time of purchase, as the case may be, deliver to the Representatives a certificate of two of its executive officers to the effect that the representations and warranties of the Company as set forth in this Agreement are true and correct as of each such date, that the Company shall perform such of its obligations under this Agreement as are to be performed at or before the time of purchase and at or before the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, and that the conditions set forth in paragraphs (f) and (h) of this Section 6

have been met.

 

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(j)           The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such other documents and certificates, including as to the accuracy and completeness of any statement in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus as of the time of purchase and the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, as the Representatives may reasonably request.

 

(k)           An application for the listing of the Securities shall have been submitted to the NYSE at or prior to the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be.

 

(l)           The FINRA shall not have raised any objection with respect to the fairness and reasonableness of the underwriting terms and arrangements.

 

7.           Termination . The obligations of the several Underwriters hereunder shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, at any time prior to the time of purchase or, if applicable, the additional time of purchase, (i) if any of the conditions specified in Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as required by this Agreement to be fulfilled, (ii) if any material adverse and unfavorable change (financial or otherwise) or any development involving a material adverse and unfavorable change (financial or otherwise) (in each case, other than disclosed, or incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus or the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, on the date hereof), in the operations, business, net worth, financial condition or prospects of the Company and the Subsidiaries taken as a whole shall have occurred which would, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, make it impracticable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus, (iii) if the United States shall have declared war in accordance with its constitutional processes or there has occurred an outbreak or escalation of hostilities or other national or international calamity or crisis or change in economic, political or other conditions the effect of which on the financial markets of the United States is such as to make it, in the sole judgment of the Representatives, impracticable or inadvisable to market the Securities on the terms and in the manner contemplated in the Registration Statement, any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses and the Prospectus or enforce contracts for the sale of the Securities, (iv) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended by the Commission or by the NYSE, or if trading generally on the NYSE has been suspended (including an automatic halt in trading pursuant to market-decline triggers other than those in which solely program trading is temporarily halted), or limitations on or minimum prices for trading (other than limitations on hours or numbers of days of trading) shall have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices for securities have been required, by such exchange or the FINRA or Nasdaq or by order of the Commission or any other governmental authority, (v) if a banking moratorium shall have been declared by New York or United States authorities or a material disruption has occurred in commercial banking or securities settlement or clearance services in the United States, (vi) if there shall have occurred any downgrading, or any notice or announcement shall have been given or made of (a) any intended or potential downgrading or (b) any review or possible change that does not indicate an improvement, in the rating accorded any securities of or guaranteed by the Company by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization,” as that term is defined in Section 3 under the Exchange Act, (vii) if any federal or state statute, regulation, rule or order of any court or other governmental authority has been enacted, published, decreed or otherwise promulgated which, in the opinion of the Representatives, materially adversely affects or will materially adversely affect the business or operations of the Company or (viii) if any action has been taken by any federal, state or local government or agency in respect of its monetary or fiscal affairs which, in the opinion of the Representatives, has a material adverse effect on the securities markets in the United States.

 

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If the Representatives elect to terminate this Agreement as provided in this Section 7, the Company and each other Underwriter shall be notified promptly by telephone, which shall be promptly confirmed by facsimile.

 

If the sale to the Underwriters of the Securities, as contemplated by this Agreement, is not carried out by the Underwriters for any reason permitted under this Agreement or if such sale is not carried out because the Company shall be unable to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement, the Company shall not be under any obligation or liability under this Agreement (except to the extent provided in Sections 4(o), 5 and 9 hereof), and the Underwriters shall be under no obligation or liability to the Company under this Agreement (except to the extent provided in Section 9 hereof) or to one another hereunder.

 

8.           Increase in Underwriters’ Commitments . If any Underwriter shall default in its obligation under this Agreement to take up and pay for the Securities to be purchased by it under this Agreement (otherwise than for reasons sufficient to justify the termination of this Agreement under the provisions of Section 7 hereof), the Representatives shall have the right, within 36 hours after such default, to make arrangements for one or more of the non-defaulting Underwriters, or any other underwriters, to purchase all, but not less than all, of the Securities which such Underwriter shall have agreed but failed to take up and pay for (the “ Defaulted Securities ”). Absent the completion of such arrangements within such 36-hour period, (i) if the total number of Defaulted Securities does not exceed 10% of the total number of Securities to be purchased at the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, each non-defaulting Underwriter shall take up and pay for (in addition to the number of Securities which it is otherwise obligated to purchase on such date pursuant to this Agreement) the number of Securities agreed to be purchased by all such defaulting Underwriters in such amount or amounts as the Representatives may designate with the consent of each Underwriter so designated or, in the event no such designation is made, such Securities shall be taken up and paid for by all non-defaulting Underwriters pro rata in proportion to the aggregate number of Firm Securities set opposite the names of such non-defaulting Underwriters in Schedule A ; and (ii) if the total number of Defaulted Securities exceeds 10% of such total number of Securities to be purchased at the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, and if neither the non-defaulting Underwriters nor the Company shall make arrangements within the five business day period from the date of default for the purchase of such Defaulted Securities, the Representatives may terminate this Agreement by notice to the Company, without liability of any party to any other party, except that the provisions of Sections 4(o), 5 and 9 shall at all times be effective and shall survive such termination. Nothing in this paragraph, and no action taken hereunder, shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of such Underwriter under this Agreement.

 

Without relieving any defaulting Underwriter from its obligations hereunder, the Company agrees with the non-defaulting Underwriters that they will not sell any Securities hereunder unless all of the Securities are purchased by the Underwriters (or by substituted Underwriters selected by the Representatives with the approval of the Company or selected by the Company with the Representatives’ approval).

 

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If a new Underwriter is, or new Underwriters are, substituted for a defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters in accordance with the foregoing provisions, the Company or the Representatives shall have the right to postpone the time of purchase or the additional time of purchase, as the case may be, for a period not exceeding five business days from the date of substitution in order that any necessary changes in the Registration Statement and the Prospectus and other documents may be effected.

 

The term Underwriter as used in this Agreement shall refer to and include any underwriter substituted under this Section 8 with like effect as if such substituted underwriter had originally been named in Schedule A .

 

9.            Indemnity and Contribution .

 

(a)           The Company agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless each Underwriter, its partners, directors and officers, any Person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or is an affiliate of the Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 of the Securities Act, as well as the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing persons from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including, but not limited to, the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, any such Underwriter or any such Person may incur under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, federal or state statutory law or regulation, common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company) or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, except insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you (that information being limited to that described in the last sentence of the first paragraph of Section 9(b) hereof) to the Company expressly for use in, the Registration Statement or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in the Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact included in any Prospectus (the term Prospectus for the purpose of this Section 9 being deemed to include any Basic Prospectus, any Pre-Pricing Prospectus, the Prospectus Supplement, the Prospectus and any amendments or supplements to the foregoing), in any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, in any “issuer information” (as defined in Rule 433 under the Securities Act) of the Company or in any Prospectus together with any combination of one or more of the Permitted Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except, with respect to such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, insofar as any such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you (that information being limited to that described in the last sentence of the first paragraph of Section 9(b) hereof) to the Company expressly for use in, such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

 

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If any action, suit or proceeding (together, a “ Proceeding ”) is brought against an Underwriter or any such Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against the Company pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, such Underwriter or such Person shall promptly notify the Company in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and the Company shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided , however , that the omission to so notify the Company shall not relieve the Company from any liability which the Company may have to any Underwriter or any such Person or otherwise. Such Underwriter or such Person shall have the right to employ its or their own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter or of such Person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by the Company in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or the Company shall not have, within a reasonable period of time in light of the circumstances, employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such Proceeding or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from, additional to or in conflict with those available to the Company (in which case the Company shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by the Company and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that the Company shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). The Company shall not be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without its written consent (which shall not be unreasonably withheld) but if settled with the written consent of the Company, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless any Underwriter and any such Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this paragraph, then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days’ prior notice of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and does not include an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of such indemnified party.

 

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(b)           Each Underwriter severally agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Company, its directors and officers and any Person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act and the successors and assigns of all of the foregoing Persons from and against any loss, damage, expense, liability or claim (including the reasonable cost of investigation) which, jointly or severally, the Company or any such Person may incur under the Securities Act, the Exchange Act, federal or state statutory law or regulation, the common law or otherwise, insofar as such loss, damage, expense, liability or claim arises out of or is based upon (i) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in, the Registration Statement (or in the Registration Statement as amended by any post-effective amendment thereof by the Company), or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Registration Statement in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was required to be stated in such Registration Statement or was necessary to make such information not misleading or (ii) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in, and in conformity with information concerning such Underwriter furnished in writing by or on behalf of such Underwriter through you to the Company expressly for use in, a Prospectus or a Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, or arises out of or is based upon any omission or alleged omission to state a material fact in such Prospectus or Permitted Free Writing Prospectus in connection with such information, which material fact was not contained in such information and which material fact was necessary in order to make the statements in such information, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The statements set forth in the third, tenth and eleventh paragraphs under the caption “Underwriting” in any Pre-Pricing Prospectuses, the Prospectus and the Disclosure Package (to the extent such statements relate to the Underwriters) constitute the only information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter to the Company for purposes of Section 3(b) hereof and this Section 9.

 

If any Proceeding is brought against the Company or any such Person in respect of which indemnity may be sought against any Underwriter pursuant to the foregoing paragraph, the Company or such Person shall promptly notify such Underwriter in writing of the institution of such Proceeding and such Underwriter shall assume the defense of such Proceeding, including the employment of counsel reasonably satisfactory to such indemnified party and payment of all fees and expenses; provided , however , that the omission to so notify such Underwriter shall not relieve such Underwriter from any liability which such Underwriter may have to the Company or any such Person or otherwise. The Company or such Person shall have the right to employ its own counsel in any such case, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of the Company or such Person unless the employment of such counsel shall have been authorized in writing by such Underwriter in connection with the defense of such Proceeding or such Underwriter shall not have employed counsel to have charge of the defense of such Proceeding or such indemnified party or parties shall have reasonably concluded that there may be defenses available to it or them which are different from or additional to or in conflict with those available to such Underwriter (in which case such Underwriter shall not have the right to direct the defense of such Proceeding on behalf of the indemnified party or parties, but such Underwriter may employ counsel and participate in the defense thereof but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Underwriter), in any of which events such fees and expenses shall be borne by such Underwriter and paid as incurred (it being understood, however, that such Underwriter shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (in addition to any local counsel) in any one Proceeding or series of related Proceedings in the same jurisdiction representing the indemnified parties who are parties to such Proceeding). No Underwriter shall be liable for any settlement of any such Proceeding effected without the written consent of such Underwriter but if settled with the written consent of such Underwriter, such Underwriter agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company and any such Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by the second sentence of this paragraph, then the indemnifying party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 60 business days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement and (iii) such indemnified party shall have given the indemnifying party at least 30 days’ prior notice of its intention to settle. No indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding.

 

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(c)           If the indemnification provided for in this Section 9 is unavailable to an indemnified party under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section 9 or insufficient to hold an Indemnified Party harmless with respect to any losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims referred to therein, then in order to provide just and equitable contribution in such circumstance, each applicable indemnifying party, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified party, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified party as a result of such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering of the Securities or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause (i) above is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) above but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such losses, damages, expenses, liabilities or claims, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportion as the total proceeds from the offering (net of underwriting discounts and commissions but before deducting expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the Underwriters, bear to the aggregate public offering price of the shares. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or omission or alleged omission relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Underwriters and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by a party as a result of the losses, damages, expenses, liabilities and claims referred to in this subsection shall be deemed to include any legal or other fees or expenses reasonably incurred by such party in connection with investigating, preparing to defend or defending any claim or Proceeding.

 

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(d)           The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 9 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in subsection (c) above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 9, no Underwriter shall be liable or responsible for, or be required to contribute, any amount pursuant to this Section 9 in excess of the amount of the underwriting discounts and commissions applicable to the Securities purchased by such Underwriter. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Underwriters’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section 9 are several in proportion to their respective underwriting commitments and not joint.

 

(e)           The indemnity and contribution agreements contained in this Section 9 and the covenants, warranties and representations of the Company contained in this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter, its directors and officers or any Person (including each partner, officer or director of such Person) who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act or is an affiliate of an Underwriter within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act, or by or on behalf of the Company, its directors or officers or any Person who controls the Company within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, and shall survive any termination of this Agreement or the issuance and delivery of the Securities. The Company and each Underwriter agree promptly to notify each other upon the commencement of any Proceeding against it and, in the case of the Company, against any of the Company’s officers or directors in connection with the issuance and sale of the Securities, or in connection with the Registration Statement or the Prospectus.

 

10.           Notices . Except as otherwise herein provided, all statements, requests, notices and agreements shall be in writing or by facsimile and, if to the Underwriters, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, 1585 Broadway, New York, New York 10036, Attention: Investment Banking Division; UBS Securities LLC, 677 Washington Boulevard, Stamford, CT 06901, Attention: Fixed Income Syndicate, (tel: (203-719-1088), (fax: 203-719-0495)); Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 301 S. College Street, 6 th Floor, Charlotte, NC 28202, Attention: Transaction Management, Facsimile: 704-383-9165; and if to the Company, shall be sufficient in all respects if delivered or sent to the Company at the offices of the Company at 350 Park Ave., 21st Floor, New York, New York 10022, Attention: General Counsel, Facsimile: 212-207-6420.

 

11.           Governing Law; Construction . This Agreement and any claim, counterclaim or dispute of any kind or nature whatsoever arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement (a “ Claim ”), directly or indirectly, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York. The Section headings in this Agreement have been inserted as a matter of convenience of reference and are not a part of this Agreement.

 

12.           Submission to Jurisdiction . Except as set forth below, no Claim may be commenced, prosecuted or continued in any court other than the courts of the State of New York located in The City and County of New York or in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, which courts shall have jurisdiction over the adjudication of such matters, and the Company consents to the jurisdiction of such courts and personal service with respect thereto. The Company hereby consents to personal jurisdiction, service and venue in any court in which any Claim arising out of or in any way relating to this Agreement is brought by any third party against the Representatives or any indemnified party. Each of the Representatives and the Company (on its behalf and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, on behalf of its stockholders and affiliates) waives all right to trial by jury in any action, proceeding or counterclaim (whether based upon contract, tort or otherwise) in any way arising out of or relating to this Agreement. The Company agrees that a final judgment in any such action, proceeding or counterclaim brought in any such court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company and may be enforced in any other courts in the jurisdiction of which the Company is or may be subject, by suit upon such judgment.

 

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13.           Parties at Interest . The Agreement herein set forth has been and is made solely for the benefit of the Underwriters, the Company and, to the extent provided in Section 9 hereof, the Persons, directors and officers referred to in such Section, and their respective successors, assigns, heirs, personal representatives and executors and administrators. No other person, partnership, association or corporation (including a purchaser, as such purchaser, from any of the Underwriters) shall acquire or have any right under or by virtue of this Agreement.

 

14.           No Fiduciary Relationship . The Company hereby acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting solely as underwriters in connection with the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities. The Company further acknowledges that the Underwriters are acting pursuant to a contractual relationship created solely by this Agreement entered into on an arm’s length basis, and in no event do the parties intend that the Underwriters act or be responsible as a fiduciary to the Company, its management, stockholders or creditors or any other person in connection with any activity that the Underwriters may undertake or have undertaken in furtherance of the purchase and sale of the Company’s securities, either before or after the date hereof. The Underwriters hereby expressly disclaim any fiduciary or similar obligations to the Company, either in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions, and the Company hereby confirms its understanding and agreement to that effect. The Company and the Underwriters agree that they are each responsible for making their own independent judgments with respect to any such transactions and that any opinions or views expressed by the Underwriters to the Company regarding such transactions, including, but not limited to, any opinions or views with respect to the price or market for the Company’s securities, do not constitute advice or recommendations to the Company. The Company hereby waives and releases, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any claims that the Company may have against the Underwriters with respect to any breach or alleged breach of any fiduciary or similar duty to the Company in connection with the transactions contemplated by this Agreement or any matters leading up to such transactions.

 

15.           Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed by the parties in one or more counterparts which together shall constitute one and the same agreement among the parties.

 

16.           Successors and Assigns . This Agreement shall be binding upon the Underwriters and the Company and their successors and assigns and any successor or assign of any substantial portion of the Company’s and any of the Underwriters’ respective businesses and/or assets.

 

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If the foregoing correctly sets forth the understanding among the Company and the Underwriters, please so indicate in the space provided below for the purpose, whereupon this Agreement and your acceptance shall constitute a binding agreement among the Company and the Underwriters, severally.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
   
  By: /s/ Stewart Zimmerman
    Name:  Stewart Zimmerman
    Title:  Chief Executive Officer

 

Accepted and agreed to as of the date
first above written, on behalf of itself
and the other several Underwriters
named in Schedule A

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. LLC  
   
   
By: /s/ Yurij Slyz  
  Name: Yurij Slyz  
  Title: Executive Director  

 

UBS SECURITIES LLC  
   
By: /s/ Scott Yeager  
  Name: Scott Yeager  
  Title: Managing Director  
     
By: /s/ Ilya Regelman  
  Name: Ilya Regelman  
  Title: Associate Director  

 

WELLS FARGO SECURITIES, LLC  
   
By: /s/ Carolyn Hurley  
  Name: Carolyn Hurley  
  Title: Director  

 

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SCHEDULE A

 

Underwriter   Principal
Amount of
Firm Securities
to be
Purchased
    Principal
Amount of
Additional
Securities to
be Purchased
 
             
Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC   $ 26,666,700     $ 4,000,000  
UBS Securities LLC   $ 26,666,650     $ 4,000,000  
Wells Fargo Securities, LLC   $ 26,666,650     $ 4,000,000  
RBC Capital Markets, LLC   $ 5,000,000     $ 750,000  
Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC   $ 2,500,000     $ 375,000  
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.   $ 2,500,000     $ 375,000  
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC   $ 2,500,000     $ 375,000  
Cantor Fitzgerald & Co.   $ 1,250,000     $ 187,500  
JMP Securities LLC   $ 1,250,000     $ 187,500  
HRC Investment Services, Inc.   $ 1,000,000     $ 150,000  
Robert W. Baird & Co. Incorporated   $ 1,000,000     $ 150,000  
Wedbush Morgan Securities Inc.   $ 1,000,000     $ 150,000  
William Blair & Company, L.L.C.   $ 1,000,000     $ 150,000  
Ziegler Capital Markets Group   $ 1,000,000     $ 150,000  
Total   $ 100,000,000     $ 15,000,000  

 

Sch A
 

 

SCHEDULE B

 

1.          Term Sheet, dated April 3, 2012, filed with the Commission on April 3, 2012.

 

Sch B
 

 

EXHIBIT A-1

 

OPINION OF K&L GATES LLP

 

1          The Company has the corporate power and authority to own its assets and conduct its business as described in the Registration Statement, General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus and to enter into and perform its obligations under or as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement.

 

2          The Company is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing in each jurisdiction set forth on Schedule 1, except where the failure to be so qualified and in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect. To our knowledge, other than the Company’s interests in the Subsidiaries, or as otherwise disclosed in the General Disclosure Package and the Prospectus, the Company does not own, directly or indirectly, any capital stock or other equity securities of any other corporation or any ownership interest in any limited liability company, partnership, joint venture or other associate.

 

3          To our knowledge, except as otherwise described in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Prospectus or the documents incorporated therein by reference or the exhibits filed in connection therewith or the registration right agreement set forth on Schedule 2 to this opinion letter, there are no persons with registration or other similar rights to have any securities registered pursuant to the Registration Statement or otherwise registered by the Company under the 1933 Act.

 

4          The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company, has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and constitutes a valid and binding instrument enforceable against the Company in accordance with its terms, subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally or equitable principles of general applicability.

 

5          The Securities have been duly authorized and executed by the Company and when authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and delivered to the Underwriters pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement against the payment by the Underwriters of the consideration set forth in the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will constitute the valid and legally binding obligations of the Company enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms and will be entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

 

6          The Registration Statement and the Prospectus (in each case other than (A) the financial statements and supporting schedules and other financial and accounting data included or incorporated by reference therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion, and (B) except as expressed in our opinion in paragraph 7 below, the documents incorporated therein), as of their respective dates and as of the effective date of the Registration Statement, as the case may be, each complied, and as of the date hereof each comply, as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the 1933 Act.

 

Ex A-1- 1
 

 

7          The Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement (other than the financial statements and supporting schedules and other financial and accounting data included therein or omitted therefrom, as to which we express no opinion), when it was filed with the Commission (or, if later, upon filing of an amendment thereto) complied as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (collectively, the “ 1934 Act ”).

 

8          No consent, approval, authorization, qualification, filing or other order of any federal regulatory body, federal administrative agency or other federal governmental body of the United States of America or any state regulatory body, state administrative agency or other state governmental body of the State of New York is required under the Applicable Laws for the Company to issue and sell the Securities to the Underwriters as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated thereby or for the execution and delivery of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture or the Security, other than such as have been obtained, or made under the 1933 Act.

 

9          The execution, delivery and performance of the obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company, the issuance and sale of the Securities to the Underwriters as contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement and consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby do not and will not conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the terms and provisions of, constitute a default under, or cause a Repayment Event (as defined below) under (A) any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, lease, repurchase agreement or other agreement, that is described or referred to in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus or filed or incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, including the agreements set forth on Schedule 2 to this opinion letter and any agreements filed as Exhibits under Item 10 of Regulation S-K to the Company’s Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011, to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound, except with respect to this clause (A) for such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges, or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect, (B) the Charter or By-laws of the Company, (C) Applicable Laws, (D) any judgment, decree, or order of any court, other governmental authority, or arbitrator having jurisdiction over the Company which is specifically listed in a Fact Certificate, except with respect to this clause (D) for such violations, conflicts, breaches, defaults, liens, charges, or encumbrances that would not result in a Material Adverse Effect. As used herein, a “ Repayment Event ” means any event or condition which gives the holder of any note, debenture or other evidence of indebtedness (or any person acting on such holder’s behalf) the right to require the repurchase, redemption or repayment of all or a portion of such indebtedness by the Company or any subsidiary.

 

10          The Company is not, and the transactions contemplated by the Underwriting Agreement will not cause the Company to be, required to register as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

 

11          Commencing with its taxable year ended December 31, 1998, the Company has been organized in conformity with the requirements for qualification as a real estate investment trust (a “ REIT ”) under the Code, and the Company’s proposed method of operation, as described in the Registration Statement and as represented in a Fact Certificate, satisfy the requirements for qualification as a REIT under the Code.

 

Ex A-1- 2
 

 

12          The statements in the Prospectus under the heading “Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” as supplemented by the statements in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Additional Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations,” to the extent that such statements constitute matters of law, summaries of legal matters, or legal conclusions, have been reviewed by us and are correct in all material respects and accurately describe the federal income tax considerations that are likely to be material to a holder of the Securities.

 

13          The statements in the Base Prospectus under the heading “Description of Debt Securities” and in the Prospectus under the heading “Description of the Notes,” insofar as relevant to the provisions, therein described, of the Securities and the Indenture have been reviewed by us and are correct in all material respects.

 

14          To our knowledge, without independent investigation, there are no legal or governmental proceedings pending or threatened against the Company that would be required by Item 103 of Regulation S-K to be disclosed in the Registration Statement or Prospectus but are not described.

 

Ex A-1- 3
 

 

EXHIBIT A-2

 

DISCLOSURE LETTER OF K&L GATES LLP

 

In connection with this letter, we have examined (i) the Registration Statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-170097), including all material incorporated by reference therein (the “Registration Statement”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) on October 22, 2010, as amended by a Post-Effective Amendment No. 1, filed with the Commission on April 2, 2012, relating to an unspecified aggregate initial offering price or number of securities of the Company, and (ii) the Prospectus dated April 2, 2012 included in the Registration Statement, as supplemented by the accompanying Prospectus Supplement dated April 3, 2012 to reflect the terms of the offering thereof, as filed by the Company with the Commission on April [__], 2012 pursuant to Rule 424(b)(5) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, together with the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder (the “1933 Act”), including all material incorporated by reference therein (the “Prospectus”), and we have made such other investigation, and reviewed such other documents, as we have deemed appropriate.

 

For the purposes of this letter, (a) the “General Disclosure Package” means (i) the Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus(es) (as defined below) issued at or prior to the Applicable Time and (ii) the Statutory Prospectus (as defined below) as of the Applicable Time; (b) “Applicable Time” means 2:20 P.M. (Eastern time) on April 3, 2012; (c) “Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means any “issuer free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 433 under the 1933 Act (“Rule 433”), relating to the Securities that (i) is required to be filed with the Commission by the Company, (ii) is a “road show that is a written communication” within the meaning of Rule 433(d)(8)(i) whether or not required to be filed with the Commission or (iii) is exempt from filing pursuant to Rule 433(d)(5)(i) because it contains a description of the Securities or of the offering that does not reflect the final terms, in each case in the form filed or required to be filed with the Commission or, if not required to be filed, in the form retained in the Company’s records pursuant to Rule 433(g); (d) “Issuer General Use Free Writing Prospectus” means any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus that is intended for general distribution to prospective investors, as evidenced by it being specified in Schedule B to the Underwriting Agreement; and (e) “Statutory Prospectus” as of the Applicable Time means the prospectus relating to the Securities and other securities that is included in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated by reference therein, as supplemented by the preliminary prospectus supplement, dated April 2, 2012.

 

During the course of our review of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, and the General Disclosure Package, we participated in conferences and discussions with representatives of the Company, including certain of its executive, financial, and accounting officers, its general counsel, representatives of its independent public accountants, and representatives of the Underwriters, including your counsel, regarding the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package and related matters, and reviewed certificates of certain officers (with respect to factual matters) of the Company, and a letter addressed to you from the Company’s independent public accountants. Between the time of execution of the Underwriting Agreement by the parties thereto and the time of delivery of this letter, we participated in further discussions with representatives of the Company and representatives of the Underwriters (and their respective counsel), regarding the contents of the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package and related matters. We have not independently verified any information, (and express no belief in respect of the financial statements, supporting schedules and other financial and accounting data), included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus and the General Disclosure Package.

 

Ex A-2- 1
 

 

Although we are not passing upon or assuming responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the statements included or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, or the Incorporated Documents (as defined below) and have made no independent check or verification thereof (except as set forth in numbered paragraph twelve and thirteen of our opinion letter addressed to the Underwriters, dated the date hereof), on the basis of the foregoing, nothing has come to our attention which has led us to believe that (i) the Registration Statement, as of the date of the Underwriting Agreement, contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the documents included in the General Disclosure Package, as of the Applicable Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, or (iii) the Prospectus, as of its date and on the date hereof, included or includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, except in each case that we express no belief and make no statement with respect to financial statements and supporting schedules and other financial and accounting data included or incorporated by reference in or omitted from the Registration Statement, the Prospectus, the General Disclosure Package, or the Incorporated Documents or any further amendments of the foregoing. With respect to statements contained in the General Disclosure Package, any statement contained in any of its constituent documents shall be deemed to be modified or superseded to the extent that any information contained in subsequent constituent documents modifies or replaces such statement. As used herein, the term “Incorporated Documents,” when used with respect to the Registration Statement or the Prospectus as of any date, means the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement or the Prospectus, as the case may be, as of such date pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3.

 

Ex A-2- 2
 

 

EXHIBIT A-3

 

Opinion of Venable LLP

 

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

 

2          The Company has the corporate power to enter into and perform its obligations under the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and to consummate the transactions contemplated therein. Each of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities have been duly executed and delivered by the Company.

 

3          The execution and delivery by the Company of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder, and the consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated thereby, have been duly authorized by the Company.

