UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 


Form 8-K

 


Current Report

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): June 12, 2007

 


DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 


Commission File Number: 001-33378

 

Delaware   36-2517428

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation)

 

(IRS Employer

Identification No.)

2500 Lake Cook Road, Riverwoods, Illinois 60015

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(224) 405-0900

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

 

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

On June 12, 2007, Discover Financial Services (the “Company”) issued $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2010 (the “Floating Rate Notes”) and $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 6.450% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “Fixed Rate Notes”). The Floating Rate Notes and the Fixed Rate Notes are collectively referred to herein as the “Notes.” Interest on the Floating Rate Notes accrues at a per annum rate equal to LIBOR plus 0.53%, which will be reset quarterly. The Notes were issued in reliance on exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

The Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture (the “Indenture”), dated as of June 12, 2007, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee. Copies of the Indenture, the form of Floating Rate Note and the form of Fixed Rate Note are attached hereto as Exhibit 4.1, Exhibit 4.2 and Exhibit 4.3, respectively, and are incorporated herein by reference.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the offering of the Notes for general corporate purposes, including to repay intercompany lending from Morgan Stanley.

 

Item 8.01. Other Events.

In connection with the issuance of the Notes, on June 12, 2007, the Company entered into a Registration Rights Agreement with Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, as representative of the initial purchasers of the Notes, which will give holders of the Notes certain exchange and registration rights with respect to the Notes. A copy of the Registration Rights Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit 4.4 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Other Exhibits.

The exhibits accompanying this report are listed in the accompanying Exhibit Index.

 

2


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.

 

    DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES
Dated: June 12, 2007.   By:  

/s/ Chris Greene

  Name:   Chris Greene
  Title:   Assistant Secretary

 

3


EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit No.  

Description

4.1   Indenture, dated as of June 12, 2007, between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.
4.2   Form of Floating Rate Senior Note due 2010.
4.3   Form of 6.450% Senior Note due 2017.
4.4   Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of June 12, 2007, between the Company and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, as representative of the initial purchasers of the Notes referenced therein.

 

4

EXHIBIT 4.1

 


DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES

AND

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Trustee

Senior Indenture

Dated as of June 12, 2007

 



CROSS REFERENCE SHEET(1)

Provisions of Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and Indenture to be dated as of June 12, 2007, between DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, Trustee:

 

Section of the Act

  

Section of the Indenture

310(a)(1) and 2    6.09
310(a)(3), (4) and (5)    Inapplicable
310(b)    6.08 and 6.10(a), (b) and (d)
310(c)    Inapplicable
311(a)    Inapplicable
311(b)    Inapplicable
311(c)    Inapplicable
312(a)    4.01
312(b)    Inapplicable
312(c)    Inapplicable
313(a)    4.04
313(b)(1)    Inapplicable
313(b)(2)    Inapplicable
313(c)    4.04
313(d)    4.04
314(a)    4.03
314(b)    Inapplicable
314(c)(1) and (2)    11.05
314(c)(3)    Inapplicable
314(d)    Inapplicable
314(e)    11.05
314(f)    Inapplicable
315(a), (c) and (d)    6.01
315(b)    5.11
315(e)    5.12
316(a)(1)    5.09
316(a)(2)    Inapplicable
316(a) (last sentence)    7.04
316(b)    5.07
316(c)    7.02(b)
317(a)    5.02
317(b)    3.04(a) and (b)
318(a)    11.07

(1) This Cross Reference Sheet is not part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS


 

          Page
   ARTICLE 1   
   D EFINITIONS   

Section 1.01.

   Certain Terms Defined    1
   ARTICLE 2   
   S ECURITIES   

Section 2.01.

   Forms Generally    6

Section 2.02.

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    6

Section 2.03.

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    7

Section 2.04.

   Authentication and Delivery of Securities    9

Section 2.05.

   Execution of Securities    11

Section 2.06.

   Certificate of Authentication    12

Section 2.07.

   Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest    12

Section 2.08.

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    13

Section 2.09.

   Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    16

Section 2.10.

   Cancellation of Securities; Disposition Thereof    17

Section 2.11.

   Temporary Securities    17
   ARTICLE 3   
   C OVENANTS O F T HE I SSUER   

Section 3.01.

   Payment of Principal and Interest    18

Section 3.02.

   Offices for Payments, etc    19

Section 3.03.

   Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee    20

Section 3.04.

   Paying Agents    20

Section 3.05.

   Written Statement to Trustee    20

Section 3.06.

   Negative Pledge    21

Section 3.07.

   Luxembourg Publications    21
   ARTICLE 4   
   S ECURITYHOLDERS L ISTS A ND R EPORTS B Y T HE I SSUER A ND T HE T RUSTEE   

Section 4.01.

   Issuer to Furnish Trustee Information as to Names and Addresses of Securityholders    21

Section 4.02.

   Preservation and Disclosure of Securityholders Lists    22

Section 4.03.

   Reports by the Issuer    22

Section 4.04.

   Reports by the Trustee    22

 

ii


   ARTICLE 5   
   R EMEDIES O F T HE T RUSTEE A ND S ECURITYHOLDERS O N E VENT O F D EFAULT   

Section 5.01.

   Event of Default Defined; Acceleration of Maturity; Waiver of Default    22

Section 5.02.

   Collection of Indebtedness by Trustee; Trustee may Prove Debt    24

Section 5.03.

   Application of Proceeds    26

Section 5.04.

   Suits for Enforcement    27

Section 5.05.

   Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceedings    27

Section 5.06.

   Limitations on Suits by Securityholders    27

Section 5.07.

   Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Institute Certain Suits    28

Section 5.08.

   Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission not Waiver of Default    28

Section 5.09.

   Control by Holders of Securities    28

Section 5.10.

   Waiver of Past Defaults    29

Section 5.11.

   Trustee to Give Notice of Default; But May Withhold in Certain Circumstances    29

Section 5.12.

   Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs    30
   ARTICLE 6   
   C ONCERNING T HE T RUSTEE   

Section 6.01.

   Duties And Responsibilities of the Trustee; During Default; Prior to Default    30

Section 6.02.

   Certain Rights of the Trustee    31

Section 6.03.

   Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof    32

Section 6.04.

   Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities or Coupons; Collections, etc    32

Section 6.05.

   Moneys Held by Trustee    32

Section 6.06.

   Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and its Prior Claim    33

Section 6.07.

   Right of Trustee to Rely on Officer’s Certificate, etc    33

Section 6.08.

   Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee    33

Section 6.09.

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee    34

Section 6.10.

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee    35

Section 6.11.

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee    36

Section 6.12.

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    37
   ARTICLE 7   
   C ONCERNING T HE S ECURITYHOLDERS   

Section 7.01.

   Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders    38

 

iii


Section 7.02.

  Proof of Execution of Instruments and of Holding of Securities    38

Section 7.03.

  Holders to be Treated as Owners    39

Section 7.04.

  Securities Owned by Issuer Deemed Not Outstanding    39

Section 7.05.

  Right of Revocation of Action Taken    40
 

ARTICLE 8

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

  
    

Section 8.01.

  Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders    40

Section 8.02.

  Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders    41

Section 8.03.