 

4          The execution, delivery and performance of the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities by the Company and the performance by the Company of its obligations thereunder and consummation by the Company of the transactions contemplated therein, including the issuance of the Securities, do not conflict with or result in a breach of, or constitute a default under, (a) the Charter or Bylaws or (b) any law, regulation or rule of the State of Maryland that is applicable to the Company.

 

5          No consent, approval, authorization or order of, or filing with, any Maryland governmental authority, agency or body having jurisdiction over the Company is required in connection with the execution and delivery by the Company of, and the performance by the Company of its obligations under, the Underwriting Agreement, the Indenture and the Securities, including the issuance and sale of the Securities, except such as have been obtained or made, if any.

 

Ex A-3- 1

 

Exhibit 4.1

 


 

MFA FINANCIAL, INC., as Issuer,

 

-and-

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 


 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of April 11, 2012

 


 

Debt Securities

 


 

 
 

 

CROSS-REFERENCE TABLE*

 

Trust Indenture Act Section   Indenture Section
  310 (a)(1)     607  
  (a)(2)     607  
  (a)(3)     N.A.  
  (a)(4)     N.A.  
  (a)(5)     607  
  (b)     608  
  (c)     N.A.  
  311 (a)     611  
  (b)     611  
  (c)     N.A.  
  312 (a)     701, 702  
  (b)     702  
  (c)     702  
  313 (a)     703  
  (b)     703, 1601  
  (c)     703  
  (d)     703  
  314 (a)     704, 1007  
  (b)     N.A.  
  (c)(1)     102  
  (c)(2)     102  
  (c)(3)     N.A.  
  (d)     N.A.  
  (e)     101  
  (f)     N.A.  
  315 (a)     601  
  (b)     602  
  (c)     503  
  (d)     601  
  (e)     515  
  316 (a)(1)(A)     502, 512  
  (a)(1)(B)     513  
  (a)(2)     N.A.  
  (b)     508  
  (c)     104  
  317 (a)(1)     503  
  (a)(2)     504  
  (b)     1003  
  318 (a)     108  

 


 

N.A. means not applicable. * This Cross-Reference Table is not part of the Indenture.

 

2
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

        PAGE
         
ARTICLE One
         
DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION
         
Section 101.   Definitions   1
Section 102.   Compliance Certificates and Opinions   9
Section 103.   Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee   9
Section 104.   Acts of Holders   9
Section 105.   Notices, etc, to Trustee and Company   11
Section 106.   Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver   11
Section 107.   Language of Notices   12
Section 108.   Conflict with Trust Indenture Act   12
Section 109.   Effect of Headings and Table of Contents   12
Section 110.   Successors and Assigns   12
Section 111.   Separability Clause   12
Section 112.   Benefits of Indenture   12
Section 113.   Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction and Service   12
Section 114.   Legal Holidays   13
Section 115.   Counterparts   13
Section 116.   Judgment Currency   13
Section 117.   Extension of Payment Dates   14
Section 118.   Immunity of Shareholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company   14
Section 119.   Force Majeure   14
Section 120.   Patriot Act   14
         
ARTICLE Two
         
SECURITIES FORMS
         
Section 201.   Forms Generally   15
Section 202.   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication   15
Section 203.   Securities in Global Form   15
         
ARTICLE Three
         
THE SECURITIES
         
Section 301.   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series   16
Section 302.   Currency; Denominations   19
Section 303.   Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating   19
Section 304.   Temporary Securities   21
Section 305.   Registration, Transfer and Exchange   21
Section 306.   Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities   24
Section 307.   Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved   24
Section 308.   Persons Deemed Owners   26
Section 309.   Cancellation   26
Section 310.   Computation of Interest   26

 

i
 

 

ARTICLE Four
         
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE
         
Section 401.   Satisfaction and Discharge   26
Section 402.   Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance   28
Section 403.   Application of Trust Money   31
Section 404.   Reinstatement   31
         
ARTICLE Five
         
REMEDIES
         
Section 501.   Events of Default   31
Section 502.   Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment   33
Section 503.   Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee   34
Section 504.   Trustee May File Proofs of Claim   35
Section 505.   Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons   35
Section 506.   Application of Money Collected   35
Section 507.   Limitations on Suits   36
Section 508.   Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts   36
Section 509.   Restoration of Rights and Remedies   36
Section 510.   Rights and Remedies Cumulative   37
Section 511.   Delay or Omission Not Waiver   37
Section 512.   Control by Holders of Securities   37
Section 513.   Waiver of Past Defaults   37
Section 514.   Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws   38
Section 515.   Undertaking for Costs   38
         
ARTICLE Six
         
THE TRUSTEE
         
Section 601.   Certain Rights of Trustee   38
Section 602.   Notice of Defaults   39
Section 603.   Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities   39
Section 604.   May Hold Securities   40
Section 605.   Money Held in Trust   40
Section 606.   Compensation and Reimbursement   40
Section 607.   Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility   40
Section 608.   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor   41
Section 609.   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor   42
Section 610.   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business   43
Section 611.   Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company   43
Section 612.   Appointment of Authenticating Agent   43
         
ARTICLE Seven
         
HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY
         
Section 701.   Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders   44
Section 702.   Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders   45
Section 703.   Reports by Trustee   45
Section 704.   Reports by Company   45

 

ii
 

 

ARTICLE Eight
         
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALES
         
Section 801.   Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms   46
Section 802.   Successor Person Substituted for Company   46
         
ARTICLE Nine
         
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
         
Section 901.   Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders   46
Section 902.   Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders   48
Section 903.   Execution of Supplemental Indentures   49
Section 904.   Effect of Supplemental Indentures   49
Section 905.   Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures   49
Section 906.   Conformity with Trust Indenture Act   49
         
ARTICLE Ten
         
COVENANTS
         
Section 1001.   Payment of Principal, Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts   49
Section 1002.   Maintenance of Office or Agency   50
Section 1003.   Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust   50
Section 1004.   Additional Amounts   52
Section 1005.   Legal Existence   52
Section 1006.   Waiver of Certain Covenants   52
Section 1007.   Company Statement as to Compliance   52
Section 1008.   Calculation of Original Issue Discount.   52
         
ARTICLE Eleven
         
REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES
         
Section 1101.   Applicability of Article   53
Section 1102.   Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee   53
Section 1103.   Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed   53
Section 1104.   Notice of Redemption   54
Section 1105.   Deposit of Redemption Price   55
Section 1106.   Securities Payable on Redemption Date   55
Section 1107.   Securities Redeemed in Part   56
         
ARTICLE Twelve
         
SINKING FUNDS
         
Section 1201.   Applicability of Article   56
Section 1202.   Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities   56
Section 1203.   Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund   57

 

iii
 

 

ARTICLE Thirteen
         
REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS
         
Section 1301.   Applicability of Article   57
         
ARTICLE Fourteen
         
SECURITIES IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES
         
Section 1401.   Applicability of Article   57
         
ARTICLE Fifteen
         
MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES
         
Section 1501.   Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called   58
Section 1502.   Call, Notice and Place of Meetings   58
Section 1503.   Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings   58
Section 1504.   Quorum; Action   58
Section 1505.   Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings   59
Section 1506.   Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings   60
         
ARTICLE Sixteen
         
SECURITY
         
Section 1601.   Security   60

 

iv
 

 

INDENTURE, dated as of April 11, 2012 (this “Indenture”), between MFA Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (hereinafter called the “Company”), having its principal executive office located at 350 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York, 10022 and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America (hereinafter called the “Trustee”).

 

RECITALS

 

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide for the issuance from time to time of senior unsecured and secured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness (hereinafter called the “Securities”), unlimited as to principal amount, to bear such rates of interest, to mature at such time or times, to be issued in one or more series and to have such other provisions as shall be fixed as hereinafter provided.

 

The Company has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture. All things necessary to make this Indenture a valid agreement of the Company, in accordance with its terms, have been done.

 

This Indenture is subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission promulgated thereunder that are required to be part of this Indenture and, to the extent applicable, shall be governed by such provisions.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH:

 

For and in consideration of the premises and the purchase of the Securities by the Holders (as herein defined) thereof, it is mutually covenanted and agreed, for the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Securities or of any series thereof and any Coupons (as herein defined) as follows:

 

ARTICLE One

 

DEFINITIONS AND OTHER PROVISIONS OF GENERAL APPLICATION

 

Section 101. Definitions.

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or unless the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(5)          the word “or” is always used inclusively (for example, the phrase “A or B” means “A or B or both”, not “either A or B but not both”);

 

(6)          provisions apply to successive events and transactions;

 

(7)          the term “merger” includes a statutory share exchange and the terms “merge” and “merged” have correlative meanings;

 

1
 

 

(8)          the masculine gender includes the feminine and the neuter; and

 

(9)          references to agreements and other instruments include subsequent amendments and supplements thereto.

Certain terms used principally in certain Articles hereof are defined in those Articles.

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the context otherwise requires, for all purposes of this Indenture, references to the conversion or exchange of any Securities for or into other securities (other than Securities of the same series) or property shall not include the exchange of Securities of any series for other Securities of the same series.

 

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

 

“Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required by this Indenture or by any Security, or by the terms of any Security established pursuant to Section 301, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes, duties, levies, imposts, assessments or other governmental charges imposed on Holders specified herein or therein.

 

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

 

“Authenticating Agent” means the Trustee or any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 611 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more series.

 

“Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper, in an official language of the place of publication or in the English language, customarily published on each day that is a Business Day in the place of publication, whether or not published on days that are not Business Days in the place of publication, and of general circulation in each place in connection with which the term is used or in the financial community of each such place. Where successive publications are required to be made in Authorized Newspapers, the successive publications may be made in the same or in different newspapers in the same place meeting the foregoing requirements and in each case on any day that is a Business Day in the place of publication.

 

“Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11, U.S. Code or any similar federal, state, or foreign law for the relief of debtors.

 

“Bearer Security” means any Security in the form established pursuant to Section 201 which is payable to bearer.

 

“Board of Directors” means the board of directors of the Company or any committee of that board duly authorized to act generally or in any particular respect for the Company hereunder. The term “board of directors” means the board of directors of the Company and does not include committees of the board of directors.

 

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

 

“Business Day” means, unless otherwise specified with respect to the Securities of any series pursuant to Section 301, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which trust companies or banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close; provided that such term shall mean, when used with respect to any payment of principal of, or premium or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts with respect to, the Securities of any series to be made at any Place of Payment for such Securities, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Securities, any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which trust companies or banking institutions in such Place of Payment are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

2
 

 

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

 

“Common Shares” means the common shares of the Company as such common shares exist on the date of this Indenture or shares of any class or classes resulting from any reclassification or reclassifications thereof and which have no preference in respect of dividends or similar distributions or of amounts payable in the event of any voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company and which are not subject to redemption by the Company; provided that, solely in the case of any Securities that are convertible into Common Shares, unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series, if at any time there shall be more than one such resulting class, the shares of each such class then so issuable on conversion of such Securities shall be substantially in the proportion which the total number of shares of such class resulting from all such reclassifications bears to the total number of shares of all such classes resulting from all such reclassifications.

 

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

 

“Company Request” and “Company Order” mean, respectively, a written request or order, as the case may be, signed in the name of the Company by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or a Vice President and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Conversion Event” means (i) with respect to any Foreign Currency other than the Euro, the cessation of use of such Foreign Currency both by the government of the country or the confederation which issued such Foreign Currency and for the settlement of transactions by a central bank or other public institutions of or within the international banking community or (ii) in the case of the Euro, the cessation of use of the Euro both within the European Monetary System and for the settlement of transactions by public institutions of or within the European Union.

 

“Corporate Trust Office” means (a) with respect to the Trustee, the principal office in Wilmington, Delaware which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date of execution of this Indenture is located at Wilmington Trust, National Association, Corporate Capital Markets, 50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attn: MFA Financial, Inc. Authorized Officer, or any other address that the Trustee may designate with respect to itself from time to time by notice to the Company and the Holders and (b) with respect to any other party, the office designed in the supplemental indenture for a particular Series.

 

The term “Corporation” includes corporations, partnerships, associations, limited liability companies and other companies, and business trusts. The term “corporation” means a corporation and does not include partnerships, associations, limited liability companies or other companies or business trusts.

 

“Coupon” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Bearer Security.

 

“Currency”, with respect to any payment, deposit or other transfer in respect of the principal of or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security, means Dollars or the Foreign Currency, as the case may be, in which such payment, deposit or other transfer is required to be made by or pursuant to the terms hereof or such Security and, with respect to any other payment, deposit or transfer pursuant to or contemplated by the terms hereof or such Security, means Dollars.

 

3
 

 

“CUSIP number” means the alphanumeric designation assigned to a Security by Standard & Poor’s, CUSIP Service Bureau.

 

“Defaulted Interest” has the meaning specified in Section 307.

 

“Depository” means, with respect to any Security issuable or issued in the form of one or more global Securities, the Person designated as depository by the Company in or pursuant to this Indenture, and, unless otherwise provided with respect to any Security, any successor to such Person. If at any time there is more than one such Person, “Depository” shall mean, with respect to any Securities, the depository which has been appointed with respect to such Securities.

 

“Dollars” or “$” means a dollar or other equivalent unit of legal tender for payment of public or private debts in the United States of America.

 

“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person, all of the securities convertible into or exchangeable for shares of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests in) such Person or warrants, rights or options for the purchase or acquisition from such Person of such shares (or such other interests), and all of the other ownership or profit interests in such Person (including partnership, member or trust interests therein), whether voting or nonvoting, and whether or not such shares, warrants, options, rights or other interests are outstanding on any date of determination.

 

“Euro” means the currency introduced at the start of the third stage of European economic and monetary union pursuant to the Treaty establishing European Community, as amended by the Treaty on European Union.

 

“European Monetary System” means the European Monetary System established by the Resolution of December 5, 1978 of the Council of the European Community.

 

“European Union” means the participating member states that adopt a single currency in accordance with the Treaty establishing the European Community, as amended by the Treaty on European Union.

 

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

 

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

 

“Foreign Currency” means any currency, currency unit or composite currency, including, without limitation, the Euro, issued by the government of one or more countries other than the United States of America or by any recognized confederation or association of such government.

 

“GAAP” and “generally accepted accounting principles” mean, unless otherwise specified with respect to any series of Securities pursuant to Section 301, such accounting principles as are generally accepted in the United States of America as of the date or time of any computation required hereunder.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of the United States or any other nation, or of any political subdivision thereof, whether state or local, and any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government.

 

4
 

 

“Government Obligations” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of the United States of America or the other government or governments in the confederation which issued the Foreign Currency in which the principal of or any premium or interest on the relevant Security or any Additional Amounts in respect thereof shall be payable, in each case where the payment or payments thereunder are supported by the full faith and credit of such government or governments or (ii) obligations of a Person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of the United States of America or such other government or governments, in each case where the timely payment or payments thereunder are unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by the United States of America or such other government or governments, and which, in the case of (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer or issuers thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to any such Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the Government Obligation or the specific payment of interest on or principal of or other amount with respect to the Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

“Holder”, in the case of any Registered Security, means the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security Register and, in the case of any Bearer Security, means the bearer thereof and, in the case of any Coupon, means the bearer thereof.

 

“Indenture” means this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and, with respect to any Security, by the terms and provisions of such Security and any Coupon appertaining thereto established pursuant to Section 301 (as such terms and provisions may be amended pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof), provided, however, that, if at any time more than one Person is acting as Trustee under this instrument, “Indenture” shall mean, with respect to any one or more series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee, this instrument as originally executed or as it may from time to time be supplemented or amended by one or more indentures supplemental hereto entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions hereof and shall include the terms of those particular series of Securities for which such Person is Trustee established pursuant to Section 301, exclusive, however, of any provisions or terms which relate solely to other series of Securities for which such Person is not Trustee, regardless of when such terms or provisions were adopted.

 

“Indexed Security” means a Security the terms of which provide that the principal amount thereof payable at Stated Maturity may be more or less than the principal face amount thereof at original issuance.

 

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

 

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

 

“Judgment Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 116.

 

“Maturity”, with respect to any Security, means the date on which the principal of such Security or an installment of principal becomes due and payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, upon redemption at the option of the Company, upon repurchase or repayment at the option of the Holder or otherwise, and includes a Redemption Date for such Security and a date fixed for the repurchase or repayment of such Security at the option of the Holder.

 

“New York Banking Day” has the meaning specified in Section 116.

 

“Non-recourse Debt” means an obligation for indebtedness that can only be satisfied out of the collateral securing the obligations and not out of the debtor’s other assets.

 

“Office” or “Agency”, with respect to any Securities, means an office or agency of the Company maintained or designated in a Place of Payment for such Securities pursuant to Section 1002 or any other office or agency of the Company maintained or designated for such Securities pursuant to Section 1002 or, to the extent designated or required by Section 1002 in lieu of such office or agency, the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

 

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“Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by the Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or a Vice President and by the Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company, that complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act and is delivered to the Trustee.

 

“Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of counsel, who may be an employee of or counsel for the Company or other counsel who shall be reasonably acceptable to the Trustee and the Paying Agents, if applicable, and which shall not be at the expense of the Trustee and that, if required by the Trust Indenture Act, complies with the requirements of Section 314(e) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

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

 

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

 

(a)           any such Security theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or the Security Registrar or delivered to the Trustee or the Security Registrar for cancellation;

 

(b)           any such Security for whose payment at the Maturity thereof money in the necessary amount (or, to the extent that such Security is payable at such Maturity in Common Shares or other securities or property, Common Shares or such other securities or property in the necessary amount, together with, if applicable, cash in lieu of fractional shares or securities) has been theretofore deposited pursuant hereto (other than pursuant to Section 402) with the Trustee or any Paying Agent (other than the Company) in trust or set aside and segregated in trust by the Company (if the Company shall act as its own Paying Agent) for the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, provided that, if such Securities are to be redeemed, notice of such redemption has been duly given pursuant to this Indenture or provision therefor satisfactory to the Trustee has been made;

 

(c)           any such Security with respect to which the Company has effected defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402, except to the extent provided in Section 402;

 

(d)           any such Security which has been paid pursuant to Section 306 or in exchange for or in lieu of which other Securities have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to this Indenture, unless there shall have been presented to the Trustee proof satisfactory to it that such Security is held by a bona fide purchaser in whose hands such Security is a valid obligation of the Company; and

 

(e)           any such Security converted or exchanged as contemplated by this Indenture into Common Shares or other securities or property, if the terms of such Security provide for such conversion or exchange pursuant to Section 301;

 

provided, however, that in determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder or are present at a meeting of Holders of Securities for quorum purposes, (i) the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be equal to the amount of the principal thereof that pursuant to the terms of such Original Issue Discount Security would be declared (or shall have been declared to be) due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration thereof pursuant to Section 502 at the time of such determination, and (ii) the principal amount of any Indexed Security that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purpose shall be equal to the principal face amount of such Indexed Security at original issuance, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, and (iii) the principal amount of a Security denominated in a Foreign Currency that may be counted in making such determination and that shall be deemed Outstanding for such purposes shall be the Dollar equivalent, determined on the date of original issuance of such Security, of the principal amount (or, in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security, the Dollar equivalent on the date of original issuance of such Security of the amount determined as provided in (i) above) of such Security, and (iv) Securities owned by the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities, or any Affiliate of the Company or such other obligor shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding, except that, in determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in making any such determination or relying upon any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows to be so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which shall have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee (A) the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and (B) that the pledgee is not the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto or an Affiliate (other than a Trust) of the Company or such other obligor.

 

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“Patriot Act” means the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001, Pub. L. 107-56, as amended, and signed into law October 26, 2001.

 

“Paying Agent” means the Trustee and/or any other Person authorized by the Company to pay the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security or any Coupon on behalf of the Company.

 

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

“Place of Payment”, with respect to any Security, means the place or places where the principal of, or any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security are payable as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security.

 

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

 

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

 

“Redemption Price”, with respect to any Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, means the price at which it is to be redeemed as determined by or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security.

 

“Registered Security” means any Security established pursuant to Section 201 which is registered in the Security Register.

 

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Registered Security on any Interest Payment Date therefor means the date, if any, specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security as the record date for the payment of such interest.

 

“Required Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 116.

 

“Responsible Officer” means (a) any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office having direct responsibility for matters pertaining to this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer or employee of the Trustee to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and (b) when used with respect to an Agent, the meaning assigned to such term in the supplemental indenture for a particular series.

 

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

 

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“Security” or “Securities” means any note or notes, bond or bonds, debenture or debentures, or any other evidences of indebtedness, as the case may be, authenticated and delivered under this Indenture; provided, however, that, if at any time there is more than one Person acting as Trustee under this Indenture, “Securities”, with respect to any such Person, shall mean Securities authenticated and delivered under this Indenture, exclusive, however, of Securities of any series as to which such Person is not Trustee.

 

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

 

“Significant Subsidiary” means, as of any date of determination, a Subsidiary of the Company that would constitute a “significant subsidiary,” as such term is defined under Rule 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X of the Commission as in effect on the date of this Indenture.

 

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

 

“Stated Maturity”, with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon or any Additional Amounts with respect thereto, means the date established by or pursuant to this Indenture or such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is, or such Additional Amounts are, due and payable.

 

“Structured Finance Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary the primary function of which is to act as an issuer, depositor or special purpose entity in connection with issuances of obligations collateralized by loans, bonds, mortgages or other debt obligations issued by third parties.

 

“Subsidiary” of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests or (b) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (1) such Person, (2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

“Trust Indenture Act” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and any reference herein to the Trust Indenture Act or a particular provision thereof shall mean such Act or provision, as the case may be, as amended or replaced from time to time or as supplemented from time to time by rules or regulations adopted by the Commission under or in furtherance of the purposes of such Act or provision, as the case may be.

 

“Trustee” means the Person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each Person who is then a Trustee hereunder; provided, however, that if at any time there is more than one such Person, “Trustee” shall mean each such Person and as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

“United States”, means the United States of America (including the states thereof and the District of Columbia), its territories, its possessions and other areas subject to its jurisdiction; and the term “United States of America” means the United States of America.

 

“United States Alien”, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Security, means any Person who, for United States Federal income tax purposes, is a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual, a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust, or a foreign partnership one or more of the members of which is, for United States Federal income tax purposes, a foreign corporation, a nonresident alien individual or a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust.

 

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

 

Section 102. Compliance Certificates and Opinions.

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, upon any application or request by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any provision of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with and an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent, if any, have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or request as to which the furnishing of such documents or any of them is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or request, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

 

Section 103. Form of Documents Delivered to Trustee.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Section 104. Acts of Holders.

 

(1)          Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by or pursuant to this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such Holders in Person or by an agent duly appointed in writing. If, but only if, Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided in or pursuant to this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series may, alternatively, be embodied in and evidenced by the record of Holders of Securities of such series voting in favor thereof, either in Person or by proxies duly appointed in writing, at any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series duly called and held in accordance with the provisions of Article Fifteen, or a combination of such instruments and any such record. Except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments or record or both are delivered to the Trustee and, where it is hereby expressly required, to the Company. Such instrument or instruments and any such record (and the action embodied therein and evidenced thereby) are herein sometimes referred to as the “Act” of the Holders signing such instrument or instruments or so voting at any such meeting. Proof of execution of any such instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent, or of the holding by any Person of a Security, shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company and any agent of the Trustee or the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Section. The record of any meeting of Holders of Securities shall be proved in the manner provided in Section 1506.

 

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Without limiting the generality of this Section 104, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, a Holder, including a Depository that is a Holder of a global Security, may make, give or take, by a proxy or proxies, duly appointed in writing, any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities to be made, given or taken by Holders, and a Depository that is a Holder of a global Security may provide its proxy or proxies to the beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security through such Depository’s standing instructions and customary practices.

 

(2)          The fact and date of the execution by any Person of any such instrument or writing may be proved in any reasonable manner which the Trustee deems sufficient and in accordance with such reasonable rules as the Trustee may determine; and the Trustee may in any instance require further proof with respect to any of the matters referred to in this Section.

 

(3)          The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Registered Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, shall be proved by the Security Register.

 

(4)          The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by any Person, and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Bearer Securities or by a certificate executed, as depositary, by any trust company, bank, banker or other depositary reasonably acceptable to the Company, wherever situated, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Bearer Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person holding such Bearer Securities, if such certificate or affidavit is deemed by the Company and the Trustee to be satisfactory. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Bearer Security continues until (1) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Bearer Security is produced, or (2) such Bearer Security is produced to the Trustee by some other Person, or (3) such Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (4) such Bearer Security is no longer Outstanding. The ownership, principal amount and serial numbers of Bearer Securities held by the Person so executing such instrument or writing and the date of the commencement and the date of the termination of holding the same may also be proved in any other manner which the Company and the Trustee deem sufficient.

 

(5)          If the Company shall solicit from the Holders of any Registered Securities any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, the Company may at its option (but is not obligated to), by Board Resolution fix in advance a record date for the determination of Holders of Registered Securities entitled to give such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act. If such a record date is fixed, such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act may be given before or after such record date, but only the Holders of Registered Securities of record at the close of business on such record date shall be deemed to be Holders for the purpose of determining whether Holders of the requisite proportion of Outstanding Securities have authorized or agreed or consented to such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act, and for that purpose the Outstanding Securities shall be computed as of such record date; provided that no such authorization, agreement or consent by the Holders of Registered Securities shall be deemed effective unless it shall become effective pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture not later than six months after the record date. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prevent the Company from setting a new record date for any action for which a record date has previously been set pursuant to this paragraph (whereupon the record date previously set shall automatically and with no action by any Person be cancelled and of no effect), and nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to render ineffective any action taken by Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of the relevant series on the date such action is taken.

 

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

 

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Section 105. Notices, etc, to Trustee and Company.

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act of Holders or other document provided or permitted by this Indenture to be made upon, given or furnished to, or filed with,

 

(1)          the Trustee by any Holder or the Company shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder if made, given, furnished or filed in writing to or with the Trustee at its Corporate Trust Office, or

 

(2)          the Company by the Trustee or any Holder shall be sufficient for every purpose hereunder (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Company addressed to the attention of its Chief Financial Officer at the address of the Company’s principal office specified in the first paragraph of this instrument or at any other address previously furnished in writing to the Trustee by the Company.

 

Section 106. Notice to Holders of Securities; Waiver.

 

Except as otherwise expressly provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Securities of any event,

 

(1)          such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Registered Securities if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder of a Registered Security affected by such event, at his address as it appears in the Security Register, not later than the latest date, and not earlier than the earliest date, prescribed for the giving of such notice; and

 

(2)          such notice shall be sufficiently given to Holders of Bearer Securities, if any, if published in an Authorized Newspaper in The City of New York and, if such Securities are then listed on any stock exchange outside the United States, in an Authorized Newspaper in such city as the Company shall advise the Trustee that such stock exchange so requires, on a Business Day at least twice, the first such publication to be not earlier than the earliest date and the second such publication not later than the latest date prescribed for the giving of such notice.

 

In any case where notice to Holders of Registered Securities is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder of a Registered Security shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders of Registered Securities or the sufficiency of any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities given as provided herein. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given or provided. In the case by reason of the suspension of regular mail service or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to give such notice by mail, then such notification as shall be made in a manner acceptable to the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient notification for every purpose hereunder.

 

In case by reason of the suspension of publication of any Authorized Newspaper or Authorized Newspapers or by reason of any other cause it shall be impracticable to publish any notice to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, then such notification to Holders of Bearer Securities as shall be given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute sufficient notice to such Holders for every purpose hereunder. Neither failure to give notice by publication to Holders of Bearer Securities as provided above, nor any defect in any notice so published, shall affect the sufficiency of any notice mailed to Holders of Registered Securities as provided above.