  Effect of Supplemental Indenture    42

Section 8.04.

  Documents to Be Given to Trustee    43

Section 8.05.

  Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures    43
 

ARTICLE 9

C ONSOLIDATION , M ERGER , S ALE O R C ONVEYANCE

  
    

Section 9.01.

  Covenant Not to Merge, Consolidate, Sell or Convey Property Except Under Certain Conditions    43

Section 9.02.

  Successor Corporation Substituted    43

Section 9.03.

  Opinion of Counsel Delivered to Trustee    44
 

ARTICLE 10

S ATISFACTION A ND D ISCHARGE O F I NDENTURE ; U NCLAIMED M ONEYS

  
    

Section 10.01.

  Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture    44

Section 10.02.

  Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities    48

Section 10.03.

  Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent    48

Section 10.04.

  Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years    48

Section 10.05.

  Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations    48
 

ARTICLE 11

M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS

  
    

Section 11.01.

  Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers And Directors Of Issuer Exempt From Individual Liability    49

Section 11.02.

  Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Holders of Securities and Coupons    49

Section 11.03.

  Successors and Assigns of Issuer Bound by Indenture    49

Section 11.04.

  Notices and Demands on Issuer, Trustee and Holders of Securities and Coupons    49

Section 11.05.

  Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to be Contained Therein    50

Section 11.06.

  Payments Due on Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays    51

 

iv


Section 11.07.

  Conflict of any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939    51

Section 11.08.

  NEW YORK LAW TO GOVERN    51

Section 11.09.

  Counterparts    51

Section 11.10.

  Effect Of Headings    51

Section 11.11.

  Securities in a Foreign Currency    51

Section 11.12.

  Judgment Currency    52
 

ARTICLE 12

R EDEMPTION O F S ECURITIES A ND S INKING F UNDS

  
    

Section 12.01.

  Applicability of Article    52

Section 12.02.

  Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions    53

Section 12.03.

  Payment of Securities Called for Redemption    54

Section 12.04.

  Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption    55

Section 12.05.

  Mandatory and Optional Sinking Funds    55

 

v


THIS SENIOR INDENTURE, dated as of June 12, 2007 between DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES, a Delaware corporation (the “Issuer “), and U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, as trustee (the “ Trustee “),

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, the Issuer has duly authorized the issue from time to time of its unsecured debentures, notes or other evidences of indebtedness to be issued in one or more series (the “ Securities “) up to such principal amount or amounts as may from time to time be authorized in accordance with the terms of this Indenture;

WHEREAS, the Issuer has duly authorized the execution and delivery of this Indenture to provide, among other things, for the authentication, delivery and administration of the Securities; and

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid indenture and agreement according to its terms have been done;

NOW, THEREFORE: In consideration of the premises and the purchases of the Securities by the holders thereof, the Issuer and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time of the Securities and of the coupons, if any, appertaining thereto as follows:

ARTICLE 1

D EFINITIONS

Section 1.01 . Certain Terms Defined. The following terms (except as otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise clearly requires) for all purposes of this Indenture and of any indenture supplemental hereto shall have the respective meanings specified in this Section. All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 or the definitions of which in the Securities Act of 1933 are referred to in the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, including terms defined therein by reference to the Securities Act of 1933 (except as herein otherwise expressly provided or unless the context otherwise requires), shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in said Trust Indenture Act and in said Securities Act as in force at the date of this Indenture. All accounting terms used herein and not expressly defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and the term “generally accepted accounting principles” means such accounting principles as are generally accepted at the time of any computation. The words “herein”, “hereof” 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. The terms defined in this Section include the plural as well as the singular.

Authenticating Agent ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 6.12.

Authorized Newspaper ” means a newspaper (which, in the case of The City of New York, will, if practicable, be The Wall Street Journal (Eastern Edition), in the case of the United Kingdom, will, if practicable, be the Financial Times (London Edition) and, in the case of Luxembourg, will, if practicable, be the Luxemburger Wort ) published in


an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in The City of New York, the United Kingdom or in Luxembourg, as applicable. If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof which is made or given with the approval of the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.

Board of Directors “ means either the Board of Directors of the Issuer or any committee of such Board duly authorized to act on its behalf.

Board Resolution ” means a copy of one or more resolutions, certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Issuer to have been duly adopted or consented to by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect, and delivered to the Trustee.

Business Day ” means, with respect to any Security, unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03, a day that in the city (or in any of the cities, if more than one) in which amounts are payable, as specified in the form of such Security, is not a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close.

Commission ” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, as from time to time constituted, created under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or if at any time after the execution and delivery 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 on such date.

Corporate Trust Office ” means the office of the Trustee at which this Indenture shall, at any particular time, be principally administered, which office is, at the date as of which this Indenture is dated, located in the borough of Manhattan, The City of New York.

Coupon ” means any interest coupon appertaining to a Security.

covenant defeasance ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.01(c).

Depositary ” means, with respect to the Securities of any series issuable or issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, the Person designated as Depositary by the Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03 until a successor Depositary shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “ Depositary ” shall mean or include each Person who is then a Depositary hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Depositary ” as used with respect to the Securities of any such series shall mean the Depositary with respect to the Registered Global Securities of that series.

Dollar ” means the coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment is legal tender for the payment of public and private debts.

Event of Default ” means any event or condition specified as such in Section 5.01.

 

2


Foreign Currency ” means a currency issued by the government of a country other than the United States (or any currency unit comprised of any such currencies).

Holder ”, “ Holder of Securities ”, “ Securityholder ” or other similar terms mean (a) in the case of any Registered Security, the Person in whose name such Security is registered in the security register kept by the Issuer for that purpose in accordance with the terms hereof, and (b) in the case of any Unregistered Security, the bearer of such Security, or any Coupon appertaining thereto, as the case may be.

Indenture ” means this instrument as originally executed and delivered or, if amended or supplemented as herein provided, as so amended or supplemented or both, and shall include the forms and terms of particular series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

Interest ” means, when used with respect to non-interest bearing Securities, interest payable after maturity.

Issuer ” means (except as otherwise provided in Article Six) Discover Financial Services, a Delaware corporation and, subject to Article Nine, its successors and assigns.

Issuer Order ” means a written statement, request or order of the Issuer signed in its name by any one of the following: the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the General Counsel, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer or any other person authorized by the Board of Directors to execute any such written statement, request or order.

Judgment Currency ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.12.

Officer’s Certificate ” means a certificate (i) signed by any one of the following: the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the General Counsel, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer or any other person authorized by the Board of Directors to execute any such certificate and (ii) delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and include the statements provided for in Section 11.05.

Opinion of Counsel ” means an opinion in writing signed by the General Counsel of the Issuer or by such other legal counsel who may be an employee of or counsel to the Issuer and who shall be satisfactory to the Trustee. Each such opinion shall comply with Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and include the statements provided for in Section 11.05.

original issue date ” of any Security (or portion thereof) means the earlier of (a) the date of such Security or (b) the date of any Security (or portion thereof) for which such Security was issued (directly or indirectly) on registration of transfer, exchange or substitution.

Original Issue Discount Security ” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.01.