 

Where this Indenture provides for notice in any manner, such notice may be waived in writing by the Person entitled to receive such notice, either before or after the event, and such waiver shall be the equivalent of such notice. Waivers of notice by Holders of Securities shall be filed with the Trustee, but such filing shall not be a condition precedent to the validity of any action taken in reliance upon such waiver.

 

Anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding, unless otherwise expressly stated in this Indenture or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, if a Depository or its nominee is the Holder of any Security, then any notice given to such Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, in respect of such Security may be given by the Company or the Trustee electronically in accordance with the procedures of such Depository as in effect from time to time in lieu of giving notice to such Depository or such nominee, as the case may be, by mail and all references in this Indenture to the mailing of any such notice shall be deemed to mean, solely as concerns the notice given by the Company or the Trustee to such Depository or its nominee, as the case may be, the electronic transmission of such notice as aforesaid, mutatis mutandis .

 

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Section 107. Language of Notices.

 

Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, election or waiver required or permitted under this Indenture shall be in the English language, except that, if the Company so elects, any published notice may be in an official language of the country of publication.

 

Section 108. Conflict with Trust Indenture Act.

 

If any provision hereof limits, qualifies or conflicts with any duties under any required provision of the Trust Indenture Act imposed hereon by Section 318(c) thereof, such required provision of the Trust Indenture Act shall control.

 

Section 109. Effect of Headings and Table of Contents.

 

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

 

Section 110. Successors and Assigns.

 

All covenants and agreements in this Indenture by the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

 

Section 111. Separability Clause.

 

In case any provision in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 112. Benefits of Indenture.

 

Nothing in this Indenture, any Security or any Coupon, express or implied, shall give to any Person, other than the parties hereto, any Security Registrar, any Paying Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of Securities or Coupons, any benefit or any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture.

 

Section 113. Governing Law; Waiver of Jury Trial; Consent to Jurisdiction and Service.

 

This Indenture, the Securities and any Coupons shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to agreements made or instruments entered into and, in each case, performed in said State, without regard to conflicts of laws or principles thereof.

 

EACH OF THE COMPANY AND THE TRUSTEE HEREBY IRREVOCABLY WAIVES, TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS INDENTURE, THE SECURITIES, THE COUPONS OR THE TRANSACTION CONTEMPLATED HEREBY.

 

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To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the Company hereby irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of any federal or state court located in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York, New York in any suit, action or proceeding based on or arising out of or relating to this Indenture or any Securities and irrevocably agrees that all claims in respect of such suit or proceeding may be determined in any such court. The Company irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection which it may have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding brought in an inconvenient forum. The Company agrees that final judgment in any such suit, action or proceeding brought in such a court shall be conclusive and binding upon the Company, and may be enforced in any courts to the jurisdiction of which the Company is subject by a suit upon such judgment, provided, that service of process is effected upon the Company in the manner specified herein or as otherwise permitted by law. The Company hereby irrevocably designates and appoints Harold E. Schwartz, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, MFA Financial, Inc., 350 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10022 (the “Process Agent”) as its authorized agent for purposes of this section, it being understood that the designation and appointment of the Process Agent as such authorized agent shall become effective immediately without any further action on the part of the Company. The Company further agrees that service of process upon the Process Agent and written notice of said service to the Company, mailed by prepaid registered first class mail or delivered to the Process Agent at its principal office, shall be deemed in every respect effective service of process upon the Company, in any such suit or proceeding. The Company further agrees to take any and all action, including the execution and filing of any and all such documents and instruments as may be necessary, to continue such designation and appointment of the Process Agent in full force and effect so long as the Company, has any outstanding obligations under this Indenture. To the extent the Company has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through service of notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of execution, executor or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, the Company hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its obligations under this Indenture to the extent permitted by law.

 

Section 114. Legal Holidays.

 

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, in any case where any Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity or Maturity of, or any other day on which a payment is due with respect to, any Security shall be a day which is not a Business Day at any Place of Payment, then payment need not be made at such Place of Payment on such date, but such payment may be made on the next succeeding day that is a Business Day at such Place of Payment with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date, at the Stated Maturity or Maturity or on any such other payment date, as the case may be, and no interest shall accrue on the amount payable on such date or at such time for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date, Stated Maturity, Maturity or other payment date, as the case may be, to the next succeeding Business Day.

 

Section 115. Counterparts.

 

This Indenture may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of which shall constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 116. Judgment Currency.

 

The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment against it in any court, it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of, or premium or interest, if any, or Additional Amounts on the Securities of any series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding that on which a final unappealable judgment is given and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, or any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with clause (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York or a day on which trust companies or banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law, regulation or executive order to be closed. The provisions of this Section 116 shall not be applicable with respect to any payment due on a Security which is payable in Dollars.

 

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Section 117. Extension of Payment Dates.

 

In the event that (i) the terms of any Security or Coupon appertaining thereto established in or pursuant to this Indenture permit the Company or any Holder thereof to extend the date on which any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Security or Coupon is due and payable and (ii) the due date for any such payment shall have been so extended, then all references herein to the Stated Maturity of such payment (and all references of like import) shall be deemed to refer to the date as so extended.

 

Section 118. Immunity of Shareholders, Directors, Officers and Agents of the Company.

 

No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in any Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced thereby, or for any claim based thereon or otherwise in respect thereof, shall be had against any past, present or future shareholder, incorporator, employee, officer or director, as such, of the Company or any predecessor or successor to the Company, either directly or through the Company or any such predecessor or successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the acceptance of the Securities by the Holders and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities; it being expressly understood that, without limitation to the foregoing, this Indenture and the Securities and the obligations created hereunder and thereunder are solely corporate, limited liability company, partnership, limited partnership or similar obligations, as the case may be, of the Company and that no such Personal liability whatever shall attach to, or is or shall be incurred by, any past, present or future shareholder, incorporator, employee, officer or director, as such, of the Company or any of its predecessors or successors, or any of them, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied herefrom or therefrom and that any and all such Personal liability of every type and nature, either at common law or in equity or by constitution or statute, of, and any and all such rights and claims against, every such past, present or future shareholder, incorporator, employee, officer or director, as such, because of the creation of the indebtedness hereby authorized, or under or by reason of the obligations, covenants or agreements contained in this Indenture or in any Security or implied herefrom or therefrom, are hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as a consideration for, the execution of this Indenture and the issuance of the Securities. As used in this Section 118, all references to “shareholders” shall be deemed to mean, with respect to any Person, any past, present or future holder or owner of an equity interest in such Person, including, without limitation, owners or holders of capital stock, limited or general partnership interests and limited liability company interests.

 

Section 119. Force Majeure.

 

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

 

Section 120. Patriot Act.

 

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

 

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ARTICLE Two

 

SECURITIES FORMS

 

Section 201. Forms Generally.

 

Each Registered Security, Bearer Security, Coupon and temporary or permanent global Security issued pursuant to this Indenture shall be in the form established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, shall have such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture or any indenture supplemental hereto and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may, consistently herewith, be determined by any officer of the Company executing such Security or Coupon as evidenced by the execution of such Security or Coupon.

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, the Securities shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons.

 

Definitive Securities and definitive Coupons shall be printed, lithographed or engraved or produced by any combination of these methods on a steel engraved border or steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers of the Company executing such Securities or Coupons, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities or Coupons.

 

Section 202. Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication.

 

Subject to Section 611, the Trustee’s certificate of authentication shall be in substantially the following form:

 

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

 

      WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as
Date:       Trustee
         
      By:  
        Authorized Signatory

 

Section 203. Securities in Global Form.

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, the Securities shall be issuable in global form. If Securities of a series shall be issuable in temporary or permanent global form, any such Security may provide that it or any number of such Securities shall represent the aggregate amount of all Outstanding Securities of such series (or such lesser amount as is permitted by the terms thereof) from time to time endorsed thereon or reflected on the books and records of the Trustee and may also provide that the aggregate amount of Outstanding Securities represented thereby may from time to time be increased or reduced to reflect exchanges. Any endorsement of any Security in global form to reflect the amount, or any increase or decrease in the amount, or changes in the rights of Holders, of Outstanding Securities represented thereby shall be made in such manner and by such Person or Persons as shall be specified therein or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Security or in the Company Order to be delivered pursuant to Section 303 or 304 with respect thereto. Subject to the provisions of Section 303 and, if applicable, Section 304, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver any Security in global form in the manner and upon instructions given by the Person or Persons specified therein or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to such Security or in the applicable Company Order. If a Company Order pursuant to Section 303 or 304 has been, or simultaneously is, delivered, any instructions by the Company with respect to a Security in global form shall be in writing but need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate and need not be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this paragraph, in the event a global Security is exchangeable for definitive Securities as provided in Section 305, then, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, the Trustee shall deliver and redeliver such global Security to the extent necessary to effect such exchanges, shall endorse such global Security to reflect any decrease in the principal amount thereto resulting from such exchanges and shall take such other actions, all as contemplated by Section 305.

 

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Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 307, unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, payment of principal of, any premium and interest on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, any Security in temporary or permanent global form shall be made to the Person or Persons specified therein.

 

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 308 and except as provided in the preceding paragraph, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company and the Trustee shall treat as the Holder of such principal amount of Outstanding Securities represented by a global Security (i) in the case of a global Security in registered form, the Holder of such global Security in registered form, or (ii) in the case of a global Security in bearer form, the Person or Persons specified pursuant to Section 301.

 

ARTICLE Three

 

THE SECURITIES

 

Section 301. Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series.

 

The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more series.

 

With respect to any Securities to be authenticated and delivered hereunder, there shall be established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions and set forth in an Officers’ Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of any Securities of a series,

 

(1)          the title of the Securities of such series;

 

(2)          any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of such series pursuant to Section 304, 305, 306, 905 or 1107, and except for Securities which, pursuant to Section 303, are deemed never to have been authenticated and delivered hereunder, upon repayment in part of any Security of such series pursuant to Article Thirteen or upon surrender in part of any Security for conversion or exchange into Common Shares or other securities or property pursuant to its terms), and if such series may not be reopened from time to time for the issuance of additional Securities of such series;

 

(3)          if such Securities are to be issuable as Registered Securities, as Bearer Securities or alternatively as Bearer Securities and Registered Securities, and whether the Bearer Securities are to be issuable with Coupons, without Coupons or both, and any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale or delivery of the Bearer Securities and the terms, if any, upon which Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities and vice versa;

 

(4)          if any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form, when any of such Securities are to be issuable in global form and (i) whether such Securities are to be issued in temporary or permanent global form or both, (ii) whether beneficial owners of interests in any such global Security may exchange such interests for Securities of the same series and of like tenor and of any authorized form and denomination, and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner specified in Section 305, (iii) the name of the Depository with respect to any such global Security and (iv) if applicable and in addition to the Persons specified in Section 305, the Person or Persons who shall be entitled to make any endorsements on any such global Security and to give the instructions and take the other actions with respect to such global Security contemplated by the first paragraph of Section 203;

 

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(5)          if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, the date as of which any such Bearer Security shall be dated (if other than the date of original issuance of the first of such Securities to be issued);

 

(6)          if any of such Securities are to be issuable as Bearer Securities, whether interest in respect of any portion of a temporary Bearer Security in global form payable in respect of an Interest Payment Date therefor prior to the exchange, if any, of such temporary Bearer Security for definitive Securities shall be paid to any clearing organization with respect to the portion of such temporary Bearer Security held for its account and, in such event, the terms and conditions (including any certification requirements) upon which any such interest payment received by a clearing organization will be credited to the Persons entitled to interest payable on such Interest Payment Date;

 

(7)          the date or dates, or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates shall be determined, on which the principal and premium, if any, of such Securities is payable;

 

(8)          the rate or rates at which such Securities shall bear interest, if any, or the method or methods, if any, by which such rate or rates are to be determined, the date or dates, if any, from which such interest shall begin to accrue or the method or methods, if any, by which such date or dates are to be determined, the Interest Payment Dates, if any, on which such interest shall be payable and the Regular Record Date, if any, for the interest payable on Registered Securities on any Interest Payment Date, the notice, if any, to Holders regarding the determination of interest on a floating rate Security and the manner of giving such notice, and the basis upon which interest shall be calculated if other than that of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months;

 

(9)          if in addition to or other than the place where the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee may from time to time be located, the place or places where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities shall be payable, any of such Securities that are Registered Securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, any of such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange and notices or demands to or upon the Company in respect of such Securities and this Indenture may be served;

 

(10)         whether any of such Securities are to be redeemable at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

(11)         if the Company is obligated to redeem or purchase any of such Securities pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provision or at the option of any Holder thereof and, if so, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the other terms and conditions upon which such Securities shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and any provisions for the remarketing of such Securities so redeemed or purchased;

 

(12)         the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Registered Securities shall be issuable if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples thereof, and the denominations in which any of such Securities that are Bearer Securities shall be issuable if other than the denomination of $5,000;

 

(13)         whether the Securities of the series will be convertible into and/or exchangeable for Common Shares or other securities or property, and if so, the terms and conditions upon which such Securities will be so convertible or exchangeable, and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture to permit or to facilitate the issuance of such convertible or exchangeable Securities or the administration thereof;

 

(14)         if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of any of such Securities that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the method by which such portion is to be determined;

 

(15)         if other than Dollars, the Foreign Currency in which payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities shall be payable;

 

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(16)         if the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of such Securities are to be payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in Dollars or in a Foreign Currency other than that in which such Securities are stated to be payable, the date or dates on which, the period or periods within which, and the other terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made, and the time and manner of determining the exchange rate between the Currency in which such Securities are stated to be payable and the Currency in which such Securities or any of them are to be paid pursuant to such election, and any deletions from or modifications of or additions to the terms of this Indenture to provide for or to facilitate the issuance of Securities denominated or payable, at the election of the Company or a Holder thereof or otherwise, in a Foreign Currency;

 

(17)         if the amount of payments of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities may be determined with reference to an index, formula or other method or methods (which index, formula or method or methods may be based, without limitation, on one or more Currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices), and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which and the method by which such amounts shall be determined and paid or payable;

 

(18)         any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the Events of Default or covenants of the Company with respect to such Securities (whether or not such Events of Default or covenants are consistent with the Events of Default or covenants set forth herein), and, if any additional covenants not contained in this Indenture as of its date shall be applicable with respect to such Securities, whether Section 1006 shall be applicable with respect to any such additional covenants;

 

(19)         if any one or more of Section 401 relating to satisfaction and discharge, Section 402(2) relating to defeasance or Section 402(3) relating to covenant defeasance shall not be applicable to the Securities of such series, and any covenants in addition to or other than those covenants, if any, specified in Section 402(3) relating to the Securities of such series which shall be subject to covenant defeasance, and, if the Securities of such series are subject to repurchase or repayment at the option of the Holders thereof pursuant to Article Thirteen, if the Company’s obligation to repurchase or repay such Securities will not be subject to satisfaction and discharge pursuant to Section 401 or to defeasance pursuant to Section 402, and, if the Holders of such Securities have the right to convert or exchange such Securities into Common Shares or other securities or property, if the right to effect such conversion or exchange will be subject to satisfaction and discharge pursuant to Section 401 or to defeasance or covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402, and any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article Four in respect of the Securities of such series;

 

(20)         if any of such Securities are to be issuable upon the exercise of warrants, and the time, manner and place for such Securities to be authenticated and delivered;

 

(21)         if any of such Securities are issuable in global form and are to be issuable in definitive form (whether upon original issue or upon exchange of a temporary Security) only upon receipt of certain certificates or other documents or satisfaction of other conditions, then the form and terms of such certificates, documents or conditions;

 

(22)         whether and under what circumstances the Company will pay Additional Amounts on such Securities to any Holder who is a United States Alien in respect of specified taxes, assessments or other government charges and, if so, whether the Company will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such Additional Amounts;

 

(23)         if there is more than one Trustee, the identity of the Trustee and, if not the Trustee, the identity of each Security Registrar, Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent with respect to such Securities;

 

(24)         the Person to whom any interest on any Registered Security of such series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name the Registered Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, the manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Bearer Security of such series shall be payable, if other than upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto as they severally mature, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global Security will be paid if other than in the manner provided in this Indenture;

 

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(25)         whether the Securities of such series are to be secured by any property, assets or other collateral and, if so, the applicable collateral, any deletions from, or modifications or additions to, the provisions of Article Sixteen hereof or any other provisions of this Indenture in connection therewith or in connection with any other instrument or agreement entered into in connection therewith;

 

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

 

(27)        whether the Securities of such series will be guaranteed and, if so, the names of the guarantors of those Securities and a description of those guarantees; and

 

(28)         any other terms of such Securities (whether or not such other terms are consistent or inconsistent with any other terms of this Indenture) and any deletions from or modifications or additions to this Indenture in respect of such Securities.

 

All Securities of any one series and all Coupons, if any, appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series shall be substantially identical except as to Currency of payments due thereunder, denomination and the rate of interest, or method of determining the rate of interest, if any, Maturity, and the date from which interest, if any, shall accrue and except as may otherwise be provided by the Company in or pursuant to the Board Resolution and set forth in the Officers’ Certificate or in any indenture or indentures supplemental hereto pertaining to such series of Securities. The terms of the Securities of any series may provide, without limitation, that the Securities shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee on original issue from time to time upon written order of Persons designated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture, as the case may be, pertaining to such series of Securities and that such Persons are authorized to determine, consistent with such Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture, such terms and conditions of the Securities of such series as are specified in such Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and, unless otherwise provided by the Company as contemplated by this Section 301, a series may be reopened from time to time without the consent of any Holders for issuances of additional Securities of such series.

 

If any of the terms of the Securities of any series shall be established by action taken by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions, such Board Resolutions shall be delivered to the Trustee at or prior to the delivery of the Officers’ Certificate setting forth the terms of such series.

 

Section 302. Currency; Denominations.

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities shall be payable in Dollars. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, Registered Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in registered form without Coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiples thereof, and the Bearer Securities denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in the denomination of $5,000. Securities not denominated in Dollars shall be issuable in such denominations as are established with respect to such Securities in or pursuant to this Indenture.

 

Section 303. Execution, Authentication, Delivery and Dating.

 

Securities shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer, its President or one of its Vice Presidents and by its Treasurer, one of its Assistant Treasurers, its Secretary or one of its Assistant Secretaries and may (but need not) have its corporate or other seal or a facsimile thereof reproduced thereon. Coupons shall be executed on behalf of the Company by its Chairman, its Chief Executive Officer, its President or any of its Vice Presidents. The signature of any of these officers on the Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto may be manual or facsimile.

 

Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto bearing the manual or facsimile signatures of individuals who were at any time the proper officers of the Company shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, bind the Company, notwithstanding that such individuals or any of them have ceased to hold such offices prior to the authentication and delivery of such Securities or did not hold such offices at the date of such Securities or Coupons.

 

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At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, executed by the Company, to the Trustee for authentication and, provided that the Board Resolution and Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture or indentures with respect to such Securities referred to in Section 301 and a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities have been delivered to the Trustee, the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order and subject to the provisions hereof and of such Securities shall authenticate and deliver such Securities. In authenticating such Securities, and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to the applicable provisions of Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel to the following effect, which Opinion of Counsel may contain such assumptions, qualifications and limitations as such counsel shall deem appropriate:

 

(a)           the form or forms and terms of such Securities and Coupons, if any, have been established in conformity with Sections 201 and 301 of this Indenture; and

 

(b)           all conditions precedent set forth in Sections 201, 301 and 303 of this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of such Securities and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto have been complied with and that such Securities, and Coupons, when completed by appropriate insertions (if applicable), executed by duly authorized officers of the Company, delivered by duly authorized officers of the Company to the Trustee for authentication pursuant to this Indenture, and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except as enforcement thereof may be subject to or limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, arrangement, fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer or other similar laws relating to or affecting creditors’ rights generally, and subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law).

 

If all the Securities of any series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion, with such modifications as counsel shall deem appropriate, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate request by the Company that the Trustee authenticate Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with. The Trustee shall not be required to authenticate or to cause an Authenticating Agent to authenticate any Securities if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities and this Indenture or otherwise in a manner that is not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee or if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken.

 

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Bearer Security and any Bearer Security in global form shall be dated as of the date specified in or pursuant to this Indenture.

 

No Security or Coupon appertaining thereto shall be entitled to any benefit under this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless there appears on such Security a certificate of authentication substantially in the form provided for in Section 202 or 611 executed by or on behalf of the Trustee or by the Authenticating Agent by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories. Such certificate upon any Security shall be conclusive evidence, and the only evidence, that such Security has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. Except as permitted by Section 306 or 307 or as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the Trustee shall not authenticate and deliver any Bearer Security unless all Coupons appertaining thereto then matured have been detached and cancelled.

 

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Section 304. Temporary Securities.

 

Pending the preparation of definitive Securities, the Company may execute and deliver to the Trustee and, upon Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the manner provided in Section 303, temporary Securities in lieu thereof which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, mimeographed or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers of the Company executing such Securities may determine, as conclusively evidenced by their execution of such Securities. Such temporary Securities may be in global form.

 

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form, which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Indenture or the provisions established pursuant to Section 301, if temporary Securities are issued, the Company shall cause definitive Securities to be prepared without unreasonable delay. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, after the preparation of definitive Securities of the same series and containing terms and provisions that are identical to those of any temporary Securities, such temporary Securities shall be exchangeable for such definitive Securities upon surrender of such temporary Securities at an Office or Agency for such Securities, without charge to any Holder thereof. Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto), the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like principal amount of definitive Securities of authorized denominations of the same series and containing identical terms and provisions; provided, however , that no definitive Bearer Security, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided, further , that a definitive Bearer Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Bearer Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in or pursuant to this Indenture. Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to a temporary Security, until so exchanged the temporary Securities of any series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series.

 

Section 305. Registration, Transfer and Exchange.

 

With respect to the Registered Securities of each series, if any, the Company shall cause to be kept a register (each such register being herein sometimes referred to as the “Security Register”) at an Office or Agency for such series in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, the Company shall provide for the registration of the Registered Securities of such series and of transfers of the Registered Securities of such series. Such Office or Agency shall be the “Security Registrar” for that series of Securities. Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities, the initial Security Registrar for each series of Securities shall be as specified in the last paragraph of Section 1002. The Company shall have the right to remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar for any series of Securities; provided that no such removal or replacement shall be effective until a successor Security Registrar with respect to such series of Securities shall have been appointed by the Company and shall have accepted such appointment. In the event that the Trustee shall not be or shall cease to be Security Registrar with respect to a series of Securities, it shall have the right to examine the Security Register for such series at all reasonable times. There shall be only one Security Register for each series of Securities.

 

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any Office or Agency for such series, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Registered Securities of the same series denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture, of a like aggregate principal amount bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding and containing identical terms and provisions.

 

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same series containing identical terms and provisions, in any authorized denominations, and of a like aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series. Whenever any Registered Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Registered Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

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If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Bearer Securities of such series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series containing identical terms, denominated as authorized in or pursuant to this Indenture and in the same aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of the Bearer Securities to be exchanged at any Office or Agency for such series, with all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of a Bearer Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Bearer Securities are accompanied by payment in funds acceptable to the Company and the Trustee in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless from and against any and all loss, liability or expense. If thereafter the Holder of such Bearer Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided, however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those 32 Coupons at an Office or Agency for such series located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case a Bearer Security of any series is surrendered at any such Office or Agency for such series in exchange for a Registered Security of such series and like tenor after the close of business at such Office or Agency on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date or proposed date of payment, as the case may be (or, if such Coupon is so surrendered with such Bearer Security, such Coupon shall be returned to the Person so surrendering the Bearer Security), and interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

If provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, at the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of such series may be exchanged for Bearer Securities upon such terms and conditions as may be provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to such series.

 

Whenever any Securities are surrendered for exchange as contemplated by the immediately preceding two paragraphs, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the global Securities of any series shall be exchangeable for definitive certificated Securities of such series only if (i) the Depository for such global Securities notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depository for such global Securities or at any time the Depository for such global Securities ceases to be a clearing agency registered as such under the Exchange Act, if so required by applicable law or regulation, and no successor Depository for such Securities shall have been appointed within 90 days of such notification or of the Company becoming aware of the Depository’s ceasing to be so registered, as the case may be, (ii) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines that the Securities of such series shall no longer be represented by one or more global Securities and executes and delivers to the Trustee a Company Order to the effect that such global Securities shall be so exchangeable, or (iii) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing with respect to such Securities.

 

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If the beneficial owners of interests in a global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for definitive Securities as the result of an event described in clause (i), (ii) or (iii) of the preceding paragraph, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities in such form and denominations as are required by or pursuant to this Indenture, and of the same series, containing identical terms and in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such global Security shall be surrendered from time to time by the Depository (or its custodian) as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto (which the Company agrees to deliver), and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and the Depository (which instructions shall be in writing but need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities as described above without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such global Security to be exchanged, which (unless such Securities are not issuable both as Bearer Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the global Security shall be issuable only in the form in which the Securities are issuable, as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture) shall be in the form of Bearer Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, and which shall be in such denominations and, in the case of Registered Securities, registered in such names, as shall be specified by the Depository, but subject to the satisfaction of any certification or other requirements to the issuance of Bearer Securities; provided, however , that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of Securities of the same series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided, further , that (unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture) no Bearer Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to such Depository (or its custodian) or such other Depository (or its custodian) referred to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above, and the Trustee shall endorse such global Security to reflect the decrease in the principal amount thereof resulting from such exchange. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a global Security after the close of business at the Office or Agency for such Security where such exchange occurs on or after (i) any Regular Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date for such Security and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but shall be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such global Security shall be payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

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

 

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

 

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, or any redemption or repayment of Securities, or any conversion or exchange of Securities for other types of securities or property, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Section 304, 905 or 1107, upon repayment or repurchase in part of any Registered Security pursuant to Article Thirteen, or upon surrender in part of any Registered Security for conversion or exchange into Common Shares or other securities or property pursuant to its terms, in each case not involving any transfer.

 

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, the Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Securities during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the day of the selection for redemption of Securities of like tenor and terms and of the same series under Section 1103 and ending at the close of business on the day of such selection, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security, or portion thereof, so selected for redemption, except in the case of any Registered Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not to be redeemed, or (iii) to exchange any Bearer Security so selected for redemption except, to the extent provided with respect to such Bearer Security, that such Bearer Security may be exchanged for a Registered Security of like tenor and terms and of the same series, provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption with written instruction for payment consistent with the provisions of this Indenture or (iv) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange any Security which, in accordance with its terms, has been surrendered for repayment at the option of the Holder pursuant to Article Thirteen and not withdrawn, except the portion, if any, of such Security not to be so repaid.

 

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Section 306. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

 

If any mutilated Security or a Security with a mutilated Coupon appertaining to it is surrendered to the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section 306, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to the surrendered Security.

 

If there be delivered to the Company and to the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security or Coupon, and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless from and against any and all loss, liability or expense, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security or Coupon has been acquired by a bona fide purchaser, the Company shall execute and, upon the Company’s request the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for or in lieu of any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or in exchange for the Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains with all appurtenant Coupons not destroyed, lost or stolen, a new Security of the same series containing identical terms and of like principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, with Coupons corresponding to the Coupons, if any, appertaining to such destroyed, lost or stolen Security or to the Security to which such destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 306, in case any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security or Coupon; provided, however , that payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Bearer Securities shall, except as otherwise provided in Section 1002, be payable only at an Office or Agency for such Securities located outside the United States and, unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, any interest on Bearer Securities and any Additional Amounts with respect to such interest shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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

 

Every new Security, with any Coupons appertaining thereto issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security, or in exchange for a Security to which a destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertains shall constitute a separate obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security and Coupons appertaining thereto or the destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of such series and any Coupons, if any, duly issued hereunder.

 

The provisions of this Section, as amended or supplemented pursuant to this Indenture with respect to particular Securities or generally, shall (to the extent lawful) be exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons.

 

Section 307. Payment of Interest and Certain Additional Amounts; Rights to Interest and Certain Additional Amounts Preserved.

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, and are punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Security (or one or more Predecessor Securities) is registered as of the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest.

 

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Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, in case a Bearer Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security after the close of business at an Office or Agency for such Security on any Regular Record Date therefor and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the next succeeding Interest Payment Date therefor, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Interest Payment Date and interest shall not be payable on such Interest Payment Date in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, any interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any Registered Security which shall be payable, but shall not be punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date for such Registered Security (herein called “Defaulted Interest”) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder thereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such Holder; and such Defaulted Interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in Clause (1) or (2) below:

 

(1)          The Company may elect to make payment of any Defaulted Interest to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of Defaulted Interest proposed to be paid on such Registered Security and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such Defaulted Interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit on or prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when so deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the Person entitled to such Defaulted Interest as in this Clause provided. Thereupon, the Company shall fix a Special Record Date for the payment of such Defaulted Interest which shall be not more than 15 days and not less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of such Special Record Date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor to be mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to the Holder of such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) at his address as it appears in the Security Register not less than 10 days prior to such Special Record Date. The Trustee may, in its discretion, in the name and at the expense of the Company cause a similar notice to be published at least once in an Authorized Newspaper of general circulation in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, but such publication shall not be a condition precedent to the establishment of such Special Record Date. Notice of the proposed payment of such Defaulted Interest and the Special Record Date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such Defaulted Interest shall be paid to the Person in whose name such Registered Security (or a Predecessor Security thereof) shall be registered at the close of business on such Special Record Date and shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2). In case a Bearer Security is surrendered at the Office or Agency for such Security in exchange for a Registered Security after the close of business at such Office or Agency on any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such Office or Agency on the related proposed date for payment of Defaulted Interest, such Bearer Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such Defaulted Interest and Defaulted Interest shall not be payable on such proposed date of payment in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Bearer Security, but shall be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

 

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

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of any particular series, at the option of the Company, interest on Registered Securities that bear interest may be paid by mailing a check to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or by transfer to an account maintained by the payee with a bank located in the United States of America.

 

Subject to the foregoing provisions of this Section and Section 305, each Security delivered under this Indenture upon registration of transfer of or in exchange for or in lieu of any other Security shall carry the rights to interest accrued and unpaid, and to accrue, which were carried by such other Security.

 

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Section 308. Persons Deemed Owners.

 

Prior to due presentment of a Registered Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name such Registered Security is registered in the Security Register as the owner of such Registered Security for the purpose of receiving payment of principal of, any premium and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Registered Security and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Registered Security shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

The Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the bearer of any Bearer Security or the bearer of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Security or Coupon for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes whatsoever, whether or not any payment with respect to such Security or Coupon shall be overdue, and none of the Company, the Trustee or any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

No holder of any beneficial interest in any global Security held on its behalf by a Depository shall have any rights under this Indenture with respect to such global Security, and such Depository may be treated by the Company, the Trustee, and any agent of the Company or the Trustee as the owner of such global Security for all purposes whatsoever. None of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar will have any responsibility or liability for any aspect of the records relating to or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests of a global Security or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall prevent the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or the Security Registrar from giving effect to any written certification, proxy or other authorization furnished by the applicable Depository, as a Holder, with respect to a global Security or impair, as between such Depository and the owners of beneficial interests in such global Security, the operation of customary practices governing the exercise of the rights of such Depository (or its nominee) as the Holder of such global Security.

 

Section 309. Cancellation.

 

All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer, exchange or conversion or for credit against any sinking fund payment shall, if surrendered to any Person other than the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee, and any such Securities and Coupons, as well as Securities and Coupons surrendered directly to the Trustee for any such purpose, shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. The Company may at any time deliver to the Trustee for cancellation any Securities previously authenticated and delivered hereunder which the Company may have acquired in any manner whatsoever, and all Securities so delivered shall be cancelled promptly by the Trustee. No Securities shall be authenticated in lieu of or in exchange for any Securities cancelled as provided in this Section, except as expressly permitted by or pursuant to this Indenture. All cancelled Securities and Coupons held by the Trustee shall be destroyed by the Trustee in accordance with customary procedures.

 

Section 310. Computation of Interest.

 

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or in the Securities of any series, interest on the Securities shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

 

ARTICLE Four

 

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE

 

Section 401.         Satisfaction and Discharge.

 

Unless, pursuant to Section 301, the provisions of this Section 401 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of any series, upon the direction of the Company by a Company Order, this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to any series of Securities specified in such Company Order and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Trustee, on receipt of a Company Order, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture as to such series, when

 

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(1)          either

 

(a)           all Securities of such series theretofore authenticated and delivered and all Coupons appertaining thereto (other than (i) Coupons appertaining to Bearer Securities of such series surrendered in exchange for Registered Securities of such series and maturing after such exchange whose surrender is not required or has been waived as provided in Section 305, (ii) Securities and Coupons of such series which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 306, (iii) Coupons appertaining to Securities of such series called for redemption and maturing after the relevant Redemption Date whose surrender has been waived as provided in Section 1106, and (iv) Securities and Coupons of such series for whose payment money has theretofore been deposited in trust or segregated and held in trust by the Company and thereafter repaid to the Company or discharged from such trust, as provided in Section 1003) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(b)           all Securities of such series and, in the case of (i) or (ii) below, if applicable, any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation

 

(i)           have become due and payable, or

 

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

 

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

 

and the Company, in the case of (i), (ii) or (iii) above, has deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for such purpose, money in the Currency in which such Securities are payable in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including the principal of, any premium and interest on, and, to the extent that the Securities of such series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts thereon and the amount of any such Additional Amounts which are or will be payable with respect to the Securities of such series is at the time of deposit reasonably determinable by the Company (in the exercise by the Company of its sole and absolute discretion), any Additional Amounts with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable) or to the Maturity thereof, as the case may be;

 

(2)          the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to the Outstanding Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto; and

 

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

 

In the event there are Securities of two or more series Outstanding hereunder, the Trustee shall be required to execute an instrument acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture only if requested to do so with respect to Securities of such series as to which it is Trustee and if the other conditions thereto are met.

 

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Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to any series of Securities, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 606 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section, the respective obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series under Sections 305, 306, 403, 404, 1002 and 1003, any rights of Holders of the Securities of such series (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) to convert or exchange, and the obligations of the Company to convert or exchange, such Securities into Common Shares or other securities or property, and, if expressly provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series, any rights of Holders of the Securities of such series to require the Company to repurchase or repay, and the obligations of the Company to repurchase or repay, such Securities at the option of such Holders as contemplated by Article Thirteen hereof, shall survive, and, if the Securities of such series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 1004, the Company will remain obligated, following satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, to pay Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities as contemplated by Section 1004, to the extent (and only to the extent) that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to subclause (b) of clause (1) of this Section.

 

Section 402. Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance.

 

(1)          Unless, pursuant to Section 301, either or both of (i) defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (2) of this Section 402 or (ii) covenant defeasance of the Securities of or within a series under clause (3) of this Section 402 shall not be applicable with respect to the Securities of such series, then such provisions, together with the other provisions of this Section 402 (with such modifications thereto as may be specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to any Securities), shall be applicable to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, and the Company may at its option by Board Resolution, at any time, with respect to the Securities of or within such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto, elect to have Section 402(2) or Section 402(3) be applied to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto upon compliance with the conditions set forth below in this Section 402. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, defeasance under clause (2) of this Section 402 and covenant defeasance under clause (3) of this Section 402 may be effected with respect to any or all of the Outstanding Securities of any series. To the extent that the terms of any Security or Coupon appertaining thereto established in or pursuant to this Indenture permit the Company or any Holder thereof to extend the date on which any payment of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to such Security or Coupon is due and payable, then unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301, the right to extend such date shall terminate upon defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be.

 

(2)          Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 402(2) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be deemed to have been discharged from its obligations with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the date the conditions set forth in clause (4) of this Section 402 are satisfied (hereinafter, “defeasance”). For this purpose, such defeasance means that the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness represented by such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, which shall thereafter be deemed to be “Outstanding” only for the purposes of clause (5) of this Section 402 and the other Sections of this Indenture referred to in clauses (i) through (iv) of this paragraph, and shall be deemed to have satisfied all of its other obligations under such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture insofar as such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are concerned (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except for the following which shall survive until otherwise terminated or discharged hereunder: (i) the rights of Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto to receive, solely (except as provided in clause (ii) below) from the trust fund described in clause (4)(a) of this Section 402 and as more fully set forth in this Section 402 and Section 403, payments in respect of the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto when such payments are due, (ii) the obligations of the Company and the Trustee with respect to such Securities under Sections 305, 306, 1002 and 1003 and, if applicable to the Securities of such series, any rights of Holders of such Securities (unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) to convert or exchange, and the obligations of the Company to convert or exchange, such Securities into Common Shares or other securities or property, and, if expressly provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series, any rights of Holders of the Securities of such series to require the Company to repurchase or repay, and the obligations of the Company to repurchase or repay, such Securities at the option of such Holders as contemplated by Article Thirteen hereof, and, if the Securities of such series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 1004, the Company will remain obligated, following defeasance of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series, to pay Additional Amounts with respect to such Securities as contemplated by Section 1004, to the extent (and only to the extent) that the Additional Amounts payable with respect to such Securities exceed the amount deposited in respect of such Additional Amounts pursuant to clause 4(a) of this Section 402, (iii) the rights, powers, trusts, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (iv) this Section 402 and Sections 403 and 404. The Company may exercise its option under this Section 402(2) notwithstanding the prior exercise of its option under Section 402(3) with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

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(3)          Upon the Company’s exercise of the above option applicable to this Section 402(3) with respect to any Securities of or within a series, the Company shall be released from its obligations under any covenants applicable to such Securities which are specified pursuant to Section 301 as being subject to covenant defeasance on and after the date the conditions set forth in clause (4) of this Section 402 are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance”), and such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall thereafter be deemed to be 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 any such covenant, but shall continue to be deemed “Outstanding” for all other purposes hereunder. For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that with respect to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the Company 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 Section or such other covenant or by reason of reference in any such Section or such other covenant to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute a default or an Event of Default under Section 501(5) or 501(11) or otherwise, as the case may be, but, except as specified above, the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto shall be unaffected thereby.

 

(4)          The following shall be the conditions to application of clause (2) or (3) of this Section 402 to any Outstanding Securities of or within a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto:

 

(a)           The Company shall irrevocably have deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee (or another trustee satisfying the requirements of Section 607 who shall agree to comply with the provisions of this Section 402 applicable to it) as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, (1) an amount in Dollars or in such Foreign Currency in which such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity or, if such defeasance or covenant defeasance is to be effected in compliance with subsection (f) below, on the relevant Redemption Date, as the case may be, or (2) Government Obligations applicable to such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto (determined on the basis of the Currency in which such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto are then specified as payable at Stated Maturity or, if such defeasance or covenant defeasance is to be effected in compliance with subsection (f) below, on the relevant Redemption Date, as the case may be) which through the scheduled payment of principal and interest in respect thereof in accordance with their terms will provide, not later than one day before the due date of any payment of principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, money in an amount, or (3) a combination thereof, in any case, in an amount, sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal and interest, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge, and which shall be applied by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) to pay and discharge, (y) the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest, if any, on, and, to the extent that such Securities provide for the payment of Additional Amounts thereon and the amount of any such Additional Amounts which are or will be payable with respect to the Securities of such series is at the time of deposit reasonably determinable by the Company (in the exercise by the Company of its sole and absolute discretion), any Additional Amounts with respect to, such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest or the applicable Redemption Date, as the case may be, and (z) any mandatory sinking fund payments or analogous payments applicable to such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

(b)           Such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture.

 

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(c)           No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit, and, solely in the case of defeasance under Section 402(2), no Event of Default with respect to the Company under clauses (8), (9) or (10) of Section 501 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to the Company under clauses (8), (9) or (10) of Section 501 with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have occurred and be continuing at any time during the period ending on and including the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition to defeasance under Section 402(2) shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

 

(d)           In the case of defeasance pursuant to Section 402(2), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee stating that (x) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (y) since the date of this Indenture there has been a change in applicable U.S. federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such opinion of independent counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of such 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 defeasance had not occurred; or, in the case of covenant defeasance pursuant to Section 402(3), the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an opinion of independent counsel reasonably acceptable to the Trustee to the effect that the Holders of such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto 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.

 

(e)           The Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent to the defeasance or covenant defeasance, as the case may be, under this Indenture have been complied with.

 

(f)           If the monies or Government Obligations or combination thereof, as the case may be, deposited under clause (a) above are sufficient to pay the principal of, and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on and, to the extent provided in such clause (a), Additional Amounts with respect to, such Securities provided such Securities are redeemed on a particular Redemption Date, the Company shall have given the Trustee irrevocable instructions to redeem such Securities on such date and to provide notice of such redemption to Holders as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture.

 

(g)           Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Section 402(4), such defeasance or covenant defeasance shall be effected in compliance with any additional or substitute terms, conditions or limitations which may be imposed on the Company in connection therewith pursuant to Section 301.

 

(5)          Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations (or other property as may be provided pursuant to Section 301) (including the proceeds thereof) deposited with the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee—collectively for purposes of this Section 402(5) and Section 403, the “Trustee”) pursuant to clause (4)(a) of Section 402 in respect of any Outstanding Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be held in trust and applied by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (other than the Company or any Subsidiary or Affiliate of the Company acting as Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto of all sums due and to become due thereon in respect of principal (and premium, if any) and interest and Additional Amounts, if any, but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Securities, if, after a deposit referred to in Section 402(4)(a) has been made, (a) the Holder of a Security in respect of which such deposit was made is entitled to, and does, elect pursuant to Section 301 or the terms of such Security to receive payment in a Currency other than that in which the deposit pursuant to Section 402(4)(a) has been made in respect of such Security, or (b) a Conversion Event occurs in respect of the Foreign Currency in which the deposit pursuant to Section 402(4)(a) has been made, the indebtedness represented by such Security and any Coupons appertaining thereto shall be deemed to have been, and will be, fully discharged and satisfied through the payment of the principal of (and premium, if any), and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, such Security as the same becomes due out of the proceeds yielded by converting (from time to time as specified below in the case of any such election) the amount or other property deposited in respect of such Security into the Currency in which such Security becomes payable as a result of such election or Conversion Event based on (x) in the case of payments made pursuant to clause (a) above, the applicable market exchange rate for such Currency in effect on the second Business Day prior to each payment date, or (y) with respect to a Conversion Event, the applicable market exchange rate for such Foreign Currency in effect (as nearly as feasible) at the time of the Conversion Event.

 

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The Company shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge, imposed on or assessed against the Government Obligations deposited pursuant to this Section 402 or the principal or 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 such Outstanding Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

Anything in this Section 402 to the contrary notwithstanding, the Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any money or Government Obligations (or other property and any proceeds therefrom) held by it as provided in clause (4)(a) of this Section 402 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are in excess of the amount thereof which would then be required to be deposited to effect a defeasance or covenant defeasance, as applicable, in accordance with this Section 402.

 

Section 403. Application of Trust Money.

 

Subject to the provisions of the last paragraph of Section 1003, all money and Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 401 or 402 shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities, the Coupons and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the Persons entitled thereto, of the principal, premium, interest and Additional Amounts for whose payment such money has or Government Obligations have been deposited with or received by the Trustee; but such money and Government Obligations need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

Section 404. Reinstatement.

 

If the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee appointed pursuant to Section 402(4)(a)) or any Paying Agent is unable to apply any moneys or Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 401(1) or 402(4)(a) to pay any principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to the Securities of the applicable series by reason of any legal proceeding or any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, then the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of such series shall be revived and reinstated as though no such deposit had occurred, until such time as the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) or Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such moneys and Government Obligations to pay the principal of and premium, if any, and interest, if any, on and Additional Amounts, if any, in respect of the Securities of such series as contemplated by Sections 401 or 402 as the case may be, and Section 403; provided, however, that if the Company makes any payment of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, in respect of the Securities of such series following the reinstatement of its obligations as aforesaid, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the funds held by the Trustee (or other qualifying trustee) or Paying Agent.

 

ARTICLE Five

 

REMEDIES

 

Section 501. Events of Default.

 

Event of Default”, wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any series, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body) unless such event is specifically deleted or modified in or pursuant to the supplemental indenture, Board Resolution or Officers’ Certificate establishing the terms of such series pursuant to this Indenture:

 

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(1)          default in the payment of any interest, if any, on, or any Additional Amounts, if any, payable in respect of any interest, if any, on, any of the Securities of such series or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or such Additional Amounts, as the case may be, become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

 

(2)          default in the payment of any principal of or premium, if any, on, or any Additional Amounts, if any, payable in respect of any principal of or premium, if any, on, any of the Securities of such series when due (whether at Maturity or otherwise and whether payable in cash or in Common Shares or other securities or property); or

 

(3)          default in the deposit of any sinking fund payment or payment under any analogous provision when due with respect to any of the Securities of such series; or

 

(4)          default in the delivery when due of any securities, cash or other property (including, without limitation, any Common Shares) when required to be delivered upon conversion of any convertible Security of such series or upon the exchange of any Security of such series which is exchangeable for Common Shares or other securities or property (other than an exchange of Securities of such series for other Securities of the same series); or

 

(5)          default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty applicable to the Company in this Indenture or any Security of such series (other than a covenant or warranty for which the consequences of breach or nonperformance are addressed elsewhere in this Section 501 or a covenant or warranty which has expressly been included in this Indenture, whether or not by means of a supplemental indenture, solely for the benefit of Securities of a series other than such series), and continuance of such default or breach (without such default or breach having been cured or waived in accordance of the provisions of this Indenture) for a period of 60 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

 

(6)          default after the expiration of any applicable grace period in the payment of principal when due, or resulting in acceleration of, other indebtedness (other than Non-recourse Debt of the Company or any Significant Subsidiary of the Company or indebtedness of any Structured Finance Subsidiary) for borrowed money where the aggregate principal amount with respect to which the default or acceleration has occurred exceeds $100.0 million and such indebtedness has not been discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration has not been cured or rescinded, prior to written notice of acceleration of the Outstanding Securities of such series; or

 

(7)          failure by the Company or any of its Subsidiaries to pay final judgments entered by a court or courts of competent jurisdiction aggregating in excess of $100.0 million, which judgments are not paid, discharged or stayed for a period of 30 days after such judgments become final and nonappealable; or

 

(8)          the Company pursuant to or under or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

(i)           commences a voluntary case or proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to it or its debts or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property; or

 

(ii)          consents to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against it; or

 

(iii)         consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property; or

 

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

 

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(9)          an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of 60 days; or

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)          appoints a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company or any substantial part of their respective properties; or

 

(iii)         orders the liquidation of the Company;

and, in each case in this clause (11), the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 60 days; or

 

(11)         any other Event of Default provided in or pursuant to this Indenture with respect to Securities of such series.

 

Section 502. Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment.

 

If an Event of Default (other than an Event of Default specified in clauses (8), (9) or (10) of Section 501 with respect to the Company) occurs and is continuing with respect to Securities of any series, then either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series may declare the principal of all the Securities of such series, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal or such lesser amount, as the case may be, and such accrued and unpaid interest shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in clause (8), (9) or (10) of Section 501 with respect to the Company occurs with respect to the Securities of any series, then the principal of all of the Securities of such series, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, and accrued an unpaid interest, if any, thereon shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder of the Securities of such series. For purposes of clarity, the parties hereto agree that references in this Indenture to an Event of Default specified in clauses (8), (9) or (10) of Section 501 with respect to the Company shall not include any Event of Default specified in clauses (8), (9) or (10) of Section 501 with respect to any Significant Subsidiary of the Company.

 

At any time after Securities of any series have been accelerated (whether by declaration of the Trustee or the Holders or automatically) and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if

 

(1)          the Company has paid or deposited with the Trustee a sum of money sufficient to pay (or, to the extent that the terms of the Securities of such series established pursuant to Section 301 expressly provide for payment to be made in Common Shares or other securities or property, Common Shares or other securities or property, together with cash in lieu of fractional shares or securities to the extent required pursuant to the terms of such Securities, sufficient to pay)

 

(a)           all overdue installments of any interest on any Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto,

 

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(b)           the principal of and any premium on any Securities of such series which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, interest thereon at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, provided for in or with respect to such Securities, or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by such Securities,

 

(c)           to the extent permitted by applicable law, interest upon installments of any interest, if any, which have become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration and any Additional Amounts with respect thereto at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, provided for in or with respect to such Securities, or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by such Securities, and

 

(d)           all sums paid or advanced by the Trustee hereunder and the compensation, fees and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Trustee under Section 606; and

 

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

 

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

 

Section 503. Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

 

The Company covenants that if:

 

(1)          default is made in the payment of any interest on, or any Additional Amounts payable in respect of any interest on, any Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto when such interest or Additional Amounts, as the case may be, shall have become due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

 

(2)          default is made in the payment of any principal of or premium, if any, on, or any Additional Amounts payable in respect of any principal of or premium, if any, on, any Security at its Maturity, or

 

(3)          default is made in the deposit of any sinking fund payment when due,

 

the Company shall, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to the Trustee, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, the whole amount of money then due and payable with respect to such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, with interest upon the overdue principal, any premium and, to the extent permitted by applicable law, upon any overdue installments of interest and Additional Amounts at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, provided for or with respect to such Securities or, if no such rate or rates are so provided, at the rate or respective rates, as the case may be, of interest borne by such Securities, and, in addition thereto, such further amount of money as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and all other amounts due to the Trustee under Section 606.

 

If the Company fails to pay the money it is required to pay the Trustee pursuant to the preceding paragraph forthwith upon the demand of the Trustee, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the money so due and unpaid, and may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and collect the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto, wherever situated.

 

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

 

Section 504. Trustee May File Proofs of Claim.

 

In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of any overdue principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise,

 

(1)          to file and prove a claim for the whole amount, or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the Securities of such series, of the principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents or counsel) and of the Holders of Securities or any Coupons allowed in such judicial proceeding, and

 

(2)          to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder of Securities or any Coupons 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 of Securities or any Coupons, to pay to the Trustee any amount due to it for the compensation, fees and expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 606.

 

Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or Coupons or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder of a Security or any Coupon in any such proceeding.

 

Section 505. Trustee May Enforce Claims without Possession of Securities or Coupons.

 

All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or any of the Securities or Coupons may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or Coupons or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery or judgment, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, shall be for the ratable benefit of each and every Holder of a Security or Coupon in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 506. Application of Money Collected.

 

Any money or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article with respect to the Securities of any series shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal, or any premium, interest or Additional Amounts, upon presentation of such Securities or the Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, or both, as the case may be, and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee under Section 606;

 

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SECOND: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid upon the Securities and any Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money or property has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the aggregate amounts due and payable on such Securities and Coupons for principal and any premium, interest and Additional Amounts;

 

THIRD: The balance, if any, to the Company.

 

Section 507. Limitations on Suits.

 

No Holder of any Security of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(5)          no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series; it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture or any Security to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holders or Holders of Securities of any other series, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

 

Section 508. Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and any Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security or Coupon shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of, any premium, if any, and (subject to Sections 305 and 307) interest, if any, on and any Additional Amounts with respect to such Security or such Coupon, as the case may be, on the respective Stated Maturity or Maturities therefor specified in such Security or Coupon (or, in the case of redemption, on the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment pursuant to Article Thirteen hereof at the option of such Holder if provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, on the date such repayment is due) and, in the case of any Security which is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, to convert or exchange, as the case may be, such Security in accordance with its terms, and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment and any such right to convert or exchange, and such right shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 509. Restoration of Rights and Remedies.

 

If the Trustee or any Holder of a Security or a Coupon has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case the Company, the Trustee and each such Holder shall, subject to any determination in such proceeding, be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder, and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and each such Holder shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

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Section 510. Rights and Remedies Cumulative.

 

To the extent permitted by applicable law and except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons in the last paragraph of Section 306, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to each and every Holder of a Security or a Coupon is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy, to the extent permitted by law, shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

Section 511. Delay or Omission Not Waiver.

 

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall, to the extent permitted by applicable law, impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to any Holder of a Security or a Coupon may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by such Holder, as the case may be.

 

Section 512. Control by Holders of Securities.

 

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

 

(1)          such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture or with the Securities of any such series,

 

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

 

(3)          such direction is not unduly prejudicial to the rights of the other Holders of Securities of such series not joining in such action.

 

Section 513. Waiver of Past Defaults.

 

The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may waive any past default hereunder with respect to such series and its consequences, except

 

(1)          a default in the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Security of such series or any Coupons appertaining thereto, or

 

(2)          in the case of any Securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares or other securities or property, a default in any such conversion or exchange, or

 

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

 

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Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 514. Waiver of Usury, Stay or Extension Laws.

 

The Company covenants that (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) it will not at any time insist upon, or plead, or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay or extension law or any usury law or any other law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which would prohibit or forgive the Company from paying all or any portion of the principal of or premium, if any, or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Securities as contemplated herein and therein or which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities; and the Company (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) 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 or the Holders, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law had been enacted.

 

Section 515. Undertaking for Costs.

 

All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, 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 to be taken by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of any undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and disbursements, against any party litigant in such suit having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section 515 shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest, if any, on or Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to any Security on or after the respective Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date, and, in the case of repayment at the option of the Holder pursuant to Article Thirteen hereof, on or after the date for repayment) or for the enforcement of the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security into Common Shares or other securities in accordance with its terms.

 

ARTICLE Six

 

THE TRUSTEE

 

Section 601. Certain Rights of Trustee.

 

Subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act:

 

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

 

(2)          any request or direction of the Company mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by a Company Request or a Company Order (in each case, other than delivery of any Security, together with any Coupons appertaining thereto, to the Trustee for authentication and delivery pursuant to Section 303 which shall be sufficiently evidenced as provided therein) and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be sufficiently evidenced by a Board Resolution;

 

(3)          whenever in the administration of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking, suffering or omitting any action hereunder, the Trustee (unless other evidence shall be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on its part, rely upon an Officers’ Certificate;

 

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

 

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

 

(6)          the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, coupon or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine, during business hours and upon reasonable notice, the books, records and premises of the Company, Personally or by agent or attorney;

 

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

 

(8)          No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee for any series of the Securities to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties hereunder or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it. Whether or not therein expressly so provided, every provision of this Indenture relating to the conduct or affecting the liability of or affording protection to the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of this Section.

 

Section 602. Notice of Defaults.

 

Within 90 days after the occurrence of any default hereunder with respect to the Securities of any series, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders of Securities of such series entitled to receive reports pursuant to Section 703(3), notice of such default hereunder actually known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, unless such default shall have been cured or waived; provided , however , that, except in the case of a default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any), or interest, if any, on, or Additional Amounts or any sinking fund installment with respect to, any Security of such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such 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 determine that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Holders of Securities and Coupons of such series; and provided , further, that in the case of any default of the character specified in Section 501(5) or 501(11) with respect to Securities of such series, no such notice to Holders shall be given until at least 30 days after the occurrence thereof. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to Securities of such series.

 

Section 603. Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance of Securities.

 

The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, and in any Coupons shall be taken as the statements of the Company and neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent assumes any responsibility for their correctness. The Trustee makes no representations as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or the Coupons, except that the Trustee represents that it is duly authorized to execute and deliver this Indenture, authenticate the Securities and perform its obligations hereunder and that the statements made by it in a Statement of Eligibility on Form T-1 supplied to the Company are true and accurate, subject to the qualifications set forth therein. Neither the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent shall be accountable for the use or application by the Company of the Securities or the proceeds thereof.