 

3


Outstanding ” when used with reference to Securities, shall, subject to the provisions of Section 7.04, mean, as of any particular time, all Securities authenticated and delivered by the Trustee under this Indenture, except

(a) Securities theretofore cancelled by the Trustee or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation;

(b) Securities, or portions thereof, for the payment or redemption of which moneys or U.S. Government Obligations (as provided for in Section 10.01) in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Issuer) or shall have been set aside, segregated and held in trust by the Issuer for the Holders of such Securities (if the Issuer shall act as its own paying agent), provided that if such Securities, or portions thereof, are to be redeemed prior to the maturity thereof, notice of such redemption shall have been given as herein provided, or provision satisfactory to the Trustee shall have been made for giving such notice; and

(c) Securities which shall have been paid or in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered pursuant to the terms of Section 2.09 (except with respect to any such Security as to which proof satisfactory to the Trustee is presented that such Security is held by a person in whose hands such Security is a legal, valid and binding obligation of the Issuer).

In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any or all series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of an Original Issue Discount Security that shall be deemed to be Outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.01.

Periodic Offering ” means an offering of Securities of a series from time to time, the specific terms of which Securities, including, without limitation, the rate or rates of interest, if any, thereon, the stated maturity or maturities thereof and the redemption provisions, if any, with respect thereto, are to be determined by the Issuer or its agents upon the issuance of such Securities.

Person ” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

principal ” whenever used with reference to the Securities or any Security or any portion thereof, shall be deemed to include “and premium, if any”.

Principal Subsidiaries ” means Discover Bank and Goldfish Credit Servicing Inc. or any subsidiary succeeding to any substantial part of the business now conducted by any of those corporations.

record date ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.07.

Redemption Notice Period ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 12.02.

 

4


Registered Global Security ” means a Security evidencing all or a part of a series of Registered Securities, issued to the Depositary for such series in accordance with Section 2.04, and bearing the legend prescribed in Section 2.04.

Registered Security ” means any Security registered on the Security register of the Issuer.

Required Currency ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 11.12.

Responsible Officer ” when used with respect to the Trustee means the chairman of the Board of Directors, any vice chairman of the board of directors, the chairman of the trust committee, the chairman of the executive committee, any vice chairman of the executive committee, the president, any vice president (whether or not designated by numbers or words added before or after the title “vice president”) the cashier, the secretary, the treasurer, any trust officer, any assistant trust officer, any assistant vice president, any assistant cashier, any assistant secretary, any assistant treasurer, or any other officer or assistant officer of the Trustee customarily performing functions similar to those performed by the persons who at the time shall be such officers, respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject.

Security ” or “ Securities ” has the meaning stated in the first recital of this Indenture, or, as the case may be, Securities that have been authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

Subsidiary ” means any corporation, partnership or other entity of which at the time of determination the Issuer owns or controls directly or indirectly more than 50% of the shares of the voting stock or equivalent interest.

Trustee ” means the Person identified as “ Trustee ” in the first paragraph hereof and, subject to the provisions of Article 6, shall also include any successor trustee. “Trustee “ shall also mean or include each Person who is then a trustee hereunder and if at any time there is more than one such Person, “ Trustee ” as used with respect to the Securities of any series shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

Unregistered Security ” means any Security other than a Registered Security.

U.S. Government Obligations ” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 10.01(a).

U.S. Person ” means a United States person as defined in Section 7701(a)(30) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

Voting Securities ” means stock of any class or classes having general voting power under ordinary circumstances to elect a majority of the board of directors, managers or trustees of the relevant Subsidiary, other than stock that carries only the conditional right to vote upon the happening of an event, whether or not that event has happened.

Yield to Maturity ” means the yield to maturity on a series of Securities, calculated at the time of issuance of such series, or, if applicable, at the most recent redetermination of interest on such series, and calculated in accordance with accepted financial practice.

 

5


ARTICLE 2

S ECURITIES

Section 2.01 . Forms Generally. The Securities of each series and the Coupons, if any, to be attached thereto shall be substantially in such form (not inconsistent with this Indenture) as shall be established by or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions (as set forth in a Board Resolution or, to the extent established pursuant to rather than set forth in a Board Resolution, an Officer’s Certificate detailing such establishment) or in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, in each case with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as are required or permitted by this Indenture and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends or endorsements, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture, as may be required to comply with any law or with any rules or regulations pursuant thereto, or with any rules of any securities exchange or to conform to general usage, all as may be determined by the officers executing such Securities and Coupons, if any, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities and Coupons. The definitive Securities and Coupons, if any, shall be printed, lithographed or engraved on steel engraved borders or may be produced in any other manner, all as determined by the officers executing such Securities and Coupons, if any, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities and Coupons, if any.

Section 2.02 . Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication. The Trustee’s certificate of authentication on all Securities shall be in substantially the following form:

“This is one of the Securities referred to in the within-mentioned Senior Indenture.

 

 

as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer

If at any time there shall be an Authenticating Agent appointed with respect to any series of Securities, then the Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication to be borne by the Securities of each such series shall be substantially as follows:

“This is one of the Securities referred to in the within-mentioned Senior Indenture.

 

 

as Authenticating agent

By:  

 

  Authorized Officer

 

6


Section 2.03 . Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited.

The Securities may be issued in one or more series and each such series shall rank equally and pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated debt of the Issuer. There shall be established in or pursuant to one or more Board Resolutions (and to the extent established pursuant to rather than set forth in a Board Resolution, in an Officer’s Certificate detailing such establishment) or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the initial issuance of Securities of any series,

(a) the designation of the Securities of the series, which shall distinguish the Securities of the series from the Securities of all other series;

(b) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the series that 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 the series pursuant to Section 2.08, 2.09, 2.11, 8.05 or 12.03);

(c) if other than Dollars, the coin or currency in which the Securities of the series are denominated (including, but not limited to, any Foreign Currency);

(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the series is payable;

(e) the rate or rates at which the Securities of the series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, on which such interest shall be payable and (in the case of Registered Securities) on which a record shall be taken for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable and/or the method by which such rate or rates or date or dates shall be determined;

(f) the place or places where the principal of and any interest on Securities of the series shall be payable (if other than as provided in Section 3.02);

(g) the right, if any, of the Issuer to redeem Securities, in whole or in part, at its option and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and any terms and conditions, including the Redemption Notice Period, upon which Securities of the series may be so redeemed, pursuant to any sinking fund or otherwise;

(h) the obligation, if any, of the Issuer to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the series pursuant to any mandatory redemption, sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the price or prices at which and the period or periods within which and any terms and conditions upon which Securities of the series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(i) if other than denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000, in excess thereof, the denominations in which Securities of the series shall be issuable;

 

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(j) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof;

(k) if other than the coin or currency in which the Securities of the series are denominated, the coin or currency in which payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of the series shall be payable;

(l) if the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series are to be payable, at the election of the Issuer or a Holder thereof, in a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities are denominated, the period or periods within which, and the terms and conditions upon which, such election may be made;

(m) if the amount of payments of principal of and interest on the Securities of the series may be determined with reference to an index based on a coin or currency other than that in which the Securities of the series are denominated, or with reference to any currencies, securities or baskets of securities, commodities or indices, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(n) if the Holders of the Securities of the series may convert or exchange the Securities of the series into or for securities of the Issuer or of other entities or other property (or the cash value thereof), the specific terms of and period during which such conversion or exchange may be made;

(o) whether the Securities of the series will be issuable as Registered Securities (and if so, whether such Securities will be issuable as Registered Global Securities) or Unregistered Securities (with or without Coupons), or any combination of the foregoing, any restrictions applicable to the offer, sale, transfer, exchange or delivery of Unregistered Securities or Registered Securities or the payment of interest thereon and, if other than as provided in Section 2.08, the terms upon which Unregistered Securities of the series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the series and vice versa;

(p) whether and under what circumstances the Issuer will pay additional amounts on the Securities of the series held by a Person who is not a U.S. Person in respect of any tax, assessment or governmental charge withheld or deducted and, if so, whether the Issuer will have the option to redeem such Securities rather than pay such additional amounts;

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

(r) any trustees, depositaries, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or any other agents with respect to the Securities of the series;

(s) any other events of default or covenants with respect to the Securities of the series; and

 

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(t) any other terms of the series.

All Securities of any one series and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto, shall be substantially identical, except in the case of Registered Securities as to denomination and except as may otherwise be provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution or Officer’s Certificate referred to above or as set forth in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to such Board Resolution, such Officer’s Certificate or in any such indenture supplemental hereto.

Notwithstanding Section 2.03(b) hereof and unless otherwise expressly provided with respect to a series of Securities, the aggregate principal amount of a series of Securities may be increased and additional Securities of such series may be issued up to a maximum aggregate principal amount authorized with respect to such series as increased.

Section 2.04 . Authentication and Delivery of Securities. (a) The Issuer may deliver Securities of any series having attached thereto appropriate Coupons, if any, executed by the Issuer to the Trustee for authentication together with the applicable documents referred to below in this Section, and the Trustee shall thereupon authenticate and deliver such Securities to or upon the order of the Issuer (contained in the Issuer Order referred to below in this Section) or pursuant to such procedures acceptable to the Trustee and to such recipients as may be specified from time to time by an Issuer Order. The maturity date, original issue date, interest rate and any other terms of the Securities of such series and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto (including Redemption Notice Periods) shall be determined by or pursuant to such Issuer Order and procedures. If provided for in such procedures, such Issuer Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral instructions from the Issuer or its duly authorized agent, which instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive (in the case of subparagraphs 2.04(a)(ii), 2.04(a)(iii) and 2.04(a)(iv) below only at or before the time of the first request of the Issuer to the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such series) and (subject to Section 6.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, unless and until such documents have been superseded or revoked:

(i) an Issuer Order requesting such authentication and setting forth delivery instructions if the Securities and Coupons, if any, are not to be delivered to the Issuer, provided that, with respect to Securities of a series subject to a Periodic Offering, (a) such Issuer Order may be delivered by the Issuer to the Trustee prior to the delivery to the Trustee of such Securities for authentication and delivery, (b) the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue from time to time, in an aggregate principal amount not exceeding the aggregate principal amount established for such series, pursuant to an Issuer Order or pursuant to procedures acceptable to the Trustee as may be specified from time to time by an Issuer Order, (c) the maturity date or dates, original issue date or dates, interest rate or rates and any other terms of Securities of such series (including Redemption Notice Periods) shall be determined by an Issuer Order or pursuant to such procedures and (d) if provided for in such procedures, such Issuer Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Issuer or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing;

 

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(ii) any Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate and/or executed supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.01 and 2.03 by or pursuant to which the forms and terms of the Securities and Coupons, if any, were established;

(iii) an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the form or forms and terms of the Securities and Coupons, if any, stating that the form or forms and terms of the Securities and Coupons, if any, have been established pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.03 and comply with this Indenture, and covering such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request; and

(iv) at the option of the Issuer, either an Opinion of Counsel, or a letter addressed to the Trustee permitting it to rely on an Opinion of Counsel, substantially to the effect that:

(A) the forms of the Securities and Coupons, if any, have been duly authorized and established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(B) in the case of an underwritten offering, the terms of the Securities have been duly authorized and established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture, and, in the case of an offering that is not underwritten, certain terms of the Securities have been established pursuant to a Board Resolution, an Officer’s Certificate or a supplemental indenture in accordance with this Indenture, and when such other terms as are to be established pursuant to procedures set forth in an Issuer Order shall have been established, all such terms will have been duly authorized by the Issuer and will have been established in conformity with the provisions of this Indenture;

(C) when the Securities and Coupons, if any, have been executed by the Issuer and authenticated by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture and delivered to and duly paid for by the purchasers thereof, they will have been duly issued under this Indenture and will be valid and binding obligations of the Issuer, enforceable in accordance with their respective terms, and will be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture; and

(D) the execution and delivery by the Issuer of, and the performance by the Issuer of its obligations under, the Securities and Coupons, if any, will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate of incorporation or by-laws of the Issuer or any agreement or other instrument binding upon the Issuer or any of its consolidated subsidiaries that is material to the Issuer and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, or, to the best of such counsel’s knowledge, any judgment, order or decree of any U.S. governmental body, agency or court having jurisdiction over the Issuer or any of its consolidated subsidiaries, and no consent, approval or authorization of any U.S. governmental body or

 

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agency is required for the performance by the Issuer of its obligations under the Securities and Coupons, if any, except such as are specified and have been obtained and such as may be required by the securities or blue sky laws of the various states in connection with the offer and sale of the Securities and Coupons, if any.

In rendering such opinions, such counsel may qualify any opinions as to enforceability by stating that such enforceability may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, liquidation, moratorium and other similar laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and is subject to general principles of equity (regardless of whether such enforceability is considered in a proceeding in equity or at law). Such counsel may rely, as to all matters governed by the laws of jurisdictions other than the State of New York and the federal law of the United States, upon opinions of other counsel (copies of which shall be delivered to the Trustee), who shall be counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee, in which case the opinion shall state that such counsel believes he and the Trustee are entitled so to rely. Such counsel may also state that, insofar as such opinion involves factual matters, he has relied, to the extent he deems proper, upon certificates of officers of the Issuer and its subsidiaries and certificates of public officials.

The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities under this Section if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not lawfully be taken by the Issuer or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors or board of trustees, executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or trustees or Responsible Officers shall determine that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to existing Holders or would affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under the Securities, this Indenture or otherwise.

If the Issuer shall establish pursuant to Section 2.03 that the Securities of a series are to be issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities, then the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall, in accordance with this Section and the Issuer Order with respect to such series, authenticate and deliver one or more Registered Global Securities that (i) shall represent and shall be denominated in an amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all of the Securities of such series issued and not yet cancelled, (ii) shall be registered in the name of the Depositary for such Registered Global Security or Securities or the nominee of such Depositary, (iii) shall be delivered by the Trustee to such Depositary or pursuant to such Depositary’s instructions and (iv) shall bear a legend substantially to the following effect: “Unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive registered form, this Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary to the nominee of the Depositary or by a nominee of the Depositary to the Depositary or another nominee of the Depositary or by the Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary or a nominee of such successor Depositary.”