 

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Section 604. May Hold Securities.

 

The Trustee, any Authenticating Agent, any Paying Agent, any Security Registrar or any other Person that may be an agent of the Trustee or the Company, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons and, subject to Sections 310(b) and 311 of the Trust Indenture Act, may otherwise deal with the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or such other Person.

 

Section 605. Money Held in Trust.

 

Except as provided in Section 403 and Section 1003, money held by the Trustee in trust hereunder need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law and shall be held uninvested. The Trustee shall be under no liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed in writing with the Company.

 

Section 606. Compensation and Reimbursement.

 

The Company agrees:

 

(1)          to pay to the Trustee from time to time reasonable compensation for all services rendered by the Trustee hereunder (which compensation shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust);

 

(2)          except as otherwise expressly provided herein, to reimburse the Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by the Trustee in accordance with any provision of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel), except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may be attributable to the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct; and

 

(3)          to indemnify the Trustee and its agents for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or reasonable expense (including, without limitation, the reasonable fees and disbursements of the Trustee’s agents, legal counsel, accountants and experts) incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of the trust or trusts hereunder, including the reasonable costs and expenses of defending themselves against any claim or liability in connection with the exercise or performance of any of their powers or duties hereunder, except to the extent that any such loss, liability or expense was due to the Trustee’s negligence or willful misconduct.

 

As security for the performance of the obligations of the Company under this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any series upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the payment of principal of, or premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities or any Coupons appertaining thereto.

 

Any compensation or expense incurred by the Trustee after a default specified by Section 501(8), (9) or (10) is intended to constitute an expense of administration under any then applicable bankruptcy or insolvency law. “Trustee” for purposes of this Section 606 shall include any predecessor Trustee but the negligence or willful misconduct of any Trustee shall not affect the rights of any other Trustee under this Section 606. The provisions of this Section 606 shall, to the extent permitted by law, survive any termination of this Indenture (including, without limitation, termination pursuant to any Bankruptcy Laws) and the resignation or removal of the Trustee.

 

Section 607. Corporate Trustee Required; Eligibility.

 

There shall at all times be a Trustee hereunder that is a Corporation, organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, eligible under Section 310(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act and that has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000 subject to supervision or examination by Federal or state authority. If at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect hereinafter specified in this Article.

 

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Section 608. Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor.

 

(1)          No resignation or removal of the Trustee and no appointment of a successor Trustee pursuant to this Article shall become effective until the acceptance of appointment by the successor Trustee pursuant to Section 609.

 

(2)          The Trustee may resign at any time with respect to the Securities of one or more series by giving written notice thereof to the Company. If the instrument of acceptance by a successor Trustee required by Section 609 shall not have been delivered to the Trustee within 30 days after the giving of such notice of resignation, the resigning Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to such series.

 

(3)          The Trustee may be removed at any time with respect to the Securities of any series by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, delivered to the Trustee and the Company.

 

(4)          If at any time:

 

(a)           the Trustee shall fail to comply with the obligations imposed upon it under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act with respect to Securities of any series after written request therefor by the Company or any Holder of a Security of such series who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months, or

 

(b)           the Trustee shall cease to be eligible under Section 607 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or any such Holder, or

 

(c)           the Trustee shall become incapable of acting or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent or a receiver of the Trustee or of its property shall be appointed or any public officer shall take charge or control of the Trustee or of its property or affairs for the purpose of rehabilitation, conservation or liquidation, then, in any such case, (i) the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, may remove the Trustee with respect to all Securities or the Securities of such series, or (ii) subject to Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the removal of the Trustee with respect to all Securities of such series and the appointment of a successor Trustee or Trustees.

 

(5)          If the Trustee shall resign, be removed or become incapable of acting, or if a vacancy shall occur in the office of Trustee for any cause, with respect to the Securities of one or more series, the Company, by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee or Trustees with respect to the Securities of that or those series (it being understood that any such successor Trustee may be appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more or all of such series and that at any time there shall be only one Trustee with respect to the Securities of any particular series) and shall comply with the applicable requirements of Section 609. If, within one year after such resignation, removal or incapability, or the occurrence of such vacancy, a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be appointed by Act of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series delivered to the Company and the retiring Trustee, the successor Trustee so appointed shall, forthwith upon its acceptance of such appointment in accordance with the applicable requirements of Section 609, become the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and to that extent supersede the successor Trustee appointed by the Company. If no successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall have been so appointed by the Company or the Holders of Securities and accepted appointment in the manner required by Section 609, any Holder of a Security who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security of such series for at least six months may, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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(6)          The Company shall give notice of each resignation and each removal of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series and each appointment of a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series by mailing written notice of such event by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to the Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of such series as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and, if Securities of such series are issued as Bearer Securities, by publishing notice of such event once in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment located outside the United States. Each notice shall include the name of the successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of such series and the address of its Corporate Trust Office.

 

Section 609. Acceptance of Appointment by Successor.

 

(1)          Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to all Securities, such successor Trustee so appointed shall execute, acknowledge and deliver to the Company and the retiring Trustee an instrument accepting such appointment, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties hereunder of the retiring Trustee; but, on the request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges, shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor Trustee all the rights, powers and trusts of the retiring Trustee and, subject to Section 1003, shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee all property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder, subject nevertheless to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 606.

 

(2)          Upon the appointment hereunder of any successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Company, the retiring Trustee and such successor Trustee shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto wherein each successor Trustee shall accept such appointment and which (1) shall contain such provisions as shall be necessary or desirable to transfer and confirm to, and to vest in, such successor Trustee all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, (2) if the retiring Trustee is not retiring with respect to all Securities, shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series as to which the retiring Trustee is not retiring shall continue to be vested in the retiring Trustee, and (3) shall add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, it being understood that nothing herein or in such supplemental indenture shall constitute such Trustees co-trustees of the same trust, that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts hereunder separate and apart from any trust or trusts hereunder administered by any other such Trustee and that no Trustee shall be responsible for any notice given to, or received by, or any act or failure to act on the part of any other Trustee hereunder, and, upon the execution and delivery of such supplemental indenture, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective to the extent provided therein, such retiring Trustee shall have no further responsibility for the exercise of rights and powers or for the performance of the duties and obligations vested in the Trustee under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates other than as hereinafter expressly set forth, and such successor Trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the retiring Trustee with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates; but, on request of the Company or such successor Trustee, such retiring Trustee, upon payment of its charges with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor relates and subject to Section 1003 shall duly assign, transfer and deliver to such successor Trustee, to the extent contemplated by such supplemental indenture, the property and money held by such retiring Trustee hereunder with respect to the Securities of that or those series to which the appointment of such successor Trustee relates, subject to its claim, if any, provided for in Section 606.

 

(3)          Upon request of any Person appointed hereunder as a successor Trustee, the Company shall execute any and all instruments for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor Trustee all such rights, powers and trusts referred to in paragraph (1) or (2) of this Section, as the case may be.

 

(4)          No Person shall accept its appointment hereunder as a successor Trustee unless at the time of such acceptance such successor Person shall be qualified and eligible under this Article.

 

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Section 610. Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business.

 

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

 

Section 611. Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company.

 

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

 

Section 612. Appointment of Authenticating Agent.

 

The Trustee may appoint one or more Authenticating Agents acceptable to the Company with respect to one or more series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of that or those series issued upon original issue, exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption, partial repayment, partial conversion or exchange for Common Shares or other securities or property, or pursuant to Section 306, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent.

 

Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company and, except as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, shall at all times be a Corporation that would be permitted by the Trust Indenture Act to act as trustee under an indenture qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, is authorized under applicable law and by its charter to act as an Authenticating Agent and has a combined capital and surplus (computed in accordance with Section 310(a)(2) of the Trust Indenture Act) of at least $50,000,000. If at any time an Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, it shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in this Section.

 

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

 

An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time such Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall (i) mail written notice of such appointment by first-class mail, postage prepaid, to all Holders of Registered Securities, if any, of the series with respect to which such Authenticating Agent shall serve, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register, and (ii) if Securities of the series are issued as Bearer Securities, publish notice of such appointment at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the place where such successor Authenticating Agent has its principal office if such office is located outside the United States. Any successor Authenticating Agent, upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder, shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless eligible under the provisions of this Section.

 

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The Company agrees to pay each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section. If the Trustee makes such payments, it shall be entitled to be reimbursed for such payments, subject to the provisions of Section 606.

 

The provisions of Sections 308, 603 and 604 shall be applicable to each Authenticating Agent.

 

If an Authenticating Agent is appointed with respect to one or more series of Securities pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to or in lieu of the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternate certificate of authentication in substantially the following form:

 

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

 

  [Name of Authenticating Agent],
  as Authenticating Agent
     
  By:  
    As Authenticating Agent
     
  By:  
    Authorized Signatory

 

If all of the Securities of any series may not be originally issued at one time, and if the Trustee does not have an office capable of authenticating Securities upon original issuance located in a Place of Payment where the Company wishes to have Securities of such series authenticated upon original issuance, the Trustee, if so requested in writing (which writing need not be accompanied by or contained in an Officers’ Certificate of the Company), shall appoint in accordance with this Section an Authenticating Agent having an office in a Place of Payment designated by the Company with respect to such series of Securities.

 

ARTICLE Seven

 

HOLDERS LISTS AND REPORTS BY TRUSTEE AND COMPANY

 

Section 701. Company to Furnish Trustee Names and Addresses of Holders.

 

In accordance with Section 312(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee

 

(1)          semi-annually with respect to Securities of each series not later than 15 days after each Regular Record Date or upon such other dates as are set forth in or pursuant to the Board Resolution or indenture supplemental hereto authorizing such series, a list, in each case in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders as of the applicable date, and

 

(2)          at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after the receipt by the Company of any such request, a list of similar form and content as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such list is furnished, provided , however , that so long as the Trustee is the Security Registrar no such list shall be required to be furnished.

 

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Section 702. Preservation of Information; Communications to Holders.

 

The Trustee shall comply with the obligations imposed upon it pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Every Holder of Securities or Coupons, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that none of the Company, the Trustee, any Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with Section 312(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 703. Reports by Trustee.

 

(1)          Within 60 days after May 15 of each year commencing with the first May 15 following the first issuance of Securities pursuant to Section 301, if required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall transmit, pursuant to Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, a brief report dated as of such May 15 with respect to any of the events specified in said Sections 313(a) and 313(b)(2) which may have occurred since the later of the immediately preceding May 15 and the date of this Indenture.

 

(2)          The Trustee shall transmit the reports required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act at the times specified therein.

 

(3)          Reports pursuant to this Section shall be transmitted in the manner and to the Persons required by Sections 313(c) and 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

 

Section 704. Reports by Company.

 

The Company, pursuant to Section 314(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall:

 

(1)          file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company files the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commission may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act; or, if the Company is not required to file information, documents or reports pursuant to either of said Sections, then it shall file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

 

(2)          file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such additional information, documents and reports with respect to compliance by the Company with the conditions and covenants of this Indenture as may be required from time to time by such rules and regulations; and

 

(3)          transmit within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act, such summaries of any information, documents and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Section as may be required by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission.

 

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ARTICLE Eight

 

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER AND SALES

 

Section 801. Company May Consolidate, Etc., Only on Certain Terms.

 

The Company shall not, in any transaction or series of related transactions, consolidate with, or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its property and assets to, or merge with or into, any Person unless:

 

(1)          either (A) the Company shall be the continuing Person (in the case of a merger) or (B) the successor Person (if other than the Company) formed by or resulting from the consolidation or merger or which shall have received the transfer of assets shall be an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of, premium, if any, and interest, if any, on, and Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, all Securities Outstanding under this Indenture and the due and punctual performance and observance of all covenants and conditions in such Outstanding Securities and this Indenture to be performed or satisfied by the Company (including, without limitation, the obligation to convert or exchange any Securities that are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property in accordance with the provisions of such Securities and this Indenture) by a supplemental indenture;

 

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

 

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

 

Section 802. Successor Person Substituted for Company.

 

In the case of any such consolidation, sale, lease, conveyance or merger in which the Company is not the continuing entity and upon execution and delivery by the successor Person of the supplemental indenture described in Section 801, such successor Person shall succeed to, and be substituted for, the Company and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor Person had been named as the Company herein, and the predecessor Company shall be automatically released and discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture, the Securities and the Coupons.

 

ARTICLE Nine

 

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Section 901. Supplemental Indentures without Consent of Holders.

 

Without the consent of any Holders of Securities or Coupons, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) and the Trustee, at any time and from time to time, may enter into one or more indentures supplemental hereto for any of the following purposes:

 

(1)          to evidence the succession of another Person to the Company, and the assumption by any such successor of the covenants of the Company contained herein and in the Securities; or

 

(2)          to add to the covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company with respect to all or any series of Securities issued under this Indenture (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture or indentures); or

 

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(3)          to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to facilitate the issuance of Bearer Securities, to provide that Bearer Securities may be registrable as to principal, to change or eliminate any restrictions on the payment of principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be issued in exchange for Registered Securities, to permit Bearer Securities to be exchanged for Bearer Securities of other authorized denominations or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated or global form, provided any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto; or

 

(4)          to establish the form or terms of Securities of any series and any Coupons appertaining thereto as permitted by Sections 201 and 301, including, without limitation, any conversion or exchange provisions applicable to Securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, and to make any deletions from or additions or changes to this Indenture in connection with any matters referred to in this clause (4) (provided that any such deletions, additions and changes shall not be applicable to any other series of Securities then Outstanding); or

 

(5)          to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 609; or

 

(6)          to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision herein which may be defective or which may be inconsistent with any other provision herein, or to make any other provisions with respect to matters or questions arising under this Indenture which shall not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of any series then Outstanding or any Coupons appertaining thereto in any material respect; or

 

(7)          to add any additional Events of Default with respect to all or any series of Securities (as shall be specified in such supplemental indenture); or

 

(8)          to supplement any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance, covenant defeasance and/or satisfaction and discharge of any series of Securities pursuant to Article Four, provided that any such action shall not adversely affect the interests of any Holder of a Security of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto or any other Security or Coupon in any material respect; or

 

(9)          to add guarantees or guarantors in respect of all or any Securities under this Indenture, to establish the forms and terms of the guarantees and to evidence the release and discharge of any guarantor from its obligations under its guarantee of any or all Securities and its obligations under this Indenture in respect of any or all Securities in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; or

 

(10)         to secure or, if applicable, to provide additional security for all or any Securities issued under this Indenture and all or any guarantees, if any, of all or any such Securities and to provide for any and all matters relating thereto, and to provide for the release of any collateral as security for all or any Securities or all or any guarantees, if any, of all or any Securities in accordance with the terms of this Indenture; or

 

(11)         to make any change in this Indenture or any Securities to conform the terms thereof to the terms reflected in any prospectus, prospectus supplement, offering memorandum or similar offering document used in connection with the initial offering or sale of any Securities; or

 

(12)         in the case of any series of Securities which are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares or other securities or property, to safeguard or provide for the conversion or exchange rights, as the case may be, of such Securities in the event of any reclassification or change of outstanding Common Shares (or any other securities of the Company into which such Securities are convertible or for which such Securities are exchangeable), or in the event of any merger, consolidation, statutory share exchange or combination of the Company with or into another Person or any sale, lease, assignment, transfer, disposition or other conveyance of all or substantially all of the properties and assets of the Company to any other Person or other similar transactions, if expressly required by the terms of such series of Securities established pursuant to Section 301; or

 

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(13)         to amend or supplement any provision contained herein, in any supplemental indenture or in any Securities (which amendment or supplement may apply to one or more series of Securities or to one or more Securities within any series as specified in such supplemental indenture), provided that such amendment or supplement does not apply to any Outstanding Security issued prior to the date of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefits of such provision.

 

Section 902. Supplemental Indentures with Consent of Holders.

 

With the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of each series affected by such supplemental indenture, by Act of said Holders delivered to the Company and the Trustee, the Company (when authorized by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) and the Trustee may enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of the Securities of such series or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series under this Indenture; provided, that no such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby, shall

 

(1)          change the Stated Maturity of the principal of, or premium, if any, or any installment of interest, if any, on, or any Additional Amounts, if any, with respect to, any Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof or the premium, if any, thereon or the rate (or modify the calculation of such rate) of interest thereon, or reduce the amount payable upon redemption thereof, whether such redemption is mandatory or at the option of the Company, or upon repayment thereof at the option of the Holder, or reduce any Additional Amounts payable with respect thereto, or change the obligation of the Company to pay Additional Amounts pursuant to Section 1004 (except as contemplated by Section 801(1) and permitted by Section 901(1)), or reduce the amount of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 502 or the amount thereof provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 504, or adversely affect the right of repayment at the option of any Holder as contemplated by Article Thirteen, or change the Place of Payment where or the Currency in which the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security is payable, or impair the right to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after the Stated Maturity thereof (or, in the case of redemption, on or after the Redemption Date or, in the case of repayment pursuant to Article Thirteen at the option of the Holder, on or after the date for repayment) in each case as such Stated Maturity, Redemption Date or date for repayment may, if applicable, be extended in accordance with the terms of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto, or in the case of any Security which is convertible into or exchangeable for other securities or property, impair the right to institute suit to enforce the right to convert or exchange such Security in accordance with its terms, or

 

(2)          reduce the percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series, the consent of whose Holders is required for any such supplemental indenture, or the consent of whose Holders is required for any waiver (of compliance with certain provisions of this Indenture or certain defaults hereunder and their consequences) provided for in Section 513 or 1006 of this Indenture, or reduce the requirements of Section 1504 for quorum or voting, or

 

(3)          make any change that adversely affects the right, if any, to convert or exchange any Security for Common Shares or other securities or property in accordance with its terms, or

 

(4)          modify any of the provisions of this Section, Section 513 or Section 1006, except to increase any such percentage or to provide that certain other provisions of this Indenture cannot be modified or waived without the consent of the Holder of each Outstanding Security affected thereby.

 

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

 

Anything in this Indenture to the contrary notwithstanding, if more than one series of Securities is Outstanding, the Company shall be entitled to enter into a supplemental indenture under this Section 902 with respect to any one or more series of Outstanding Securities without entering into a supplemental indenture with respect to any other series of Outstanding Securities.

 

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It shall not be necessary for any Act of Holders of Securities under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such Act shall approve the substance thereof.

 

Section 903. Execution of Supplemental Indentures.

 

As a condition to executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trust created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, and (subject to Sections 315(a) through 315(d) of the Trust Indenture Act) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture and that such supplemental indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by, and is a valid, binding and enforceable obligation of, the Company, subject to customary exceptions. The Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, enter into any such supplemental indenture which affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture or otherwise.

 

Section 904. Effect of Supplemental Indentures.

 

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

 

Section 905. Reference in Securities to Supplemental Indentures.

 

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

 

Section 906. Conformity with Trust Indenture Act.

 

Every supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article shall conform to the requirements of the Trust Indenture Act as then in effect.

 

ARTICLE Ten

 

COVENANTS

 

Section 1001. Payment of Principal, Premium, Interest and Additional Amounts.

 

The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of each series that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of, any premium and interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series, whether payable in cash, Common Shares or other securities or property, in accordance with the terms thereof, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture. Any interest due on any Bearer Security on or before the Maturity thereof, and any Additional Amounts payable with respect to such interest, shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto for such interest as they severally mature.

 

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Section 1002. Maintenance of Office or Agency.

 

The Company shall maintain in each Place of Payment for any series of Securities an Office or Agency where Securities of such series (but not Bearer Securities, except as otherwise provided below, unless such Place of Payment is located outside the United States) may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of such series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange, where Securities of such series that are convertible or exchangeable may be surrendered for conversion or exchange, and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such series relating thereto and this Indenture may be served. If Securities of a series are issuable as Bearer Securities, the Company shall maintain, subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, an Office or Agency in a Place of Payment for such series which is located outside the United States where Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment; provided , however , that if the Securities of such series are listed on any stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company shall maintain a Paying Agent in a city located outside the United States required by such stock exchange, so long as the Securities of such series are listed on such exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the location, and any change in the location, of such Office or Agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Office or Agency or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations and surrenders may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Bearer Securities of such series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented and surrendered for payment at the place specified for the purpose with respect to such Securities as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

 

Except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture, no payment of principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts with respect to Bearer Securities shall be made at any Office or Agency in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States; provided , however , if amounts owing with respect to any Bearer Securities shall be payable in Dollars, payment of principal of, any premium or interest on and any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Security may be made at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee or any Office or Agency designated by the Company in the United States designated for such purpose, if (but only if) payment of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or Additional Amounts at all offices outside the United States maintained for such purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions (in which case the Company shall so notify the Trustee in writing).

 

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other Offices or Agencies where the Securities of one or more series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain an Office or Agency in each Place of Payment for Securities of any series for such purposes. The Company shall 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.

 

Unless otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture (including, without limitation, pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series), the Company hereby designates the place where the Trustee shall from time to time maintain its Corporate Trust Office as the Company’s Office or Agency for such purpose and initially appoints the Trustee as the Security Registrar for each series of Securities and, if the Securities of any series are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Shares or other securities or property, initially appoints the Trustee as conversion or exchange agent, as the case may be, for the Securities of such series. The Company may subsequently appoint a different or additional Office or Agency and, as provided in Section 305, may remove and replace from time to time the Security Registrar.

 

Section 1003. Money for Securities Payments to Be Held in Trust.

 

If the Company shall at any time act as its own Paying Agent with respect to any series of Securities, it shall, on or before each due date of the principal of, any premium or interest on, or any Additional Amounts with respect to any of the Securities of such series, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto a sum in the Currency or Currencies in which the Securities of such series are payable sufficient to pay the principal, any premium, interest and Additional Amounts, as the case may be, so becoming due until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as herein provided, and shall promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

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Whenever the Company shall have one or more Paying Agents for any series of Securities, it shall, on or prior to each due date of the principal of, or any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to, any Securities of such series, deposit with any Paying Agent a sum (in the Currency or Currencies described in the preceding paragraph) sufficient to pay the principal, premium, interest and Additional Amounts, as the case may be, so becoming due, such sum to be held in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto, and (unless such Paying Agent is the Trustee) the Company will promptly notify the Trustee of its action or failure so to act.

 

The Company shall cause each Paying Agent for any series of Securities other than the Trustee to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such Paying Agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section, that such Paying Agent shall:

 

(1)          hold all sums held by it for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to Securities of such series in trust for the benefit of the Persons entitled thereto until such sums shall be paid to such Persons or otherwise disposed of as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture;

 

(2)          give the Trustee notice of any default by the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities of such series) in the making of any payment of principal, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to the Securities of such series; and

 

(3)          at any time during the continuance of any such default, upon the written request of the Trustee, forthwith pay to the Trustee all sums so held in trust by such Paying Agent.

 

To the extent that the terms of any Securities established pursuant to Section 301 provide that any principal of, or premium or interest, if any, on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any such Securities is or may be payable in Common Shares or other securities or property, then the provisions of this Section 1003 shall apply, mutatis mutandis , to such Common Shares or other securities or property.

 

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

 

Subject to any applicable abandonded property laws and except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto, any money deposited with the Trustee or any Paying Agent, or then held by the Company, in trust for the payment of the principal of, any premium or interest on or any Additional Amounts with respect to any Security of any series or any Coupon appertaining thereto and remaining unclaimed for two years after such principal or such premium or interest or Additional Amount shall have become due and payable shall be paid to the Company on Company Request, or (if then held by the Company) shall be discharged from such trust; and the Holder of such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto shall thereafter, as an unsecured general creditor, look only to the Company for payment thereof, and all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such trust money, and all liability of the Company as trustee thereof, shall thereupon cease; provided , however , that the Trustee or such Paying Agent, before being required to make any such repayment, may, not later than 30 days after the Company’s request for such repayment, at the expense of the Company cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in each Place of Payment for such series or to be mailed to Holders of Registered Securities of such series, or both, notice that such money remains unclaimed and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than 30 days from the date of such publication or mailing nor shall it be earlier than two years after such principal and any premium or interest or Additional Amounts shall have become due and payable, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Company.

 

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Section 1004. Additional Amounts.

 

If any Securities of a series provide for the payment of Additional Amounts by the Company, the Company agrees to pay to the Holder of any such Security or any Coupon appertaining thereto Additional Amounts as provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or such Securities. Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal of or any premium or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any series or any Coupon, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of Additional Amounts provided by the terms of such series established hereby or pursuant hereto to the extent that, in such context, Additional Amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to such terms, and express mention of the payment of Additional Amounts (if applicable) in any provision hereof shall not be construed as excluding Additional Amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

 

Section 1005. Legal Existence.

 

Subject to Article Eight, the Company shall do or cause to be done all things necessary to preserve and keep in full force and effect its legal existence as any type of Corporation (it being understood that nothing in this Section 1005 shall prohibit the Company from changing its legal form from one type of Corporation to another type of Corporation).

 

Section 1006. Waiver of Certain Covenants.

 

The Company may omit in any particular instance to comply with any term, provision or condition set forth in Sections 801, 802, 1002, 1003 or 1005 with respect to the Securities of any series and, if expressly provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series, any additional covenants applicable to the Securities of such series if before the time for such compliance the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series, by Act of such Holders, either shall waive such compliance in such instance or generally shall have waived compliance with such term, provision or condition, but no such waiver shall extend to or affect such term, provision or condition except to the extent so expressly waived, and, until such waiver shall become effective, the obligations of the Company and the duties of the Trustee in respect of any such term, provision or condition shall remain in full force and effect.

 

Section 1007. Company Statement as to Compliance.

 

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a written statement (which need not be contained in or accompanied by an Officers’ Certificate) signed by the principal executive officer, the principal financial officer or the principal accounting officer of the Company, stating whether or not, to the best of his or her knowledge, the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions of this Indenture (without regard to notice requirements or periods of grace) and if the Company shall be in default, specifying all such defaults and the nature and status thereof of which he or she may have knowledge.

 

Section 1008. Calculation of Original Issue Discount.

 

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee promptly at the end of each calendar year (i) a written notice specifying the amount of original issue discount (including daily rates and accrual periods) accrued on Outstanding Securities as of the end of such year and (ii) such other specific information relating to such original issue discount as may then be relevant under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.

 

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ARTICLE Eleven

 

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES

 

Section 1101. Applicability of Article.

 

Redemption of Securities of any series at the option of the Company as permitted or required by the terms of such Securities shall be made in accordance with the terms of such Securities and (except as otherwise provided herein or pursuant hereto) this Article.

 

Section 1102. Election to Redeem; Notice to Trustee.

 

The election of the Company to redeem any Securities shall be evidenced by or pursuant to a Board Resolution. In case of any redemption at the election of the Company of less than all of the Securities of any series, the Company shall, at least 60 days prior to the Redemption Date fixed by the Company (unless a shorter notice shall be satisfactory to the Trustee), notify the Trustee of such Redemption Date and of the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed and, in the event that the Company shall determine that the Securities of any series to be redeemed shall be selected from Securities of such series having the same issue date, interest rate or interest rate formula, Stated Maturity and other terms (the “Equivalent Terms”), the Company shall notify the Trustee of such Equivalent Terms.

 

In the case of any redemption of Securities (A) prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption provided in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture or (B) pursuant to an election of the Company which is subject to a condition specified in the terms of such Securities or elsewhere in this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate evidencing compliance with such restriction or condition.

 

Section 1103. Selection by Trustee of Securities to be Redeemed.