Each Depositary designated pursuant to Section 2.03 must, at the time of its designation and at all times while it serves as Depositary, be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any other applicable statute or regulation.

Section 2.05 . Execution of Securities. The Securities and, if applicable, each Coupon appertaining thereto shall be signed on behalf of the Issuer by any one of the

 

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following: the Chief Executive Officer, the President, the Chief Financial Officer, any Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, the General Counsel, the Treasurer, the General Counsel, the Treasurer, any Assistant Treasurer or any other person authorized by the Board of Directors to execute Securities or, if applicable, Coupons, which Securities or Coupons may, but need not, be attested. Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such officers. Minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee.

In case any officer of the Issuer who shall have signed any of the Securities or Coupons, if any, shall cease to be such officer before the Security or Coupon so signed (or the Security to which the Coupon so signed appertains) shall be authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or disposed of by the Issuer, such Security or Coupon nevertheless may be authenticated and delivered or disposed of as though the person who signed such Security or Coupon had not ceased to be such officer of the Issuer; and any Security or Coupon may be signed on behalf of the Issuer by such persons as, at the actual date of the execution of such Security or Coupon, shall be the proper officers of the Issuer, although at the date of the execution and delivery of this Indenture any such person was not such an officer.

Section 2.06 . Certificate of Authentication. Only such Securities as shall bear thereon a certificate of authentication substantially in the form hereinbefore recited, executed by the Trustee by the manual signature of one of its authorized officers, shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose. No Coupon shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or shall be valid and obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication on the Security to which such Coupon appertains shall have been duly executed by the Trustee. The execution of such certificate by the Trustee upon any Security executed by the Issuer shall be conclusive evidence that the Security so authenticated has been duly authenticated and delivered hereunder and that the Holder is entitled to the benefits of this Indenture.

Section 2.07 . Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest. The Securities of each series shall be issuable as Registered Securities or Unregistered Securities in denominations established as contemplated by Section 2.03 or, if not so established, in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. The Securities of each series shall be numbered, lettered or otherwise distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plan as the officers of the Issuer executing the same may determine with the approval of the Trustee, as evidenced by the execution and authentication thereof.

Each Registered Security shall be dated the date of its authentication. Each Unregistered Security shall be dated as provided in the resolution or resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Issuer referred to in Section 2.03. The Securities of each series shall bear interest, if any, from the date, and such interest shall be payable on the dates, established as contemplated by Section 2.03.

The Person in whose name any Registered Security of any series is registered at the close of business on any record date applicable to a particular series with respect to any interest payment date for such series shall be entitled to receive the interest, if any, payable on such interest payment date notwithstanding any transfer or exchange of such

 

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Registered Security subsequent to the record date and prior to such interest payment date, except if and to the extent the Issuer shall default in the payment of the interest due on such interest payment date for such series, in which case such defaulted interest shall be paid to the Persons in whose names Outstanding Registered Securities for such series are registered at the close of business on a subsequent record date (which shall be not less than five Business Days prior to the date of payment of such defaulted interest) established by notice given by mail by or on behalf of the Issuer to the Holders of Registered Securities not less than 15 days preceding such subsequent record date. The term “record date” as used with respect to any interest payment date (except a date for payment of defaulted interest) for the Securities of any series shall mean the date specified as such in the terms of the Registered Securities of such series established as contemplated by Section 2.03, or, if no such date is so established, if such interest payment date is the first day of a calendar month, the fifteenth day of the next preceding calendar month or, if such interest payment date is the fifteenth day of a calendar month, the first day of such calendar month, whether or not such record date is a Business Day.

Section 2.08 . Registration, Transfer and Exchange. The Issuer will keep at each office or agency to be maintained for the purpose as provided in Section 3.02 for each series of Securities a register or registers in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, it will provide for the registration of Registered Securities of such series and the registration of transfer of Registered Securities of such series. Such register shall be in written form in the English language or in any other form capable of being converted into such form within a reasonable time. At all reasonable times such register or registers shall be open for inspection by the Trustee.

Upon due presentation for registration of transfer of any Registered Security of any series at any such office or agency to be maintained for the purpose as provided in Section 3.02, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in the name of the transferee or transferees a new Registered Security or Registered Securities of the same series, maturity date, interest rate and original issue date in authorized denominations for a like aggregate principal amount.

Unregistered Securities (except for any temporary global Unregistered Securities) and Coupons (except for Coupons attached to any temporary global Unregistered Securities) shall be transferable by delivery.

At the option of the Holder thereof, Registered Securities of any series (other than a Registered Global Security, except as set forth below) may be exchanged for a Registered Security or Registered Securities of such series having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Registered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Issuer that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 3.02 and upon payment, if the Issuer shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided. If the Securities of any series are issued in both registered and unregistered form, except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03, at the option of the Holder thereof, Unregistered Securities of any series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of such series having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Unregistered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Issuer that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 3.02, with, in the case of Unregistered Securities that have Coupons attached, all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining, and upon payment, if the Issuer shall so require, of the charges hereinafter

 

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provided. At the option of the Holder thereof, if Unregistered Securities of any series, maturity date, interest rate and original issue date are issued in more than one authorized denomination, except as otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03, such Unregistered Securities may be exchanged for Unregistered Securities of such series having authorized denominations and an equal aggregate principal amount, upon surrender of such Unregistered Securities to be exchanged at the agency of the Issuer that shall be maintained for such purpose in accordance with Section 3.02 or as specified pursuant to Section 2.03, with, in the case of Unregistered Securities that have Coupons attached, all unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupons in default thereto appertaining, and upon payment, if the Issuer shall so require, of the charges hereinafter provided. Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.03, Registered Securities of any series may not be exchanged for Unregistered Securities of such series. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. All Securities and Coupons surrendered upon any exchange or transfer provided for in this Indenture shall be promptly cancelled and disposed of by the Trustee and the Trustee will deliver a certificate of disposition thereof to the Issuer.

All Registered Securities presented for registration of transfer, exchange, redemption or payment shall (if so required by the Issuer or the Trustee) be duly endorsed by, or be accompanied by a written instrument or instruments of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee duly executed by the Holder or his attorney duly authorized in writing.

The Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any exchange or registration of transfer of Securities. No service charge shall be made for any such transaction.

The Issuer shall not be required to exchange or register a transfer of (a) any Securities of any series for a period of 15 days next preceding the first mailing of notice of redemption of Securities of such series to be redeemed or (b) any Securities selected, called or being called for redemption, in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Security to be redeemed in part, the portion thereof not so to be redeemed or (c) any Securities if the Holder thereof has exercised any right to require the Issuer to repurchase such Securities, in whole or in part, except, in the case of any Security to be repurchased in part, the portion thereof not so to be repurchased.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.08, unless and until it is exchanged in whole or in part for Securities in definitive registered form, a Registered Global Security representing all or a portion of the Securities of a series may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depositary for such series to a nominee of such Depositary or by a nominee of such Depositary to such Depositary or another nominee of such Depositary or by such Depositary or any such nominee to a successor Depositary for such series or a nominee of such successor Depositary.

If at any time the Depositary for any Registered Securities of a series represented by one or more Registered Global Securities notifies the Issuer that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depositary for such Registered Securities or if at any time the Depositary for such Registered Securities shall no longer be eligible under Section 2.04, the Issuer shall appoint a successor Depositary eligible under Section 2.04 with respect to

 

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such Registered Securities. If a successor Depositary eligible under Section 2.04 for such Registered Securities is not appointed by the Issuer within 90 days after the Issuer receives such notice or becomes aware of such ineligibility, the Issuer’s election pursuant to Section 2.03 that such Registered Securities be represented by one or more Registered Global Securities shall no longer be effective and the Issuer will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officer’s Certificate for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series in definitive registered form without coupons, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Registered Global Security or Securities representing such Registered Securities in exchange for such Registered Global Security or Securities.

Subject to the procedures of the Depositary, the Issuer may at any time and in its sole discretion determine that the Registered Securities of any series issued in the form of one or more Registered Global Securities shall no longer be represented by a Registered Global Security or Securities. In such event the Issuer will execute, and the Trustee, upon receipt of an Officer’s Certificate for the authentication and delivery of definitive Securities of such series, will authenticate and deliver, Securities of such series in definitive registered form without coupons, in any authorized denominations, in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Registered Global Security or Securities representing such Registered Securities, in exchange for such Registered Global Security or Securities.

If specified by the Issuer pursuant to Section 2.03 with respect to Securities represented by a Registered Global Security, the Depositary for such Registered Global Security may surrender such Registered Global Security in exchange in whole or in part for Securities of the same series in definitive registered form on such terms as are acceptable to the Issuer and such Depositary. Thereupon, the Issuer shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, without service charge,

(i) to the Person specified by such Depositary a new Registered Security or Securities of the same series, of any authorized denominations as requested by such Person, in an aggregate principal amount equal to and in exchange for such Person’s beneficial interest in the Registered Global Security; and

(ii) to such Depositary a new Registered Global Security in a denomination equal to the difference, if any, between the principal amount of the surrendered Registered Global Security and the aggregate principal amount of Registered Securities authenticated and delivered pursuant to clause Section 2.08(i) above.

Upon the exchange of a Registered Global Security for Securities in definitive registered form without coupons, in authorized denominations, such Registered Global Security shall be cancelled by the Trustee or an agent of the Issuer or the Trustee. Securities in definitive registered form without coupons issued in exchange for a Registered Global Security pursuant to this Section 2.08 shall be registered in such names and in such authorized denominations as the Depositary for such Registered Global Security, pursuant to instructions from its direct or indirect participants or otherwise, shall instruct the Trustee or an agent of the Issuer or the Trustee. The Trustee or such agent shall deliver such Securities to or as directed by the Persons in whose names such Securities are so registered.

 

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All Securities issued upon any transfer or exchange of Securities shall be valid obligations of the Issuer, evidencing the same debt, and entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture, as the Securities surrendered upon such transfer or exchange.

Notwithstanding anything herein or in the terms of any series of Securities to the contrary, none of the Issuer, the Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee (any of which, other than the Issuer, shall rely on an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel) shall be required to exchange any Unregistered Security for a Registered Security if such exchange would result in adverse Federal income tax consequences to the Issuer (such as, for example, the inability of the Issuer to deduct from its income, as computed for Federal income tax purposes, the interest payable on the Unregistered Securities) under then applicable United States Federal income tax laws.

Section 2.09 . Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities. In case any temporary or definitive Security or any Coupon appertaining to any Security shall become mutilated, defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Issuer in its discretion may execute, and upon the written request of any officer of the Issuer, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver a new Security of the same series, maturity date, interest rate and original issue date, bearing a number or other distinguishing symbol not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated or defaced Security, or in lieu of and in substitution for the Security so destroyed, lost or stolen with Coupons corresponding to the Coupons appertaining to the Securities so mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen, or in exchange or substitution for the Security to which such mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Coupon appertained, with Coupons appertaining thereto corresponding to the Coupons so mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substitute Security or Coupon shall furnish to the Issuer and to the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee such security or indemnity as may be required by them to indemnify and defend and to save each of them harmless and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security or Coupon and of the ownership thereof and in the case of mutilation or defacement shall surrender the Security and related Coupons to the Trustee or such agent.

At the expense of the holder, the Issuer may, in its discretion, replace any Securities that become mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen or are apparently destroyed, lost or stolen. The mutilated Securities must be delivered to the Trustee. At the expense of the holder, an indemnity that is satisfactory to the Trustee may be required before a replacement Security will be issued. In case any Security or Coupon which has matured or is about to mature or has been called for redemption in full shall become mutilated or defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Issuer may instead of issuing a substitute Security, pay or authorize the payment of the same or the relevant Coupon (without surrender thereof except in the case of a mutilated or defaced Security or Coupon), if the applicant for such payment shall furnish to the Issuer and to the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee such security or indemnity as any of them may require to save each of them harmless, and, in every case of destruction, loss or theft, the applicant shall also furnish to the Issuer and the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security or Coupon and of the ownership thereof.

 

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Every substitute Security or Coupon of any series issued pursuant to the provisions of this Section by virtue of the fact that any such Security or Coupon is destroyed, lost or stolen shall constitute an additional contractual obligation of the Issuer, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security or Coupon shall be at any time enforceable by anyone and shall be entitled to all the benefits of (but shall be subject to all the limitations of rights set forth in) this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities or Coupons of such series duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. All Securities and Coupons shall be held and owned upon the express condition that, to the extent permitted by law, the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, defaced or destroyed, lost or stolen Securities and Coupons and shall preclude any and all other rights or remedies notwithstanding any law or statute existing or hereafter enacted to the contrary with respect to the replacement or payment of negotiable instruments or other securities without their surrender.

Section 2.10 . Cancellation of Securities; Disposition Thereof. All Securities and Coupons surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any payment in respect of a sinking or analogous fund, if surrendered to the Issuer or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee or any agent of the Trustee, shall be delivered to the Trustee or its agent for cancellation or, if surrendered to the Trustee, shall be cancelled by it; and no Securities or Coupons shall be issued in lieu thereof except as expressly permitted by any of the provisions of this Indenture. The Trustee or its agent shall dispose of cancelled Securities and Coupons held by it and deliver a certificate of disposition to the Issuer. If the Issuer or its agent shall acquire any of the Securities or Coupons, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities or Coupons unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee or its agent for cancellation.