 

If less than all of the Securities of any series are to be redeemed or if less than all of the Securities of any series with Equivalent Terms are to be redeemed, the particular Securities to be redeemed shall be selected not more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date by the Trustee from the Outstanding Securities of such series or from the Outstanding Securities of such series with Equivalent Terms, as the case may be, not previously called for redemption, by such method as the Trustee shall deem fair and appropriate and which may provide for the selection for redemption of portions of the principal amount of Registered Securities of such series; provided , however , that no such partial redemption shall reduce the portion of the principal amount of a Security of such series not redeemed to less than the minimum denomination for a Security of such series established herein or pursuant hereto.

 

The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company and the Security Registrar (if other than itself) in writing of the Securities selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities selected for partial redemption, the principal amount thereof to be redeemed.

 

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

 

Unless otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of any series or in a notice of redemption, if any Security selected for partial redemption is converted or exchanged for Common Shares or other securities or property in part before termination of the conversion or exchange right with respect to the portion of the Security so selected, the converted or exchanged portion of such Security shall be deemed (so far as may be) to be the portion selected for redemption. Securities which have been converted or exchanged during a selection of Securities to be redeemed shall be treated by the Trustee as Outstanding for the purpose of such selection.

 

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Section 1104. Notice of Redemption.

 

Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 30 nor more than 60 days prior to the Redemption Date, unless a shorter period is specified in the Securities to be redeemed, to the Holders of Securities to be redeemed. Failure to give notice by mailing in the manner herein provided to the Holder of any Registered Securities designated for redemption as a whole or in part, or any defect in the notice to any such Holder, shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Securities or portions thereof.

 

Any notice that is mailed to the Holder of any Registered Securities in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not such Holder receives the notice.

 

All notices of redemption shall state:

 

(1)          the Redemption Date,

 

(2)          the Redemption Price or, if applicable, the manner in which the Redemption Price will be determined,

 

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

 

(4)          that, in case any Security is to be redeemed in part only, on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Security, the Holder of such Security will receive, without charge, a new Security or Securities of authorized denominations for the principal amount thereof remaining unredeemed,

 

(5)          that, on the Redemption Date, the Redemption Price shall become due and payable upon each such Security or portion thereof to be redeemed, (subject, if applicable, to the provisos to the first paragraph of Section 1106), and, if applicable, that interest thereon shall cease to accrue on and after said date,

 

(6)          the place or places where such Securities, together (in the case of Bearer Securities) with all Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, maturing after the Redemption Date, are to be surrendered for payment of the Redemption Price,

 

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

 

(8)          that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Bearer Securities of any series, if any, surrendered for redemption must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the date fixed for redemption or the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the Redemption Price, unless security or indemnity satisfactory to the Company, the Trustee and any Paying Agent is furnished,

 

(9)          if Bearer Securities of any series are to be redeemed and any Registered Securities of such series are not to be redeemed, and if such Bearer Securities may be exchanged for Registered Securities not subject to redemption on the Redemption Date pursuant to Section 305 or otherwise, the last date, as determined by the Company, on which such exchanges may be made,

 

(10)         in the case of Securities of any series that are convertible or exchangeable into Common Shares or other securities or property, the then current conversion or exchange price or rate, the date or dates on which the right to convert or exchange the principal of the Securities of such series to be redeemed will commence or terminate, as applicable, and the place or places where and the Persons to whom such Securities may be surrendered for conversion or exchange,

 

(11)         the CUSIP number of such Securities, if any, and

 

(12)         if the Redemption Price or any portion thereof shall be payable, at the option of the Company, in cash or in Common Shares or other securities or property (or a combination thereof), a statement as to whether the Company has elected to pay the Redemption Price in cash or Common Shares or other securities or property or a combination thereof and, if applicable, the portion of the Redemption Price that is to be paid in cash, Common Shares or other securities or property.

 

54
 

 

A notice of redemption published as contemplated by Section 106 need not identify particular Registered Securities to be redeemed.

 

Notice of redemption of Securities to be redeemed at the election of the Company shall be given by the Company or, at the Company’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Company, so long as the above information is provided to the Trustee at the time the notice is given to the Trustee pursuant to Section 1102.

 

Section 1105. Deposit of Redemption Price.

 

On or prior to any Redemption Date, the Company shall deposit, with respect to the Securities of any series called for redemption pursuant to Section 1104, with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 1003) an amount of money in the applicable Currency or, if the Redemption Price shall be payable in cash, securities and/or other property, an amount of money in the applicable Currency, securities and/or other property, as the case may be, sufficient to pay the Redemption Price of all such Securities or portions thereof which are to be redeemed on that date, except that, if the Securities of such series are convertible or exchangeable into Common Shares or other securities or property, no such deposit shall be required (unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of such series) with respect to any such Securities (or portions thereof) which have been converted or exchanged prior to such Redemption Date.

 

Section 1106. Securities Payable on Redemption Date.

 

Notice of redemption having been given as aforesaid, the Securities so to be redeemed (except, in the case of Securities which are convertible or exchangeable into Common Shares or other securities or property, any such Securities which shall have been so converted or exchanged prior to the applicable Redemption Date) shall, on the Redemption Date, become due and payable at the Redemption Price therein specified, and from and after such date (unless the Company shall default in the payment of the Redemption Price) such Securities shall cease to bear interest and the Coupons for such interest appertaining to any Bearer Securities so to be redeemed, except to the extent provided below, shall be void. Upon surrender of any such Security for redemption in accordance with said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security shall be paid by the Company at the Redemption Price; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Bearer Securities of such series, installments of interest on Bearer Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of Coupons for such interest (at an Office or Agency located outside the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002), and provided , further , that, except as otherwise specified in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Registered Securities of such series, installments of interest on Registered Securities whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities, or one or more Predecessor Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the Regular Record Dates therefor according to their terms and the provisions of Section 307.

 

If any Bearer Security surrendered for redemption shall not be accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the Redemption Date, such Security may be paid after deducting from the Redemption Price or, at the option of the Company, after payment to the Trustee for the benefit of the Company of, an amount equal to the face amount of all such missing Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there be furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless from and against any and all loss, liability or expense. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to the Trustee or any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which a deduction shall have been made from the Redemption Price, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount so deducted; provided , however , that any interest or Additional Amounts represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an Office or Agency for such Security located outside of the United States except as otherwise provided in Section 1002.

 

55
 

 

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal and any premium, until paid, shall bear interest from the Redemption Date at the rate prescribed therefor in the Security or, if no rate is prescribed therefor in the Security, at the rate of interest, if any, borne by such Security.

 

Section 1107. Securities Redeemed in Part.

 

Any Registered Security which is to be redeemed only in part shall be surrendered at any Office or Agency for such Security (with, if the Company or the Trustee so requires, due endorsement by, or a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the Trustee duly executed by, the Holder thereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing) and the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Holder of such Security without service charge, a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, containing identical terms and provisions, of any authorized denomination as requested by such Holder in aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security so surrendered. If a Security in global form is so surrendered, the Company shall, if so requested by the Trustee, execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to the Depository for such Security in global form as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect thereto to the Trustee, without service charge, a new Security in global form in a denomination equal to and in exchange for the unredeemed portion of the principal of the Security in global form so surrendered.

 

ARTICLE Twelve

 

SINKING FUNDS

 

Section 1201. Applicability of Article.

 

The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series, except as otherwise permitted or required in or pursuant to this Indenture or any Security of such series issued pursuant to this Indenture.

 

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

 

Section 1202. Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities.

 

The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver Outstanding Securities of such series (other than any of such Securities previously called for redemption or any of such Securities in respect of which cash shall have been released to the Company), together in the case of any Bearer Securities of such series with all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto, and (2) apply as a credit Securities of such series which have been redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such series of Securities or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received and credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the Redemption Price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities of any series in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 1202, the principal amount of Securities of such series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such series for redemption, except upon Company Request, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall at the request of the Company from time to time pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment requested to be released to the Company.

 

56
 

 

Section 1203. Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund.

 

Not less than 75 days prior to each sinking fund payment date for any series of Securities, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that series pursuant to the terms of that series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that series pursuant to Section 1202, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and will also deliver to the Trustee any Securities to be so credited and not theretofore delivered. If such Officers’ Certificate shall specify an optional amount to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 60 days before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 1103 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 1104. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 1106 and 1107.

 

ARTICLE Thirteen

 

REPAYMENT AT THE OPTION OF HOLDERS

 

Section 1301. Applicability of Article.

 

Securities of any series which are repayable at the option of the Holders thereof before their Stated Maturity shall be repaid in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such series. The repayment of any principal amount of Securities pursuant to such option of the Holder to require repayment of Securities before their Stated Maturity, for purposes of Section 309, shall not operate as a payment, redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities unless and until the Company, at its option, shall deliver or surrender the same to the Trustee with a directive that such Securities be cancelled. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 1301, in connection with any repayment of Securities, the Company may arrange for the purchase of any Securities by an agreement with one or more investment bankers or other purchasers to purchase such Securities by paying to the Holders of such Securities on or before the applicable repayment date an amount not less than the repayment price payable by the Company on repayment of such Securities, and the obligation of the Company to pay the repayment price of such Securities shall be satisfied and discharged to the extent such payment is so paid by such purchasers.

 

Unless otherwise expressly stated in this Indenture or pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series or unless the context otherwise requires, all references in this Indenture to the repayment of Securities at the option of the Holders thereof (and all references of like import) shall be deemed to include a reference to the repurchase or redemption of Securities at the option of the Holders thereof.

 

ARTICLE Fourteen

 

SECURITIES IN FOREIGN CURRENCIES

 

Section 1401. Applicability of Article.

 

Whenever this Indenture provides for (i) any action by, or the determination of any of the rights of, Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency or (ii) any distribution to Holders of Securities of any series in which not all of such Securities are denominated in the same Currency, in the absence of any provision to the contrary in or pursuant to this Indenture or the Securities of such series, any amount in respect of any Security denominated in a Currency other than Dollars shall be treated for any such action, determination or distribution as that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount on such reasonable basis of exchange and as of the record date with respect to Registered Securities of such series (if any) for such action, determination or distribution (or, if there shall be no applicable record date, such other date reasonably proximate to the date of such distribution) as the Company may specify in a written notice to the Trustee.

 

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ARTICLE Fifteen

 

MEETINGS OF HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

 

Section 1501. Purposes for Which Meetings May Be Called.

 

Unless otherwise provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, the provisions of this Article Fifteen shall be applicable to a series of Securities if (and only if) the terms of such Securities established pursuant to Section 301 provide that the Securities of such series shall be issued or issuable, in whole or in part, as Bearer Securities. A meeting of Holders of Securities of any series issued or issuable, in whole or in part, as Bearer Securities may be called at any time and from time to time pursuant to this Article to make, give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act provided by this Indenture to be made, given or taken by Holders of Securities of such series.

 

Section 1502. Call, Notice and Place of Meetings.

 

(1)          The Trustee may at any time call a meeting of Holders of Securities of any series issued or issuable, in whole or in part, as Bearer Securities, for any purpose specified in Section 1501, to be held at such time and at such place in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in London or in such place outside the United States as the Company shall determine. Notice of every meeting of Holders of Securities of any such series, setting forth the time and the place of such meeting and in general terms the action proposed to be taken at such meeting, shall be given, in the manner provided in Section 106, not less than 21 nor more than 180 days prior to the date fixed for the meeting.

 

(2)          In case at any time the Company (by or pursuant to a Board Resolution) or the Holders of at least 33 1/3% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of any series issued or issuable, in whole or in part, as Bearer Securities, shall have requested the Trustee to call a meeting of the Holders of Securities of such series for any purpose specified in Section 1501, by written request setting forth in reasonable detail the action proposed to be taken at the meeting, and the Trustee shall not have mailed notice of or made the first publication of the notice of such meeting within 21 days after receipt of such request (whichever shall be required pursuant to Section 106) or shall not thereafter proceed to cause the meeting to be held as provided herein, then the Company or the Holders of Securities of such series in the amount above specified, as the case may be, may determine the time and the place in New York for such meeting and may call such meeting for such purposes by giving notice thereof as provided in clause (1) of this Section.

 

Section 1503. Persons Entitled to Vote at Meetings.

 

To be entitled to vote at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series, a Person shall be (1) a Holder of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series, or (2) a Person appointed by an instrument in writing as proxy for a Holder or Holders of one or more Outstanding Securities of such series by such Holder or Holders. The only Persons who shall be entitled to be present or to speak at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be the Persons entitled to vote at such meeting and their counsel, any representatives of the Trustee and its counsel and any representatives of the Company and its counsel.

 

Section 1504. Quorum; Action.

 

The Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series shall constitute a quorum for a meeting or duly reconvened meeting of Holders of Securities of such series; provided , however , that if any action is to be taken at such meeting with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which this Indenture expressly provides may be given by the Holders of a greater percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series, the Persons entitled to at least such greater percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum within 30 minutes after the time appointed for any such meeting, the meeting shall, if convened at the request of Holders of Securities of such series, be dissolved. In any other case the meeting may be adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such meeting. In the absence of a quorum at any such adjourned meeting, such adjourned meeting may be further adjourned for a period of not less than 10 days as determined by the chairman of the meeting prior to the adjournment of such adjourned meeting. Notice of the reconvening of any adjourned meeting shall be given as provided in Section 1502(1), except that such notice need be given only once not less than five days prior to the date on which the meeting is scheduled to be reconvened. Notice of the reconvening of an adjourned meeting shall state expressly the percentage, as provided above, of the principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series which shall constitute a quorum.

 

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Except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution presented to a meeting or adjourned meeting duly reconvened at which a quorum is present as aforesaid may be adopted only by the affirmative vote of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of that series; provided , however , that, except as limited by the proviso to Section 902, any resolution with respect to any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other Act which this Indenture expressly provides may be made, given or taken by the Holders of a specified percentage, which is less than or more than a majority, in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of a series may be adopted at a meeting or an adjourned meeting duly reconvened and at which a quorum is present as aforesaid by the affirmative vote of the Holders of such specified percentage in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series.

 

Any resolution passed or decision taken at any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly held in accordance with this Section shall be binding on all the Holders of Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto, whether or not such Holders were present or represented at the meeting.

 

Section 1505. Determination of Voting Rights; Conduct and Adjournment of Meetings.

 

(1)          Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Indenture, the Trustee may make such reasonable regulations as it may deem advisable for any meeting of Holders of Securities of such series in regard to proof of the holding of Securities of such series and of the appointment of proxies and in regard to the appointment and duties of inspectors of votes, the submission and examination of proxies, certificates and other evidence of the right to vote, and such other matters concerning the conduct of the meeting as it shall deem appropriate. Except as otherwise permitted or required by any such regulations, the holding of Securities shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 and the appointment of any proxy shall be proved in the manner specified in Section 104 or by having the signature of the Person executing the proxy witnessed or guaranteed by any trust company, bank or banker authorized by Section 104 to certify to the holding of Bearer Securities. Such regulations may provide that written instruments appointing proxies, regular on their face, may be presumed valid and genuine without the proof specified in Section 104 or other proof.

 

(2)          The Trustee shall, by an instrument in writing, appoint a temporary chairman of the meeting, unless the meeting shall have been called by the Company or by Holders of Securities as provided in Section 1502(2), in which case the Company or the Holders of Securities of the series calling the meeting, as the case may be, shall in like manner appoint a temporary chairman. A permanent chairman and a permanent secretary of the meeting shall be elected by vote of the Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting.

 

(3)          At any meeting, each Holder of a Security of such series or proxy shall be entitled to one vote for each $1,000 principal amount of Securities of such series held or represented by him; provided , however , that no vote shall be cast or counted at any meeting in respect of any Security challenged as not Outstanding and ruled by the chairman of the meeting to be not Outstanding. If the Securities of such series are issuable in minimum denominations of less than $1,000, then a Holder of such a Security in a principal amount of less than $1,000 shall be entitled to a fraction of one vote which is equal to the fraction that the principal amount of such Security bears to $1,000. The chairman of the meeting shall have no right to vote, except as a Holder of a Security of such series or proxy.

 

(4)          Any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series duly called pursuant to Section 1502 at which a quorum is present may be adjourned from time to time by Persons entitled to vote a majority in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series represented at the meeting; and the meeting may be held as so adjourned without further notice.

 

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Section 1506. Counting Votes and Recording Action of Meetings.

 

The vote upon any resolution submitted to any meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be by written ballots on which shall be subscribed the signatures of the Holders of Securities of such series or of their representatives by proxy and the principal amounts and serial numbers of the Outstanding Securities of such series held or represented by them. The permanent chairman of the meeting shall appoint two inspectors of votes who shall count all votes cast at the meeting for or against any resolution and who shall make and file with the secretary of the meeting their verified written reports in triplicate of all votes cast at the meeting. A record, at least in triplicate, of the proceedings of each meeting of Holders of Securities of any series shall be prepared by the secretary of the meeting and there shall be attached to said record the original reports of the inspectors of votes on any vote by ballot taken thereat and affidavits by one or more Persons having knowledge of the facts setting forth a copy of the notice of the meeting and showing that said notice was given as provided in Section 1502 and, if applicable, Section 1504. Each copy shall be signed and verified by the affidavits of the permanent chairman and secretary of the meeting and one such copy shall be delivered to the Company, and another to the Trustee to be preserved by the Trustee, the latter to have attached thereto the ballots voted at the meeting. Any record so signed and verified shall be conclusive evidence of the matters therein stated.

 

ARTICLE Sixteen

 

SECURITY

 

Section 1601. Security.

 

If so provided pursuant to Section 301 with respect to the Securities of any series, the Securities of such series may be secured by such property, assets or other collateral as may be specified in or pursuant to Section 301. Any and all terms and provisions applicable to the security for the Securities of such series shall also be provided in or pursuant to Section 301, which may include, without limitation, provisions for the execution and delivery of such security agreements, pledge agreements, collateral agreements and other similar or related agreements as the Company may elect and which may provide for the Trustee to act as collateral agent or in a similar or other capacity. The Trustee shall comply with Sections 313(a)(5) and (6) and 313(b)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act and the Company shall comply with Sections 314(b), 314(c) and 314(d) of the Trust Indenture Act, in each case in respect of any secured Securities that may be outstanding hereunder from time to time.

 

* * * * *

 

This instrument may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

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

 

  MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Stewart Zimmerman
    Name: Stewart Zimmerman
    Title: Chief Executive Officer
     
  WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as
Trustee
     
  By: /s/ Jane Y. Schweiger
    Name: Jane Y. Schweiger
    Title: Vice President

 

60

 

Exhibit 4.2 

 

 

MFA FINANCIAL, INC., as Company,

 

-and-

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

 

 

  

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

 

Dated as of April 11, 2012

 

to

 

INDENTURE

 

Dated as of April 11, 2012

 

 

  

8.00% Senior Notes due 2042

 

 

  

 

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    PAGE
     
Article 1
DEFINITIONS
     
Section 1.01 Scope of Supplemental Indenture 2
Section 1.02 Definitions 2
 
Article 2
ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES
     
Section 2.01 Title and Terms; Payments 6
Section 2.02 Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes 7
 
Article 3
REDEMPTION OF NOTES
     
Section 3.01 Optional Redemption of Notes 8
Section 3.02 Notice of Optional Redemption; Selection of Notes 8
Section 3.03 Payment of Notes Called for Redemption by the Company 9
Section 3.04 Sinking Fund 10
 
Article 4
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES
     
Section 4.01 Events of Default 10
Section 4.02 Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor 12
Section 4.03 Application of Monies Collected by Trustee 14
Section 4.04 Proceedings by Noteholder 15
Section 4.05 Proceedings by Trustee 15
Section 4.06 Remedies Cumulative and Continuing 15
Section 4.07 Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Noteholders 16
Section 4.08 Notice of Defaults 16
Section 4.09 Undertaking to Pay Costs 17
 
Article 5
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES
     
Section 5.01 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Noteholders 17
Section 5.02 Supplemental Indenture With Consent of Noteholders 18
Section 5.03 Effect of Supplemental Indenture 19
Section 5.04 Notation on Notes 20
Section 5.05 Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to be Furnished to Trustee 20

 

 
 

 

Article 6
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE
     
Section 6.01 Company May Consolidate on Certain Terms 20
Section 6.02 Successor Party to be Substituted 21
 
Article 7
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE
     
Section 7.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture 21
Section 7.02 Covenant Defeasance 21
 
Article 8
REPURCHASE OF NOTES
     
Section 8.01 Obligation to Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event 21
 
Article 9
INFORMATION RIGHTS
     
Section 9.01   23
 
Article 10
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
     
Section 10.01 Addresses for Notices, etc. 24
Section 10.02 Governing Law 25
Section 10.03 Trust Indenture Act 25
Section 10.04 No Security Interest Created 25
Section 10.05 Execution in Counterparts 25
Section 10.06 Severability 25
Section 10.07 Appointment of Paying Agent, Security Registrar and Authenticating Agent. 25
Section 10.08 Ratification of Original Indenture 25
     
EXHIBIT
     
Exhibit A Form of Note A-1

  

 
 

 

FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Supplemental Indenture”), between MFA Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), having its principal executive office located at 350 Park Avenue, 20th Floor, New York, New York 10022, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, a national banking association duly organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, as trustee (the “Trustee”), to the indenture, dated as of April 11, 2012, between the Company and the Trustee (as amended or supplemented from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Original Indenture”).

 

RECITALS OF THE COMPANY

 

WHEREAS, the Company executed and delivered the Original Indenture to the Trustee to provide, among other things, for the issuance, from time to time, of the Company’s Securities, unlimited as to principal amount, in one or more series to be established by the Company under, and authenticated and delivered as provided in, the Original Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, Section 901(4) of the Original Indenture provides for the Company and the Trustee to enter into an indenture supplemental to the Original Indenture to establish the form and terms of Securities of any series as contemplated by Sections 201 and 301 of the Original Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, the Board of Directors has duly adopted resolutions authorizing the Company to execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Original Indenture, the Company desires to establish a new series of its Securities to be known as its “8.00% Senior Notes due 2042” (the “Notes”), the form and substance of such Notes and the terms, provisions and conditions thereof to be set forth as provided in the Original Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture;

 

WHEREAS, the Form of Note, the certificate of authentication to be borne by each Note and the Form of Assignment and Transfer contemplated under the terms of the Notes are to be substantially in the forms hereinafter provided; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company has requested that the Trustee execute and deliver this Supplemental Indenture, and all requirements necessary to make (i) this Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding and enforceable instrument in accordance with its terms, and (ii) the Notes, when executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Authenticating Agent, the valid, binding and enforceable obligations of the Company, in each case, have been performed, and the execution and delivery of this Supplemental Indenture has been duly authorized in all respects.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, THIS SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH, for and in consideration of the premises and the purchases of the Notes by the Holders thereof, it is mutually agreed, for the benefit of the Company and the equal and proportionate benefit of all Holders of the Notes, as follows:

 

 
 

   

Article 1
DEFINITIONS

 

Section 1.01           Scope of Supplemental Indenture . The changes, modifications and supplements to the Original Indenture effected by this Supplemental Indenture shall be applicable only with respect to, and shall only govern the terms of, the Notes, which may be issued from time to time, and shall not apply to any other Securities that may be issued under the Original Indenture unless a supplemental indenture with respect to such other Securities specifically incorporates such changes, modifications and supplements. The provisions of this Supplemental Indenture shall supersede any corresponding or conflicting provisions in the Original Indenture.

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)    all words, terms and phrases defined in the Original Indenture (but not otherwise defined herein) shall have the same meanings as in the Original Indenture;

 

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

 

(iv)   all accounting terms not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and, except as otherwise herein expressly provided, the term “generally accepted accounting principles” with respect to any computation required or permitted hereunder shall mean such accounting principles as are generally accepted at the date of this instrument; and

 

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

 

“Additional Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

 

“Agent” has the meaning specified in Section 10.07.

 

“Change of Control” means the occurrence of the following:

 

(1) the acquisition of ownership, directly or indirectly, beneficially or of record, by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the Commission thereunder as in effect on the Issue Date), of Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate Ordinary Voting Power of the Company’s issued and outstanding Equity Interests;

 

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(2) occupation of a majority of the seats (other than vacant seats) on the Company’s Board of Directors by Persons who were neither (i) nominated by the Company’s Board of Directors nor (ii) appointed by directors so nominated; or

 

(3) the acquisition of direct or indirect Control of the Company by any Person or group (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the Commission thereunder as in effect on the Issue Date) not in Control of the Company on the Issue Date;

 

provided that , for the purposes of this definition, no Change of Control shall be deemed to occur by reason of the Company becoming a wholly owned Subsidiary of a Successor Parent.

 

“Change of Control Offer” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01 of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Change of Control Repurchase Event” means the occurrence of a Change of Control.

 

“close of business” means 5:00 p.m. (New York City time).

 

“Company” has the meaning set forth in the first paragraph of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, whether through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise.

 

“Custodian” means Wilmington Trust, National Association, as custodian with respect to the Notes in global form, or any successor entity thereto.

 

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

 

“Depositary” means The Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation, or any successor thereto.

 

“Event of Default” means any event specified in Section 4.01 as an Event of Default.

 

“Form of Assignment and Transfer” shall mean the “Form of Assignment and Transfer” attached to the Form of Note attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

“Form of Note” shall mean the “Form of Note” attached hereto as Exhibit A.

 

“Global Note” means any Note that is a global Security, as specified under Section 203 of the Original Indenture, and that bears the legend set forth in Exhibit A hereto.

 

“Indenture” means the Original Indenture, as originally executed and as supplemented from time to time by one or more indentures supplemental thereto, including this Supplemental Indenture, entered into pursuant to the applicable provisions of the Indenture, including, for all purposes of this instrument and any such supplemental indenture, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are deemed to be a part of and govern the Original Indenture and this Supplemental Indenture.

 

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“Initial Notes” has the meaning specified in Section 2.01.

 

“interest” means, when used with reference to the Notes, any interest payable under the terms of the Notes.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year, beginning on July 15, 2012.

 

“Issue Date” means the first date the Notes are originally issued as set forth on the face of such Note under this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” means the issuer free writing prospectus filed with the Commission by the Company and dated April 3, 2012, relating to the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement.

 

“Legal Holiday” means a Saturday, a Sunday or a day on which banking institutions in The City of New York or at the Place of Payment are not required to be open.

 

“MFA Group” means the Company and the Company’s direct and indirect Subsidiaries (to the extent of the Company’s economic ownership interest in such Subsidiaries) taken as a whole.

 

“Non-Recourse Indebtedness” means an obligation for indebtedness that can only be satisfied out of the collateral securing the obligation and not out of the debtor’s other assets.

 

“Note” or “Notes” has the meaning specified in the fourth paragraph of the recitals of this Supplemental Indenture, and shall include any Additional Notes issued pursuant to Section 2.01.

 

“Noteholder,” “Holder” or “holder” as applied to any Note, or other similar terms (but excluding the term “beneficial holder”), means any Person in whose name at the time a particular Note is registered in the Security Register.

 

“Officer” means the Chairman of the Board, the Vice Chairman, the Chief Executive Officer, the President, any Executive Vice President, any Senior Vice President, any Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary or any Assistant Treasurer or Assistant Secretary of the Company.

 

“Ordinary Voting Power” means, with respect to any Person, the power to elect the directors (or functional equivalent) of such Person.

 

“Original Indenture” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Preliminary Prospectus Supplement” means the Company’s preliminary prospectus supplement dated April 2, 2012, relating to the Notes.

 

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“Redemption Date” means the date fixed by the Company for redemption of all or any portion of the Notes in accordance with the provisions of Section 3.02 hereof.

 

“Redemption Price” means the price at which the Notes may be redeemed, as set forth in Section 3.01.

 

“Regular Record Date” for the interest payable on any Interest Payment Date while the Notes remain in the form of a Global Note means one Business Day prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date and otherwise, the fifteenth day prior to such Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day).