Section 2.11 . Temporary Securities. Pending the preparation of definitive Securities for any series, the Issuer may execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver temporary Securities for such series (printed, lithographed, typewritten or otherwise reproduced, in each case in form satisfactory to the Trustee). Temporary Securities of any series shall be issuable as Registered Securities without coupons, or as Unregistered Securities with or without coupons attached thereto, of any authorized denomination, and substantially in the form of the definitive Securities of such series but with such omissions, insertions and variations as may be appropriate for temporary Securities, all as may be determined by the Issuer with the concurrence of the Trustee as evidenced by the execution and authentication thereof. Temporary Securities may contain such references to any provisions of this Indenture as may be appropriate. Every temporary Security shall be executed by the Issuer and be authenticated by the Trustee upon the same conditions and in substantially the same manner, and with like effect, as the definitive Securities. Without unreasonable delay the Issuer shall execute and shall furnish definitive Securities of such series and thereupon temporary Registered Securities of such series may be surrendered in exchange therefor without charge at each office or agency to be maintained by the Issuer for that purpose pursuant to Section 3.02 and, in the case of Unregistered Securities, at any agency maintained by the Issuer for such purpose as specified pursuant to Section 2.03, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange for such temporary Securities of such series an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same series having authorized denominations and, in the case of Unregistered Securities, having attached thereto any appropriate Coupons. Until so exchanged, the temporary Securities of any series shall be

 

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entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of such series, unless otherwise established pursuant to Section 2.03. The provisions of this Section are subject to any restrictions or limitations on the issue and delivery of temporary Unregistered Securities of any series that may be established pursuant to Section 2.03 (including any provision that Unregistered Securities of such series initially be issued in the form of a single global Unregistered Security to be delivered to a depositary or agency located outside the United States and the procedures pursuant to which definitive or global Unregistered Securities of such series would be issued in exchange for such temporary global Unregistered Security).

ARTICLE 3

C OVENANTS O F T HE I SSUER

Section 3.01 . Payment of Principal and Interest. The Issuer covenants and agrees for the benefit of each series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay or cause to be paid the principal of, and interest on, each of the Securities of such series (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) at the place or places, at the respective times and in the manner provided in such Securities and in the Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto and in this Indenture. The interest on Securities with Coupons attached (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the several Coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they severally mature. If any temporary Unregistered Security provides that interest thereon may be paid while such Security is in temporary form, the interest on any such temporary Unregistered Security (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Security) shall be paid, as to the installments of interest evidenced by Coupons attached thereto, if any, only upon presentation and surrender thereof, and, as to the other installments of interest, if any, only upon presentation of such Securities for notation thereon of the payment of such interest, in each case subject to any restrictions that may be established pursuant to Section 2.03. The interest on Registered Securities (together with any additional amounts payable pursuant to the terms of such Securities) shall be payable only to or upon the written order of the Holders thereof and, at the option of the Issuer, may be paid by wire transfer or by mailing checks for such interest payable to or upon the written order of such Holders at their last addresses as they appear on the registry books of the Issuer.

Section 3.02 . Offices for Payments, etc. So long as any Registered Securities are authorized for issuance pursuant to this Indenture or are outstanding hereunder, the Issuer will maintain an office or agency where the Registered Securities of each series may be presented for payment, where the Securities of each series may be presented for exchange as is provided in this Indenture and, if applicable, pursuant to Section 2.03 and where the Registered Securities of each series may be presented for registration of transfer as in this Indenture provided.

The Issuer initially appoints the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, as its agency for the foregoing purposes and initially appoints the Trustee as Paying Agent for each series of Securities. The Issuer may subsequently appoint a different office or agency of the Issuer in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York. The Issuer further initially appoints the Trustee at

 

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said Corporate Trust Office as Security registrar for each series of Securities. The Issuer will 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 will be effective until a successor Security registrar with respect to such series of Securities has been appointed by the Issuer and has accepted such appointment.

The Issuer will maintain one or more offices or agencies in a city or cities located outside the United States (including any city in which such an agency is required to be maintained under the rules of any stock exchange on which the Securities of such series are listed) where the Unregistered Securities, if any, of each series and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto may be presented for payment. No payment on any Unregistered Security or Coupon will be made upon presentation of such Unregistered Security or Coupon at an agency of the Issuer within the United States nor will any payment be made by transfer to an account in, or by mail to an address in, the United States unless pursuant to applicable United States laws and regulations then in effect such payment can be made without adverse tax consequences to the Issuer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, payments in Dollars of Unregistered Securities of any series and Coupons appertaining thereto which are payable in Dollars may be made at an agency of the Issuer maintained in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York if such payment in Dollars at each agency maintained by the Issuer outside the United States for payment on such Unregistered Securities is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Issuer will maintain in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, an office or agency where notices and demands to or upon the Issuer in respect of the Securities of any series, the Coupons appertaining thereto or this Indenture may be served.

The Issuer will give to the Trustee written notice of the location of each such office or agency and of any change of location thereof. In case the Issuer shall fail to give such notice of the location or of any change in the location of any of the above agencies, presentations and demands may be made and notices may be served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee.

The Issuer may from time to time designate one or more additional offices or agencies where the Securities of a series and any Coupons appertaining thereto may be presented for payment, where the Securities of that series may be presented for exchange as provided in this Indenture and pursuant to Section 2.03 and where the Registered Securities of that series may be presented for registration of transfer as in this Indenture provided, and the Issuer may from time to time rescind any such designation, as the Issuer may deem desirable or expedient; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Issuer of its obligation to maintain the agencies provided for in this Section. The Issuer will give to the Trustee prompt written notice of any such designation or rescission thereof.

Section 3.03 . Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee. The Issuer, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 6.09, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to each series of Securities hereunder.

 

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Section 3.04 . Paying Agents. Whenever the Issuer shall appoint a paying agent other than the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series, it will cause such paying agent to execute and deliver to the Trustee an instrument in which such agent shall agree with the Trustee, subject to the provisions of this Section,

(a) that it will hold all sums received by it as such agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series (whether such sums have been paid to it by the Issuer or by any other obligor on the Securities of such series) in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series, or Coupons appertaining thereto, if any, or of the Trustee,

(b) that it will give the Trustee notice of any failure by the Issuer (or by any other obligor on the Securities of such series) to make any payment of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series when the same shall be due and payable, and

(c) that it will pay any such sums so held in trust by it to the Trustee upon the Trustee’s written request at any time during the continuance of the failure referred to in clause 3.04(b) above.

The Issuer will, on or prior to each due date of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series, deposit with the paying agent a sum sufficient to pay such principal or interest so becoming due, and (unless such paying agent is the Trustee) the Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee of any failure to take such action.

If the Issuer shall act as its own paying agent with respect to the Securities of any series, it will, on or before each due date of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such series, set aside, segregate and hold in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series or the Coupons appertaining thereto a sum sufficient to pay such principal or interest so becoming due. The Issuer will promptly notify the Trustee of any failure to take such action.

Anything in this Section to the contrary notwithstanding, but subject to Section 10.01, the Issuer may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and discharge with respect to one or more or all series of Securities hereunder, or for any other reason, pay or cause to be paid to the Trustee all sums held in trust for any such series by the Issuer or any paying agent hereunder, as required by this Section, such sums to be held by the Trustee upon the trusts herein contained.

Anything in this Section to the contrary notwithstanding, the agreement to hold sums in trust as provided in this Section is subject to the provisions of Sections 10.03 and 10.04.

Section 3.05 . Written Statement to Trustee. The Issuer will furnish to the Trustee on or before March 31 in each year (beginning with March 31, 2008) a brief certificate (which need not comply with Section 11.05) from the principal executive, financial or accounting officer of the Issuer stating that in the course of the performance by the signer of his duties as an officer of the Issuer he would normally have knowledge of any default or non-compliance by the Issuer in the performance of any covenants or

 

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conditions contained in this Indenture, stating whether or not he has knowledge of any such default or non-compliance and, if so, specifying each such default or non-compliance of which the signer has knowledge and the nature thereof.