 

“Repurchase Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01 of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Repurchase Price Payment Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 8.01 of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Responsible Officer” means, with respect to any Agent, any officer of such Agent in its Corporate Trust Office having direct responsibility for matters pertaining to the Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer or employee of such Agent to whom such matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

 

“Stated Maturity” means April 15, 2042.

 

“Structured Finance Subsidiary” means a Subsidiary the primary function of which is to act as an issuer, depositor or special purpose entity in connection with issuances of obligations collateralized by loans, bonds, mortgages or other debt obligations issued by third parties.

 

“Subsidiary” of any Person means (a) any corporation, association or other business entity (other than a partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity) of which more than 50% of the aggregate Ordinary Voting Power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests or (b) any partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or similar entity of which more than 50% of the capital accounts, distribution rights, total equity and voting interests or general or limited partnership interests, as applicable, is, in the case of clauses (a) and (b), at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by (1) such Person, (2) such Person and one or more Subsidiaries of such Person or (3) one or more Subsidiaries of such Person.

 

“Substantially All Merger” means a merger or consolidation of the Company with or into another Person that would, in one or a series of related transactions, result in the transfer or other disposition, directly or indirectly, of all or substantially all of the combined assets of the MFA Group taken as a whole to a Person that is not within the MFA Group immediately prior to such transaction or series of related transactions.

 

“Substantially All Sale” means a sale, assignment, transfer, lease or conveyance to any other Person, in one or a series of related transactions, directly or indirectly, of all or substantially all of the combined assets of the MFA Group taken as a whole to a Person that is not within the MFA Group immediately prior to such transaction or series of related transactions.

 

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“Successor Parent” means any Person for which Equity Interests of such Person representing more than 50% of the aggregate Ordinary Voting Power of the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of such Person immediately after the time the Company becomes a wholly owned Subsidiary of such Person, are beneficially owned (within the meaning of the Exchange Act and the rules of the Commission thereunder as in effect on the Issue Date) by one or more Persons that beneficially owned Equity Interests representing more than 50% of the aggregate Ordinary Voting Power of the Company’s issued and outstanding Equity Interests immediately prior to the Company becoming a wholly owned Subsidiary of such Person and in substantially the same proportion as immediately prior to the Company becoming a wholly owned Subsidiary of such Person.

 

“Successor Party” has the meaning set forth in Section 6.01 of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

“Supplemental Indenture” has the meaning specified in the first paragraph hereof.

 

Article 2
ISSUE, DESCRIPTION, EXECUTION, REGISTRATION AND EXCHANGE OF NOTES

 

Section 2.01          Title and Terms; Payments . There is hereby established a series of Securities designated the “8.00% Senior Notes due 2042” initially limited in aggregate principal amount to $100 million (or up to $115 million if the over-allotment option described in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement and Issuer Free Writing Prospectus is exercised), which amount shall be as set forth in a Company Order for the authentication and delivery of Notes pursuant to Section 303 of the Original Indenture. The Notes shall be issued only in fully registered form, in denominations of $25 and integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof.

 

The principal amount of Notes then Outstanding shall be payable at the Stated Maturity. Interest on the Notes shall accrue at a rate of 8.00% per annum, from and including April 11, 2012 or from and including the most recent date on which interest has been paid or duly provided for, to, but excluding, the next Interest Payment Date, until the principal thereof is paid or made available for payment. Interest shall be payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date, beginning on July 15, 2012, to the Person in whose name a Note is registered on the Security Register at the close of business on the Regular Record Date immediately preceding the applicable Interest Payment Date. If any Interest Payment Date, the Stated Maturity or any Redemption Date or Repurchase Price Payment Date is a Legal Holiday, the required payment will be made on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday as if it were made on the date such payment was due and no interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date to such next succeeding day. Interest will be computed on the basis of twelve 30-day months and a 360-day year. The amount of interest payable for any period shorter than a full quarterly interest period will be computed on the basis of the number of days elapsed in a 90-day quarter of three 30-day months.

 

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The Company may, without the consent of the Holders of the Notes, hereafter issue additional Notes (“Additional Notes”) under the Indenture with the same terms and conditions, except for any difference in the issue price, issue date and interest accrued prior to the issue date of the Additional Notes, as the Notes issued on the date of this Supplemental Indenture (the “Initial Notes”) in an unlimited aggregate principal amount. Any such Additional Notes shall constitute a single series together with the Initial Notes for all purposes hereunder, including, without limitation, for purposes of any waivers, supplements or amendments to the Indenture requiring the approval of Holders of the Notes and any offers to purchase the Notes.

 

The Form of Note shall be substantially as set forth in Exhibit A and the Form of Assignment and Transfer shall be substantially as set forth in Attachment 1 to Exhibit A, each of which is incorporated into and shall be deemed a part of this Supplemental Indenture, and in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by the Indenture, and may have such letters, numbers or other marks of identification and such legends or endorsements placed thereon as may be required to comply with the rules of any securities exchange or as may, consistently herewith, be determined to be necessary or appropriate by the Officers of the Company executing such Notes, as evidenced by their execution of the Notes.

 

The Company shall pay the principal of and interest on any Global Note in immediately available funds to the Depositary or its nominee, as the case may be, as the registered Holder of such Global Note. Holders of certificated Notes, if any, must surrender such certificated Notes to the Paying Agent to collect principal and interest payments at the Stated Maturity. The Company shall pay the principal of and interest on any certificated Notes by wire transfer of immediately available funds to the accounts specified by the Holders thereof or, if no such account is specified the Company shall pay the principal of and interest on those Notes at the office or agency designated by the Company for that purpose by check mailed to the Holders of those Notes. All payments on the Notes will be made in US. Dollars or in such other coin or currency of the United States of America, as of the time of payment, is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

 

Section 2.02          Book-Entry Provisions for Global Notes . The Notes initially shall be issued in the form of one or more Global Notes without interest coupons (i) registered in the name of Cede & Co., as nominee of the Depositary and (ii) delivered to the Paying Agent as Custodian for the Depositary. Solely for purposes of the Notes, the Global Notes shall be exchangeable for definitive certificated Notes only if (i) the Depositary notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as a Depositary for the Global Notes or at any time the Depositary for the Global Notes ceases to be a clearing agency registered as such or in good standing under the Exchange Act or other applicable law, statute or regulation, and no successor Depositary for the Global Notes shall have been appointed within 90 days of such notification or of the Company becoming aware of the Depositary’s ceasing to be so registered, as the case may be, or (ii) the Company, in its sole discretion, determines that the Notes shall no longer be represented by one or more Global Notes and executes and delivers to the Trustee and Security Registrar a Company Order to the effect that the Global Notes shall be so exchangeable.

 

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Article 3
REDEMPTION OF NOTES

 

Solely for the purposes of the Notes, Article Eleven of the Original Indenture shall be deleted and shall be replaced in the entirety by this Article 3. Any reference in the Original Indenture to Article Eleven shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed to be a reference to Article 3 of this Supplemental Indenture, and reference in the Original Indenture to Sections 1103, 1104, 1106 and 1107 shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed replaced with references to Sections 3.02, 3.02, 3.03 and 3.02, respectively, in this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 3.01          Optional Redemption of Notes . The Company shall have the right to redeem the Notes on the terms set forth in this Section 3.01. At any time on or after April 15, 2017, the Company may, upon the notice set forth in Section 3.02, redeem the Notes for cash, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus unpaid interest, if any, accrued thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date (the “Redemption Price”);

 

Section 3.02          Notice of Optional Redemption; Selection of Notes. In case the Company shall desire to exercise the right to redeem all or, as the case may be, any part of the Notes pursuant to Section 3.01, it shall fix a date for redemption and it or, at its written request received by the Trustee and the Paying Agent not fewer than five (5) Business Days prior (or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Paying Agent) to the date the notice of redemption is to be delivered, the Paying Agent in the name of and at the expense of the Company, shall deliver or cause to be delivered a notice of such redemption not fewer than fifteen (15) calendar days nor more than sixty (60) calendar days prior to the Redemption Date to each Holder of Notes so to be redeemed in whole or in part at its last address as the same appears on the Security Register, so long as the information required by this Section 3.02 is provided to the Paying Agent at the time the Paying Agent is given the notice pursuant to this Section 3.02; provided that if the Company makes such request of the Paying Agent, the text of the notice shall be prepared by the Company. Such delivery shall be effected by first class mail or, in the case of Global Notes, in accordance with the applicable procedures of the Depositary. The notice, if delivered in the manner herein provided, shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives such notice. In any case, failure to deliver such notice or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Note designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Note. Concurrently with the delivery of any such notice of redemption, the Company shall issue a press release through Dow Jones & Company, Inc., Bloomberg Business News or PR Newswire or a substantially equivalent financial news organization announcing such redemption, the form and content of which press release shall be determined by the Company in its sole discretion. The Company shall also publish that information in a newspaper of general circulation in The City of New York, or on its web site, or through such other public medium as it deems appropriate at that time. The failure to issue any such press release to publish such information or any defect therein shall not affect the validity of the redemption notice or any of the proceedings for the redemption of any Note called for redemption.

 

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Each such notice of redemption shall specify: (i) the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, (ii) the CUSIP number or numbers of the Notes being redeemed, (iii) the Redemption Date, (iv) the Redemption Price at which Notes are to be redeemed, (v) the place or places of payment and that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Notes, and (vi) that interest accrued and unpaid to, but not including, the Redemption Date will be paid as specified in said notice, and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portion thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue, as provided in Section 3.03. If fewer than all the Notes are to be redeemed, the notice of redemption shall identify the Notes to be redeemed (including CUSIP numbers, if any). In case any Note is to be redeemed in part only, the notice of redemption shall state the portion of the principal amount thereof to be redeemed and shall state that, on and after the Redemption Date, upon surrender of such Note, a new Note or Notes in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

 

Whenever any Notes are to be redeemed, the Company shall give the Trustee and the Paying Agent written notice of the Redemption Date, together with an Officers’ Certificate as to the aggregate principal amount of Notes to be redeemed, not fewer than fifteen (15) calendar days prior to the Redemption Date.

 

On or prior to the Redemption Date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section 3.02, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent (or, if the Company is acting as its own Paying Agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 4.04) an amount of money in immediately available funds sufficient to redeem on the Redemption Date all the Notes (or portions thereof) so called for redemption (other than those theretofore surrendered for exchange) at the appropriate Redemption Price, together with accrued interest to the Redemption Date; provided that if such payment is made on the Redemption Date, it must be received by the Paying Agent, by 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date. The Company shall be entitled to retain any interest, yield or gain on amounts deposited with the Paying Agent pursuant to this Section 3.02 in excess of amounts required hereunder to pay the Redemption Price; provided , however , that neither the Trustee nor the Paying Agent shall be under any liability for interest on any money received by it hereunder except as otherwise agreed to with the Company in writing.

 

If less than all of the Outstanding Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Notes or portions thereof of the Global Note or the Notes in certificated form to be redeemed (in principal amounts of $25 or integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof) (a) if the Notes are listed on any national securities exchange, in compliance with the requirements of the principal national securities exchange on which the Notes are listed, (b) if the Notes are Global Notes but are not listed on any national securities exchange, by lot or by such other similar method in accordance with the procedures of the Depositary and (c) if the Notes are not listed on any national securities exchange and are not Global Notes, on a pro rata basis (to the extent practicable).

 

Section 3.03          Payment of Notes Called for Redemption by the Company . If notice of redemption has been given as provided in Section 3.02, the Notes or portion of Notes with respect to which such notice has been given shall become due and payable on the Redemption Date at the place or places stated in such notice at the Redemption Price, and unless the Company shall default in the payment of the amounts owing on the Notes upon such redemption, interest on the Notes or portion of Notes so called for redemption shall cease to accrue on and after such date and the Notes shall cease to be entitled to any benefit or security under this Supplemental Indenture, and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Notes except the right to receive the Redemption Price thereof. On presentation and surrender of such Notes at a Place of Payment in said notice specified, the said Notes or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the Redemption Price.

 

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Upon presentation of any Note redeemed in part only, the Company shall execute and the Authenticating Agent, upon receipt of a Company Request, shall authenticate and make available for delivery to the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Company, a new Note or Notes, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Notes so presented.

 

Section 3.04          Sinking Fund . There shall be no sinking fund provided for the Notes and the provisions of Article Twelve of the Original Indenture shall not apply to the Notes.

 

Article 4
DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

Solely for the purposes of the Notes, Article Five of the Original Indenture shall be deleted and replaced in its entirety by this Article 4. Any reference in the Original Indenture to Article Five shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed to be a reference to Article 4 of this Supplemental Indenture, and reference in the Original Indenture to Sections 501, 502, 501(5), 501(8), 501(9) and 501(10) shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed replaced with references to Sections 4.01, 4.01, 4.01(d), 4.01(f), 4.01(g) and 4.01(h), respectively, in this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 4.01          Events of Default . “Event of Default,” wherever used herein, means any one of the following events (whatever the reason for such Event of Default and whether it shall be voluntary or involuntary or be effected by operation of law or pursuant to any judgment, decree or order of any court or any order, rule or regulation of any administrative or governmental body):

 

(a)           default in the payment of interest under the Notes as and when the same shall be due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of thirty (30) days; or

 

(b)           default in the payment of the principal of the Notes when the same becomes due and payable, regardless of whether such payment became due and payable at its Stated Maturity, upon redemption or otherwise; or

 

(c)           failure to pay the Repurchase Price when due in connection with a Change of Control Repurchase Event; or

 

(d)           failure on the part of the Company to comply with any term, covenant or agreement in the Notes or in the Indenture (other than a covenant or agreement a default in the performance or breach of which is elsewhere in this Section 4.01 specifically dealt with) and such failure continues for a period of ninety (90) calendar days after the date on which written notice of such failure, requiring the Company to remedy the same, shall have been given to the Company by the Trustee, or to the Company and a Responsible Officer of the Trustee by the Holders of not less than twenty-five percent (25%) of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding; or

 

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(e)           default after the expiration of any applicable grace period in the payment of principal when due, or resulting in acceleration of, other indebtedness for borrowed money other than Non-Recourse Indebtedness of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries or indebtedness of any Structured Finance Subsidiary, where the aggregate principal amount with respect to which the default or acceleration has occurred exceeds $100.0 million and such indebtedness has not been discharged, or such default in payment or acceleration has not been cured or rescinded, prior to written notice of acceleration of the Notes; or

 

(f)           the Company pursuant to or under or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

(i)           commences a voluntary case or proceeding seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to it or its debts or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property; or

 

(ii)          consents to any such relief or to the appointment of or taking possession by any such official in an involuntary case or other proceeding commenced against it; or

 

(iii)         consents to the appointment of a custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property; or

 

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

 

(g)          an involuntary case or other proceeding shall be commenced against the Company, seeking liquidation, reorganization or other relief with respect to it or its debts under any bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect or seeking the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of it or any substantial part of its property, and such involuntary case or other proceeding shall remain undismissed and unstayed for a period of sixty (60) consecutive calendar days; or

 

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

 

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

 

(ii)          appoints a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official of the Company, or any substantial part of its properties; or

 

(iii)         orders the liquidation of the Company;

 

and, in each case in this clause (h), the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for sixty (60) calendar days.

 

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If an Event of Default shall occur and be continuing, unless the principal of all of the Notes shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of at least twenty-five percent (25%) in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding, by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Noteholders), may declare the principal of, and interest accrued and unpaid on, all the Notes to be immediately due and payable, and upon any such declaration the same shall be immediately due and payable.

 

If, at any time after the principal of and interest on the Notes shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the monies due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes then Outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults or Events of Default and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences subject to Section 4.07 if: (a) such rescission would not conflict with any final judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction; (b) interest on overdue installments of interest (to the extent that payment of such interest is lawful) and on overdue principal, which has become due otherwise than by such declaration of acceleration, has been paid; (c) the Company has paid the Trustee and the Agents their compensation and reimbursed the Trustee and the Agents for their expenses, disbursements and advances (including, without limitation, the compensation and the expenses and disbursements of their respective agents and counsel) pursuant to Section 606 of the Original Indenture; and (d) all Events of Default, other than the nonpayment of the principal amount and any accrued and unpaid interest that has become due solely because of such acceleration, have been cured or waived. No such rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or Event of Default, or shall impair any right consequent thereon. Within 120 calendar days after the end of each fiscal year, the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company shall notify in writing a Responsible Officer of the Trustee whether or not, to the best of his or her knowledge, any Event of Default has occurred, as provided in Section 1007 of the Original Indenture.

 

In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Supplemental Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned because of such waiver or rescission and annulment or for any other reason or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the Company, the Holders of Notes, the Agents and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to their several positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Holders of Notes, the Agents and the Trustee shall continue as though no such proceeding had been taken.

 

Section 4.02            Payments of Notes on Default; Suit Therefor . The Company covenants that in the case of an Event of Default pursuant to Section 4.01(a), 4.01(b) or 4.01(c), upon demand of the Trustee, the Company will pay to the Trustee (or the Paying Agent on its behalf), for the benefit of the Holders of the Notes, (i) the whole amount that then shall be due and payable on all such Notes for principal or interest, as the case may be, with interest upon the overdue principal and premium, if any, and (to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law) upon the overdue installments of accrued and unpaid interest at the rate borne by the Notes from the required payment date and, (ii) in addition thereto, any amounts due the Trustee and the Agents under Section 606 of the Original Indenture. Until such demand by the Trustee, the Company may pay the principal of and interest on the Notes to the registered Holders, whether or not the Notes are overdue.

 

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In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any actions or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceeding to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Company or any other obligor on the Notes and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor on the Notes wherever situated the monies adjudged or decreed to be payable.

 

In case there shall be pending proceedings for the bankruptcy or for the reorganization of the Company or any other obligor on the Notes under any Bankruptcy Law, or any other applicable law, or in case a receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, sequestrator or similar official shall have been appointed for or taken possession of the Company or such other obligor, the property of the Company or such other obligor, or in the case of any other judicial proceedings relative to the Company or such other obligor upon the Notes, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of the Notes shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand pursuant to the provisions of this Section 4.02, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise, to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and accrued and unpaid interest in respect of the Notes, and, in case of any judicial proceedings, to file such proofs of claim and other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee, the Agents and of the Noteholders allowed in such judicial proceedings relative to the Company or any other obligor on the Notes, its or their creditors, or its or their property, and to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute the same after the deduction of any amounts due the Trustee and the Agents under Section 606 of the Original Indenture, and to take any other action with respect to such claims, including participating as a member of any official committee of creditors, as it deems necessary or advisable, unless prohibited by law or applicable regulations, and any receiver, assignee or trustee in bankruptcy or reorganization, liquidator, custodian or similar official is hereby authorized by each of the Noteholders 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 Noteholders, to pay to the Trustee and the Agents any amount due them for compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements, including counsel fees and expenses incurred by it up to the date of such distribution. To the extent that such payment of compensation, expenses, advances and disbursements out of the estate in any such proceedings shall be denied for any reason, payment of the same shall be secured by a lien on, and shall be paid out of, any and all distributions, dividends, monies, securities and other property which the Holders of the Notes may be entitled to receive in such proceedings, whether in liquidation or under any plan of reorganization or arrangement or otherwise.

 

All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Supplemental Indenture, or under any of the Notes, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Notes, or the production thereof at any trial or other proceeding relative thereto, and any such suit or proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Notes.

 

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In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and in any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Supplemental Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party), the Trustee shall be held to represent all the Holders of the Notes, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of the Notes parties to any such proceedings.

 

Section 4.03            Application of Monies Collected by Trustee . Any monies or property collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article 4, shall be applied, in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee or the Paying Agent on its behalf for the distribution of such monies, upon presentation of the several Notes, and stamping thereon the payment, if only partially paid, and upon surrender thereof, if fully paid:

 

FIRST: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee, the Agents and any predecessors under Section 606 of the Original Indenture;

 

SECOND: In case the principal of the Outstanding Notes shall not have become due and be unpaid, to the payment of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the Notes in default in the order of the maturity of the installments of such interest, with interest (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) as provided in Section 4.02 upon the overdue installments of interest at the annual rate borne by the Notes, such payments to be made ratably to the Persons entitled thereto;

 

THIRD: In case the principal of the Outstanding Notes shall have become due, by declaration or otherwise, and be unpaid as to the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon the Notes for principal and interest, with interest on the overdue principal and (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon overdue installments of accrued and unpaid interest, as provided in Section 4.02, and in case such monies shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amounts so due and unpaid upon the Notes, then to the payment of such principal and interest without preference or priority of principal over interest, or of interest over principal, or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Note over any other Note, ratably to the aggregate of such principal and accrued and unpaid interest; and

 

FOURTH: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any other Person lawfully entitled thereto.

 

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Section 4.04            Proceedings by Noteholder . No Holder of any Note shall have any right by virtue of or by reference to any provision of the Indenture to institute any suit, action or proceeding in equity or at law upon or under or with respect to the Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, liquidator, custodian or other similar official, or for any other remedy hereunder, except in the case of a default in the payment of principal of, or interest on, the Notes, including as a result of acceleration, unless (a) such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of an Event of Default and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore provided, (b) the Holders of at least twenty-five percent (25%) in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action, suit or proceeding in its own name as Trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such security or indemnity satisfactory to it as it may require against the costs, liabilities or expenses to be incurred therein or thereby, (c) the Trustee for sixty (60) calendar days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity, shall have neglected or refused to institute any such action, suit or proceeding and (d) no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee pursuant to Section 4.07; it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Note with every other taker and Holder and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Notes shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of or by reference to any provision of this Supplemental Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other Holder of Notes, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder, or to enforce any right under this Supplemental Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders of Notes (except as otherwise provided herein). For the protection and enforcement of this Section 4.04, each and every Noteholder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of the Indenture and any provision of any Note, the right of any Holder of any Note to receive payment of the principal of (including the Redemption Price or Repurchase Price upon redemption or repurchase pursuant to Article 3 or Article 8, respectively) and accrued interest on such Note, on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Note or in the event of redemption or repurchase, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates against the Company shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 4.05            Proceedings by Trustee . In case of an Event of Default, the Trustee may, but shall not be obligated to, proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Supplemental Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as are necessary to protect and enforce any of such rights, either by suit in equity or by action at law or by proceeding in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Supplemental Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Supplemental Indenture, or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Supplemental Indenture or by law.

 

Section 4.06            Remedies Cumulative and Continuing . All powers and remedies given by this Article 4 to the Trustee or to the Noteholders shall, to the extent permitted by law, be deemed cumulative and not exclusive of any thereof or of any other powers and remedies available to the Trustee or the Holders of the Notes, by judicial proceedings or otherwise, to enforce the performance or observance of the covenants and agreements contained in this Supplemental Indenture, and no delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any of the Notes to exercise any right or power accruing upon any default or Event of Default occurring and continuing as aforesaid shall impair any such right or power, or shall be construed to be a waiver of any such default or any acquiescence therein, and, subject to the provisions of Section 4.05, every power and remedy given by this Article 4 or by law to the Trustee or to the Noteholders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Noteholders.

 

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Section 4.07            Direction of Proceedings and Waiver of Defaults by Majority of Noteholders . The Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee; provided that (a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Supplemental Indenture, (b) the Trustee may take any other action which is not inconsistent with such direction, (c) the Trustee may decline to take any action that would benefit some Noteholder to the detriment of other Noteholders and (d) the Trustee may decline to take any action that would involve the Trustee in personal liability. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, waive any past default or Event of Default hereunder and its consequences except (i) a default in the payment of the principal of, or interest on, the Notes when due, (ii) a default in the payment of the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date pursuant to Article 3, (iii) a default in the payment of the Repurchase Price on the Repurchase Price Payment Date pursuant to Article 8 or (iv) a default in respect of a covenant or provisions hereof which under Article 5 cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holders of each Outstanding Note affected thereby.

 

Upon any such waiver, the Company, the Trustee, the Agents and the Holders of the Notes shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon. Whenever any default or Event of Default hereunder shall have been waived as permitted by this Section 4.07, said default or Event of Default shall for all purposes of the Notes and this Supplemental Indenture be deemed to have been cured and to be not continuing; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 4.08            Notice of Defaults . The Trustee shall, within ninety (90) calendar days after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge or receives notice from the Company or the Holders of the occurrence of a default, mail to all Noteholders, as the names and addresses of such Holders appear upon the Security Register (as provided to one Trustee by the Security Register), notice of all defaults actually known to a Responsible Officer, unless such defaults shall have been cured or waived before the giving of such notice; provided that except in the case of (i) a default in the payment of the principal of, or interest on, the Notes when due, (ii) a default in the payment of the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date pursuant to Article 3, and (iii) a default in the payment of the Repurchase Price on the Repurchase Price Payment Date pursuant to Article 8, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interest of the Noteholders. For the purpose of this Section, the term “default” means any event which is, or after notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default with respect to the Notes. Solely for purposes of the Notes, this Section 4.08 supercedes Section 602 of the Base Indenture.

 

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Section 4.09            Undertaking to Pay Costs . All parties to this Supplemental Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Note by its acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may, in its discretion, require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Supplemental Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; provided that the provisions of this Section 4.09 (to the extent permitted by law) shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Noteholder, or group of Noteholders, holding in the aggregate more than ten percent in principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding determined in accordance with Section 104 of the Original Indenture, or to any suit instituted by any Noteholder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of, or interest on, any Note on or after the due date expressed in such Note.

 

Article 5
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

 

Solely for purposes of the Notes, Article Nine of the Original Indenture shall be deleted and replaced in its entirety by this Article 5. Any reference in the Original Indenture to Article Nine shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed to be a reference to Article 5 of this Supplemental Indenture, and references to Sections 902 and 905 of the Original Indenture shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed to be references to Sections 5.02 and 5.04, respectively, of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 5.01            Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Noteholders . The Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Trustee may, from time to time, and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental without the consent of the Holders of the Notes hereto for one or more of the following purposes:

 

(a)           cure any ambiguity, defect or inconsistency in the Indenture, this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes, including to eliminate any conflict or inconsistency with the Trust Indenture Act, that does not adversely affect the rights of the Holders of the Notes; or

 

(b)           provide for the assumption of all of the Company’s obligations under the Notes and the Indenture by a Person in connection with a Substantially All Merger or Substantially All Sale in which the Company is not the surviving Person pursuant to Section 6.02; or

 

(c)           provide for uncertificated Notes in addition to or instead of certificated Notes; or

 

(d)           add to the covenants made by the Company for the benefit of the holders of any series of debt securities, including the Holders of the Notes (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of debt securities, stating that such covenants are included solely for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power conferred upon the Company; or

 

(e)           add to, delete from, or revise the conditions, limitations, and restrictions on the authorized amount, terms, or purposes of issue, authentication and delivery of the Notes, as set forth in the Indenture; or

 

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(f)     secure any Notes; or

 

(g)     provide for the issuance of and establish the form and terms and conditions of a series of debt securities or to establish the form of any certifications required to be furnished pursuant to the terms of the Indenture or the Notes or to add to the rights of the holders of the Notes; or

 

(h)     to modify any provision of the Indenture, this Supplemental Indenture or the Notes to conform the provisions to the descriptions thereof set forth in the Preliminary Prospectus Supplement, as supplemented by the Issuer Free Writing Prospectus; or

 

(i)      to modify any provision of the Notes or the Indenture that does not adversely affect the rights of any Holder of the Notes in any material respect.

 

Upon the written request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Directors certified by the Company’s Secretary or Assistant Secretary authorizing the execution of any supplemental indenture, the Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations that may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer and assignment of any property thereunder, but the Trustee shall not be obligated to, but may in its discretion, enter into any supplemental indenture that affects the Trustee’s or any Agent’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Supplemental Indenture or otherwise.

 

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section 5.01 may be executed by the Company and the Trustee without the consent of the Holders of any of the Notes at the time Outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 5.02.

 

Section 5.02       Supplemental Indenture With Consent of Noteholders . With the consent (evidenced as provided in Section 104 of the Original Indenture) of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding, the Company, when authorized by the resolutions of the Board of Directors and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Supplemental Indenture or any supplemental indenture or modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Notes; provided that no such supplemental indenture shall, without the consent of the Holder of each Note so affected:

 

(a)      reduce the percentage in aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Notes required to modify or amend the Notes or the Indenture; or

 

(b)      change the manner of calculation or rate of accrual of interest on the Notes or change the time of payment thereof; or

 

(c)      change the principal amount of, or the Redemption Price specified in Article 3 hereof or Repurchase Price specified in Article 8 hereof with respect to, the Notes; or

  

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(d)     change the Stated Maturity of the Notes; or

 

(e)     waive a default in the payment of the principal of, or interest on, the Notes when due; or

 

(f)     waive a default in the payment of the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date pursuant to Article 3 or the payment of the Repurchase Price on the Repurchase Price Payment Date pursuant to Article 8; or

 

(g)    make the Notes payable in money or securities other than that stated in the Notes; or

 

(h)    make any change in the provisions of the Indenture concerning rights of Holders of the Notes to receive payment; or

 

(i)    modify Section 4.07, Section 5.01 or this Section 5.02.

 

Upon the written request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of the resolutions of the Board of Directors certified by the Company’s Secretary or Assistant Secretary authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Noteholders as aforesaid, the Trustee shall join with the Company in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s or an Agent’s own rights, duties, liabilities or immunities under this Supplemental Indenture or otherwise, in which case the Trustee may in its discretion, but shall not be obligated to, enter into such supplemental indenture.

 

It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Noteholders under this Section 5.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

 

Section 5.03       Effect of Supplemental Indenture . Any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to the provisions of this Article 5 shall comply with the Trust Indenture Act, as then in effect, provided that this Section 5.03 shall not require such supplemental indenture or the Trustee to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act prior to the time, if ever, such qualification is in fact required under the terms of the Trust Indenture Act or the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act, nor shall it constitute any admission or acknowledgment by any party to such supplemental indenture that any such qualification is required prior to the time, if ever, such qualification is in fact required under the terms of the Trust Indenture Act or the Indenture has been qualified under the Trust Indenture Act. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article 5, this Supplemental Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitation of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Supplemental Indenture of the Trustee, the Agents, the Company and the Holders of Notes shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder, subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Supplemental Indenture for any and all purposes.

 

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Section 5.04       Notation on Notes . Notes issued, authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article 5 may bear a notation in form acceptable to the Authentication Agent as to any matter provided for in such supplemental indenture. If the Company or the Authentication Agent shall so determine, new Notes so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Authentication Agent and the Board of Directors, to any modification of this Supplemental Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may, at the Company’s expense, be prepared and executed by the Company, authenticated by the Authentication Agent (or another authenticating agent duly appointed by the Trustee pursuant to Section 611 of the Original Indenture) and delivered in exchange for the Notes then Outstanding, upon surrender of such Notes then Outstanding.

 

Section 5.05       Evidence of Compliance of Supplemental Indenture to be Furnished to Trustee . Prior to entering into any supplemental indenture pursuant to this Article 5, the Trustee and the Agents shall be provided with an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant hereto complies with the requirements of this Article 5 and is otherwise authorized or permitted by this Supplemental Indenture and other matters as reasonably requested by the Trustee and the Agents.

 

Article 6
CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE, CONVEYANCE AND LEASE

 

Solely for the purposes of the Notes, Article Eight of the Original Indenture shall be deleted and replaced in its entirety by this Article 6. Any reference in the Original Indenture to Article Eight shall, with respect to the Notes, be deemed to be a reference to Article 6 of this Supplemental Indenture.

 

Section 6.01       Company May Consolidate on Certain Terms . Subject to the provisions of Section 6.02, the Company shall not be a party to a Substantially All Merger or participate in a Substantially All Sale, unless:

 

(a)      the Company is the surviving Person, or the Person formed by or surviving such Substantially All Merger or to which such Substantially All Sale has been made (the “Successor Party”) is an entity organized and existing under the laws of the United States of America, any state thereof or the District of Columbia, and has expressly assumed by supplemental indenture all of the obligations of the Company under the Notes and the Indenture;

 

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

 

(c)      the Company delivers to the Trustee and the Paying Agent an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that such transaction and any supplemental indenture relating thereto comply with this Indenture and that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to such transaction have been complied with.

 

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Section 6.02       Successor Party to be Substituted . In case of any such consolidation, sale, lease, conveyance, assignment, transfer or merger in which the Company is not the continuing entity and upon the assumption by the Successor Party, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and the Paying Agent and reasonably satisfactory in form to the Trustee and the Paying Agent, of the due and punctual payment of the principal of, and interest on, all of the Notes, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of the Indenture to be performed or satisfied by the Company, such Successor Party shall succeed to and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company, with the same effect as if it had been named herein as the party of this first part, and the Company shall be discharged from its obligations under the Notes and the Indenture.

 

Such Successor Party thereupon may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Company any or all of the Notes, issuable hereunder that theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee and the Paying Agent; and, upon the order of such Successor Party instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Supplemental Indenture prescribed, the Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and shall deliver, or cause to be authenticated and delivered, any Notes that previously shall have been signed and delivered by the Officers of the Company to the Authenticating Agent for authentication, and any Notes that such Successor Party thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Authenticating Agent for that purpose. All the Notes so issued shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Supplemental Indenture as the Notes theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Supplemental Indenture as though all of such Notes had been issued at the date of the execution hereof. In the event of any such consolidation, merger, sale, assignment, conveyance or transfer upon compliance with this Article 6 the Person named as the “Company” in the first paragraph of this Supplemental Indenture or any successor that shall thereafter have become such in the manner prescribed in this Article 6 may be dissolved, wound up and liquidated at any time thereafter and such Person shall be discharged from its liabilities as obligor and maker of the Notes and from its obligations under this Supplemental Indenture.

 

In case of any such consolidation, sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or merger, such changes in phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Notes thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

 

Article 7
SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE

 

Section 7.01       Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture . The provisions of Section 401 of the Original Indenture shall not apply to the Notes.

 

Section 7.02       Covenant Defeasance . The provisions of Section 402(3) of the Original Indenture shall not apply to the Notes.

 

Article 8
REPURCHASE OF NOTES

 

Section 8.01       Obligation to Offer to Repurchase Upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event .

 

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(a)          If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Notes pursuant to Article 3, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part of that Holder’s Notes (the “Change of Control Offer”) (in a principal amount of $25 and integral multiples of $25 in excess thereof) at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes repurchased to, but excluding, the Repurchase Price Payment Date (the “Repurchase Price”).

 

(b)          Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control, but after the public announcement of the Change of Control, the Company shall give notice to each Holder of Notes, with a written copy to the Trustee and the Paying Agent. Such notice shall state:

 

(i)      a description of the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event;

 

(ii)      that the Change of Control Offer is being made pursuant to this Article 8;

 

(iii)      the Repurchase Price and the date on which the Repurchase Price will be paid, which date shall be a Business Day that is no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed, other than as may be required by law (the “Repurchase Price Payment Date”); and

 

(iv)      if the notice is given prior to the date of consummation of the Change of Control, a statement that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the Repurchase Price Payment Date.

 

At the Company’s request, upon reasonable prior notice, the Security Registrar shall mail such notice in the Company’s name and at the Company’s expense; provided , however , that the form and content of such notice shall be prepared by the Company.

 

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

 

(d)          On the Repurchase Price Payment Date, the Company shall, to the extent lawful:

 

(i)      accept for payment all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer;

  

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(ii)      deposit prior to 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on such date with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Repurchase Price in respect of all Notes or portions of Notes properly tendered; and

 

(iii)      deliver or cause to be delivered to the Paying Agent the Notes properly accepted together with an Officers’ Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Notes or portions of Notes being purchased.

 

The Paying Agent shall promptly mail to each Holder of Notes properly tendered the Repurchase Price for such Notes, and the Authenticating Agent shall promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder of Notes properly tendered a new Note equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Notes surrendered; provided that each new Note will be in a principal amount of $25 and integral multiple of $25 in excess thereof.

 

(e)          Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Company shall not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Notes upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if (i) the Company or such Successor Party has given written notice of a redemption as provided under Section 3.02 prior to the occurrence of the Change of Control Repurchase Event; provided that the Company has not failed to pay the Redemption Price on the Redemption Date or (ii) a third party makes such an offer in respect of the Notes in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and such third party purchases all the Notes properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

 

Article 9
INFORMATION RIGHTS

 

Section 9.01      

 

During any period in which the Company is not subject to the reporting requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and any Notes remain Outstanding, the Company will (i) transmit by mail or other permissible means under the Exchange Act to all Holders, as their names and addresses appear in the Security Register and without cost to such Holders, copies of the annual reports and quarterly reports containing information that is substantially similar to the information that is required to be contained in such reports that the Company would have been required to file with the Commission, pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act if the Company were subject thereto (other than any exhibits or any information required by Items 402 and 404 of Regulation S-K pursuant to the Securities Act that would have been required), and (ii) promptly following written request, supply copies of such reports to any prospective Holder of Notes. The Company will mail (or otherwise provide) the information to the Holders within 15 days after the respective dates by which the Company would have been required to file such reports with the Commission if it were subject to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act as a non-accelerated filer as such term is defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act.

 

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The delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee and any Agent pursuant to this Article 9 is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s and such Agent’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee and any Agent is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

Article 10
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

 

Section 10.01       Addresses for Notices, etc . Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Supplemental Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee, by an Agent or by the Holders of Notes on the Company shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or served by being deposited postage prepaid by registered or certified mail in a post office letter box, or sent by overnight courier, or sent by telecopier transmission addressed as follows:

 

MFA Financial, Inc.

350 Park Avenue

20th Floor

New York, New York 10022

Telecopier No.: 212-207-6420
Attention: General Counsel

 

Any notice, direction, request or demand hereunder to or upon the Trustee, Paying Agent, Security Registrar or Authenticating Agent shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or served by being deposited, postage prepaid, by registered or certified mail in a post office letter box, or sent by overnight courier, or sent by telecopier transmission, addressed as follows: Wilmington Trust, National Association, Corporate Capital Markets, 50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attn: MFA Financial, Inc. Administrator, Telecopier No. 612-217-5651; provided that if Wilmington Trust, National Association is no longer serving in any such capacity, then notice shall be sent as required to any duly appointed successor thereof.

 

The Trustee, by notice to the Company, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

 

The Paying Agent, Security Registrar and Authenticating Agent, by notice to the Company, may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

 

Any notice or communication mailed to a Noteholder shall be mailed by first class mail, postage prepaid, at such Noteholder’s address as it appears on the Security Register and shall be sufficiently given to such Noteholder if so mailed within the time prescribed.

 

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

 

24
 

 

Section 10.02       Governing Law . This Supplemental Indenture and the Notes shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

Section 10.03       Trust Indenture Act . This Supplemental Indenture will be subject to, and governed by, the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Supplemental Indenture and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.

 

Section 10.04       No Security Interest Created . Nothing in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes, expressed or implied, shall be construed to constitute a security interest under the Uniform Commercial Code or similar legislation, as now or hereafter enacted and in effect, in any jurisdiction in which property of the Company or its subsidiaries is located.

 

Section 10.05       Execution in Counterparts . This Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be an original, but such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.

 

Section 10.06       Severability . In case any provision in this Supplemental Indenture or in the Notes shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, then (to the extent permitted by law) the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 10.07       Appointment of Paying Agent, Security Registrar and Authenticating Agent. Wilmington Trust, National Association is hereby appointed to act as Paying Agent, Security Registrar and Authenticating Agent (each an “Agent”, and collectively, the “Agents”) subject to and in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Original Indenture and shall have all of the rights, benefits and immunities of a Paying Agent, Security Registrar and Authenticating Agent as set forth herein and therein. The Corporate Trust Office of the Paying Agent and Authenticating Agent is the office at which corporate trust business shall be administered, and where the Notes may be presented for payment or for registration or transfer, which office at the date of execution of this supplemental indenture is located at 50 South Sixth Street, Suite 1290, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402, Attn: MFA Financial, Inc. Administrator, or any other address that the Paying Agent or Authenticating Agent may designate with respect to itself from time to time by notice to the Company and the Holders. The Company may, however, change the Paying Agent or Security Registrar without prior notice to the Holders thereof, and the Company may act as Paying Agent or Security Registrar. When used with respect to the Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent and Security Registrar, the term Responsible Officer has the meaning set forth in Section 1.02.

 

Section 10.08       Ratification of Original Indenture . The Original Indenture, as supplemented by this Supplemental Indenture, is in all respects ratified and confirmed, and this Supplemental Indenture shall be deemed part of the Original Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein provided. For the avoidance of doubt, each of the Company and each Holder of the Notes, by its acceptance of such Notes, acknowledges and agrees that all of the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits afforded to the Trustee and the Agents under the Original Indenture are deemed to be incorporated herein, and shall be enforceable by the Trustee and the Agents hereunder, as if set forth herein in full.

 

25
 

 

Wilmington Trust, National Association hereby accepts the trusts in this Supplemental Indenture declared and provided, upon the terms and conditions herein above set forth.

 

[Remainder of the page intentionally left blank]

 

26
 

 

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

 

  MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
     
  By: /s/ Stewart Zimmerman
    Name: Stewart Zimmerman
    Title: Chief Executive Officer
     
 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL

ASSOCIATION, as Trustee

     
  By: /s/ Jane Y. Schweiger
    Name:  Jane Y. Schweiger
    Title: Vice President

 

 
 

  

EXHIBIT A

 

 

[Include only for Global Notes]

 

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (THE “DEPOSITARY,” WHICH TERM INCLUDES ANY SUCCESSOR DEPOSITORY FOR THE CERTIFICATES) TO THE COMPANY OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY (AND ANY PAYMENT HEREIN IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY), 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.

 

 
 

 

MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
8.00% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2042

 

    CUSIP: 55272X 300
    ISIN: US55272X3008
     
No. [  ]   $[   ]

 

MFA Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor Person under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof), for value received hereby promises to pay to [ ] or its registered assigns, the principal sum of [ ] [or such other principal amount as shall be set forth on Schedule I hereto] (1) on April 15, 2042 at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in accordance with the terms of the Indenture, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest, quarterly, on January 15, April 15, July 15 and October 15 of each year (each, an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing July 15, 2012, on said principal sum at said office or agency, in like coin or currency, at the rate per annum of 8.00%, from and including the most recent Interest Payment Date in respect of which interest has been paid (or commencing April 11, 2012 if no interest has been paid hereon). If any Interest Payment Date, the Stated Maturity or any Redemption Date or Repurchase Price Payment Date is a Legal Holiday, the required payment will be made on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday as if it were made on the date such payment was due and no interest will accrue on the amount so payable for the period from and after such Interest Payment Date to such next succeeding day. Interest will be computed on the basis of twelve 30-day months and a 360-day year. The amount of interest payable for any period shorter than a full quarterly interest period will be computed on the basis of the number of days elapsed in a 90-day quarter of three 30-day months.

 

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Note set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

 

This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been manually signed by the Trustee or a duly authorized authenticating agent under the Indenture.

 

 

 

(1) For Global Notes only.

 

A- 1
 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Company has caused this Note to be duly executed.

 

Dated: [ ]

 

  MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:
   
  By:  
    Name:
    Title:

 

ATTEST:  
   
By    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

A- 2
 

 

AUTHENTICATING AGENT’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

 

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

 

WILMINGTON TRUST, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Authenticating Agent

 

By:    
  Authorized Signatory  

 

A- 3
 

 

FORM OF REVERSE OF NOTE
MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
8.00% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2042

 

This note is one of a duly authorized issue of notes of the Company, designated as its “8.00% Senior Notes due 2042” (herein called the “Notes”), issued under and pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Original Indenture”), between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”), as supplemented with respect to the Notes by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 11, 2012 (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Original Indenture, the “Indenture”), between the Company and the Trustee, as trustee, and as the authenticating agent, paying agent and security registrar (herein called the “Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent and Security Registrar”), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a description of the rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities thereunder of the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent, Security Registrar, the Company and the Holders of the Notes. Capitalized terms used but not otherwise defined in this Note shall have the respective meanings ascribed thereto in the Indenture.

 

At any time on or after April 15, 2017, the Company may, in accordance with the provisions of Article 3 of the Supplemental Indenture, redeem the Notes for cash, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed plus unpaid interest, if any, accrued thereon to, but excluding, the Redemption Date.

 

If a Change of Control Repurchase Event occurs, unless the Company has exercised its option to redeem the Notes pursuant to Article 3 of the Supplemental Indenture prior to the occurrence of the Change of Control Repurchase Event, the Company shall make an offer to each Holder of Notes to repurchase all or any part of that Holder’s Notes at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Notes repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes repurchased to, but excluding, the Repurchase Price Payment Date.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to the Company shall occur and be continuing, the principal of, and accrued and unpaid interest on, the Notes may be declared to be due and payable in the manner specified in the Indenture.

 

Subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding may, on behalf of the Holders of all of the Notes, waive any past default or Event of Default, subject to exceptions set forth in the Indenture. Upon any such waiver, said default shall for all purposes of this Note and the Indenture be deemed to have been cured and not to be continuing, but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

The Indenture contains provisions permitting the Company and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Notes at the time Outstanding, to execute supplemental indentures to modify provisions of the Indenture, subject to exceptions permitting the modification of the Indenture without the consent of any Holder of Notes or requiring the consent of each Holder of a Note affected by such modification all as set forth in Article 5 of the Supplemental Indenture.

 

A- 4
 

 

The Notes are issuable in fully registered form, without coupons, in denominations of $25 principal amount and any multiple of $25 in excess thereof. At the office or agency of the Company referred to on the face hereof, and in the manner and subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without payment of any service charge but with payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration or exchange of Notes, Notes may be exchanged for a like aggregate principal amount of Notes of any other authorized denominations. Upon surrender for registration of transfer of any Note to the Security Registrar or any co-registrar, and satisfaction of the requirements for such transfer set forth in the Indenture, the Company shall execute, and the Authenticating Agent shall authenticate and deliver, in the name of the designated transferee or transferees, one or more new Notes of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount. No service charge shall be made to any Holder for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Company may require payment by the Holder of a sum sufficient to cover any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes.

 

The Company, the Trustee, Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent and Security Registrar may deem the Person in whose name this Note shall be registered upon the Security Register to be, and may treat it as, the absolute owner of this Note (whether or not this Note shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon made by any Person other than the Company or any Security Registrar) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of, and interest on this Note and for all other purposes; and neither the Company or the Trustee nor any Authenticating Agent, Paying Agent or any Security Registrar shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any Holder for the time being, or upon its order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for monies payable upon this Note.

 

No recourse for the payment of the principal of or interest on this Note, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in respect hereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture or any supplemental indenture or in any Note, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented hereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, partner, member, manager, employee, agent, officer, director or subsidiary, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or of any successor thereto, either directly or through the Company or any of the Company’s Subsidiaries or of any successor thereto, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law, or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise; it being expressly understood that all such liability is hereby expressly waived and released as a condition of, and as consideration for, the execution of the Indenture and the issue of this Note.

 

In the case of any conflict between the provisions of this Note and the Indenture, the provisions of the Indenture shall control. The Indenture and this Note shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.

 

A- 5
 

 

ABBREVIATIONS

 

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription of the face of this Note, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations.

 

TEN-COM - as tenants in common   UNIF GIFT MIN ACT -      
      Custodian      
TEN-ENT - as tenant by the entireties   (Cust) (Minor)
JT-TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act

(State)
 

 

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

 

A- 6
 

 

Attachment 1
to Exhibit A 

 

ASSIGNMENT

 

For value received                                            hereby sell(s) assign(s) and transfer(s) unto                                        (Please insert social security or other Taxpayer Identification Number of assignee) the within Note, and hereby irrevocably constitutes and appoints                         attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

   
   
   
  Signature(s)
   
  Signature(s) must be guaranteed by an “eligible guarantor institution” meeting the requirements of the Security Registrar, which requirements include membership or participation in the Security Transfer Agent Medallion Program (“STAMP”) or such other “signature guarantee program” as may be determined by the Security Registrar in addition to, or in substitution for, STAMP, all in accordance with the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
   
   
  Signature Guarantee

 

NOTICE: The signature on this Assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.

 

 
 

 

Schedule I

 

MFA FINANCIAL, INC.
8.00% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2042

 

Date

Principal Amount

Notation Explaining
Principal Amount
Recorded

Authorized Signature
of Trustee or
Custodian

       

 

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

Opinion of K&L Gates LLP

 

April 11, 2012

 

MFA Financial, Inc.

350 Park Avenue, 20th Floor

New York, New York 10022

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

We have acted as counsel to MFA Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”), in connection with Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 (the “Post-Effective Amendment”) to Registration Statement on Form S-3, file number 333-170097 (the “Registration Statement”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”) on April 2, 2012, and the Prospectus dated April 2, 2012 included in the Post-Effective Amendment, as supplemented by the accompanying Prospectus Supplement dated April 3, 2012 (the “Prospectus Supplement”), filed by the Company with the Commission under Rule 424(b) on April 4, 2012, relating to the issuance by the Company of $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 8.00% Senior Notes due 2042 (the “Notes”).  The Notes are being offered, issued and sold in an underwritten public offering pursuant to an underwriting agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) between the Company and the representatives of the underwriters named therein.

 

The Notes are to be issued under an indenture (the “Base Indenture”) dated as of April 11, 2012 between the Company and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee (the “Trustee”), as supplemented and amended by the First Supplemental Indenture dated as of April 11, 2012 (together with the Base Indenture, the “Indenture”).

 

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

 

(i)          the Registration Statement;

 

(ii)          the Post-Effective Amendment;

 

(iii)          the Prospectus Supplement;

 

(iv)        the Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the Company, as further amended and supplemented and certified by the Secretary of the Company to be currently in effect (the “Charter”);

 

(v)         the Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Company, as certified by the Secretary of the Company to be currently in effect (the “Bylaws”);

 

(vi)        the Indenture and the form of Note included therein; and

 

 
 

 

MFA Financial, Inc.

April 11, 2012

Page 2

 

(vii)       the corporate actions (including resolutions of the board of directors of the Company) that provide for, among other things, the adoption and subsequent amendment of the Registration Statement, including the Post-Effective Amendment.

 

We have also examined originals or copies, certified or otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of corporate records of the Company, and certificates of public officials and of officers or other representatives of the Company and others and such other documents, certificates and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the opinions set forth herein.

 

In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of all documents submitted to us as facsimile, electronic, certified, conformed or photostatic copies, and the authenticity of the originals of such copies. In making our examination of executed documents or documents to be executed, we have assumed that the parties thereto, other than the Company, had or will have the power, corporate or other, to enter into and perform all obligations thereunder and have also assumed the due authorization by all requisite action, corporate or other, and the execution and delivery by such parties of such documents, and the validity and binding effect thereof on such parties.

 

Our opinions set forth herein are limited to the Maryland General Corporation Law, including the applicable provisions of the Maryland Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting those laws and the laws of the State of New York that, in our experience, are normally applicable to transactions of the type contemplated by the Registration Statement (all of the foregoing being referred to as “Opined on Law”). We do not express any opinion with respect to the law of any jurisdiction other than Opined on Law or as to the effect of any such non-Opined on Law on the opinions herein stated. This opinion is limited to the laws, including the rules and regulations, as in effect on the date hereof, which laws are subject to change with possible retroactive effect.

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing and to the limitations, qualifications, exceptions and assumptions set forth herein, we are of the opinion that, when the Notes have been duly executed and authenticated in accordance with the provisions of the Indenture and paid for by the underwriters in accordance with the terms of the Underwriting Agreement, the Notes will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms, except to the extent that enforcement thereof may be limited by (a) the effect of bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or similar laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally, and general principles of equity (regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law), including concepts of materiality, reasonableness, good faith and fair dealing; and (b) public policy considerations which may limit the rights of parties to obtain remedies.

 

 
 

 

MFA Financial, Inc.

April 11, 2012

Page 3

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the Commission as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. We also hereby consent to the use of our name under the heading “Legal Matters” in the prospectus which forms a part of the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder. This opinion is expressed as of the date hereof unless otherwise expressly stated, and we disclaim any undertaking to advise you of any subsequent changes in the facts stated or assumed herein or of any subsequent changes in applicable laws.

 

  Yours truly,
   
  /s/ K&L Gates LLP

 

 

 

Exhibit 8.1

 

Opinion of K&L Gates LLP

 

April 11, 2012

 

MFA Financial, Inc.
350 Park Avenue, 20 th Floor
New York, New York 10022

 

Re: Information in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading

“Additional Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”

 

Dear Sir or Madam:

 

In connection with the offering by MFA Financial, Inc., a Maryland corporation (the “Company”) of $100,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 8.00% Senior Notes due 2042 (the “Notes”) pursuant to the Company’s Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement on Form S-3, file number 333-170097, dated April 2, 2012, (as amended, the “Registration Statement”), and the Prospectus dated April 2, 2012 included in the Post-Effective Amendment, as supplemented by the accompanying Prospectus Supplement dated April 3, 2012 (the “Prospectus Supplement”), filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Rule 424(b) on April 4, 2012, you have requested our opinion concerning the information in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Additional Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations.”

 

In formulating our opinions, we have reviewed and relied upon the charter of the Company and the Registration Statement. In addition, we have relied upon the Company’s certificate (the “Officer’s Certificate”), executed by a duly appointed officer of the Company, setting forth certain factual representations relating to the organization and proposed operation of the Company. Where such factual representations in the Officer’s Certificate involve terms defined in the Code, the regulations promulgated by the Department of the Treasury (the “Regulations”), published rulings of the Internal Revenue Service (the “Service”), or other relevant authority, we have explained such terms to the Company’s representatives and we are satisfied that the Company’s representatives understand such terms and are capable of making such factual representations. We have also relied upon representations that the information presented in the Registration Statement accurately and completely describes all material facts. We have not verified any of those assumptions.

 

In rendering these opinions, we have assumed that the Company will be operated in the manner described in its organizational documents and in the Registration Statement.

 

Based upon and subject to the foregoing, it is our opinion that the statements in the Prospectus Supplement under the heading “Additional Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Considerations”, to the extent that such statements constitute matters of law, summaries of legal matters, or legal conclusions, have been reviewed by us and are correct in all material respects and accurately describe the federal income tax considerations that are likely to be material to a holder of the Notes.

 

 
 

 

MFA Financial, Inc.
April 11, 2012
Page 2

 

Our opinion is based on the Code, the Regulations, and the interpretations of the Code and such Regulations by the courts and the Service, all as they are in effect and exist at the date of this letter. It should be noted that statutes, regulations, judicial decisions, and administrative interpretations are subject to change at any time and, in some circumstances, with retroactive effect. A material change that is made after the date hereof in any of the foregoing bases for our opinions could affect our conclusions. Other than as expressly stated above, we express no opinion on any issue relating to the Company or any investment therein.

 

Notwithstanding any express or implied agreement, arrangement, or understanding to the contrary, the Company (and any employee, representative, or other agent of the Company) may disclose this opinion to any and all persons.

 

We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this 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 of 1933, as amended, nor do we admit we are experts with respect to any part of the Registration Statement within the meaning of the term “expert” as used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

  Very truly yours,
   
  /s/ K&L Gates LLP

 

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