Section 3.06 . Negative Pledge. Neither the Issuer nor any successor corporation will, or will permit any Subsidiary to, create, assume, incur or guarantee any indebtedness for borrowed money that is secured by a pledge, lien or other encumbrance (except for Permitted Liens) on the Voting Securities of Discover Bank and Goldfish Credit Servicing Inc. or any subsidiary succeeding to any substantial part of the business now conducted by any of those corporations (collectively, the “ Principal Subsidiaries ”) or the Voting Securities of a Subsidiary that owns, directly or indirectly, the Voting Securities of any of the Principal Subsidiaries, other than directors’ qualifying shares, in either case without making effective provisions so that the Securities issued under this Indenture will be secured equally and ratably with (or, at the Issuer’s option, prior to) indebtedness so secured. “ Permitted Liens ” means liens for taxes or assessments or governmental charges or levies not then due and delinquent or the validity of which is being contested in good faith or which are less than $1,000,000 in amount, liens created by or resulting from any litigation or legal proceeding which is currently being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or which involves claims of less than $1,000,000, deposits to secure (or in lieu of) surety, stay, appeal or customs bonds and such other liens as the Board of Directors of the Issuer determines do not materially detract from or interfere with the present value or control of the Voting Securities subject thereto or affected thereby.

Section 3.07 . Luxembourg Publications. In the event of the publication of any notice pursuant to Section 5.11, 6.09(a)6.10,8.02, 10.04, 12.02 or 12.05, the party making such publication in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and London shall also, to the extent that notice is required to be given to Holders of Securities of any series by applicable Luxembourg law or stock exchange regulation, as evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate delivered to such party, make a similar publication in Luxembourg.

ARTICLE 4

S ECURITYHOLDERS L ISTS A ND R EPORTS B Y T HE I SSUER A ND T HE T RUSTEE

Section 4.01 . Issuer to Furnish Trustee Information as to Names and Addresses of Securityholders. If and so long as the Trustee shall not be the Security registrar for the Securities of any series, the Issuer and any other obligor on the Securities will furnish or cause to be furnished to the Trustee a list in such form as the Trustee may reasonably require of the names and addresses of the Holders of the Registered Securities of such series pursuant to Section 312 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (a) semi-annually not more than 15 days after each record date for the payment of interest on such Registered Securities, as hereinabove specified, as of such record date and on dates to be determined pursuant to Section 2.03 for non-interest bearing Registered Securities in each year, and (b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within thirty days after receipt by the Issuer of any such request as of a date not more than 15 days prior to the time such information is furnished.

 

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Section 4.02. Preservation and Disclosure of Securityholders Lists . This Section intentionally left blank.

Section 4.03 . Reports by the Issuer. The Issuer covenants to file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Issuer is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports that the Issuer may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or pursuant to Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Section 4.04 . Reports by the Trustee. Any Trustee’s report required under Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 shall be transmitted on or before December 15 in each year beginning December 15, 2007, as provided in Section 313(c) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, so long as any Securities are Outstanding hereunder, and shall be dated as of a date convenient to the Trustee no more than 60 days prior thereto.

ARTICLE 5

R EMEDIES O F T HE T RUSTEE A ND S ECURITYHOLDERS O N E VENT O F D EFAULT

Section 5.01. Event of Default Defined; Acceleration of Maturity; Waiver of Default . “ Event of Default ” with respect to Securities of any series wherever used herein, means each one of the following events which shall have occurred and be continuing (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 any installment of interest upon any of the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days; or

(b) default in the payment of all or any part of the principal on any of the Securities of such series as and when the same shall become due and payable either at maturity, upon any redemption, by declaration or otherwise; or

(c) failure on the part of the Issuer duly to observe or perform any other of the covenants or agreements on the part of the Issuer in the Securities of such series (other than a covenant or warranty in respect of the Securities of such series a default in the performance or breach of which is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), or contained in this Indenture, for a period of 60 days after the date on which written notice specifying such failure, stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder and demanding that the Issuer remedy the same, shall have been given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Issuer by the Trustee, or to the Issuer and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series; or

 

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(d) default under any mortgage, indenture or other instrument securing or evidencing any indebtedness of the Issuer or a Principal Subsidiary in an aggregate principal amount of $50,000,000 or more and which default (i) constitutes a failure to make any scheduled principal or interest payment when due after giving effect to any applicable grace period or (ii) accelerates the payment of such debt and such acceleration is not rescinded or annulled, or such debt is not discharged, within 15 days after written notice specifying such default stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ” hereunder and demanding that the Issuer remedy the same shall have been given by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the Issuer by the Trustee, or to the Issuer and the Trustee by the Holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such series; or

(e) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Issuer in an involuntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or appointing a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Issuer or for any substantial part of its property or ordering the winding up or liquidation of its affairs, and such decree or order shall remain unstayed and in effect for a period of 60 consecutive days; or

(f) the Issuer shall commence a voluntary case under any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar law now or hereafter in effect, or consent to the entry of an order for relief in an involuntary case under any such law, or consent to the appointment or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee, sequestrator (or similar official) of the Issuer or for any substantial part of its property, or make any general assignment for the benefit of creditors; or

(g) any other Event of Default provided in the supplemental indenture under which such series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such series.

If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any series, then, and in each and every such case, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series then Outstanding hereunder by notice in writing to the Issuer (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal amount (or, if the Securities of any such affected series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) of all Securities of such series, and the interest accrued thereon, if any, to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration, the same shall become immediately due and payable.

The foregoing provisions, however, are subject to the condition that if, at any time after the principal (or, if the Securities are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal as may be specified in the terms thereof) of the Securities of any series shall have been so declared due and payable, and before any judgment or decree for the payment of the moneys due shall have been obtained or entered as hereinafter provided, the Issuer shall pay or shall deposit with the Trustee a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest upon all the Securities of such series and the principal of any and all Securities of each such series which shall have become due otherwise than by acceleration (with interest upon such principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, on overdue installments of interest, at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue

 

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Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of each such series (or at the respective rates of interest or Yields to Maturity of all the Securities, as the case may be) to the date of such payment or deposit) and such amount as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith, and if any and all Events of Default under the Indenture, other than the non-payment of the principal of Securities which shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured, waived or otherwise remedied as provided herein and in every such case the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of all the Securities of each such series, then Outstanding, by written notice to the Issuer and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults with respect to each such series and rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences, but no such waiver or rescission and annulment shall extend to or shall affect any subsequent default or shall impair any right consequent thereon.

For all purposes under this Indenture, if a portion of the principal of any Original Issue Discount Securities shall have been accelerated and declared due and payable pursuant to the provisions hereof, then, from and after such declaration, unless such declaration has been rescinded and annulled, the principal amount of such Original Issue Discount Securities shall be deemed, for all purposes hereunder, to be such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, and payment of such portion of the principal thereof as shall be due and payable as a result of such acceleration, together with interest, if any, thereon and all other amounts owing thereunder, shall constitute payment in full of such Original Issue Discount Securities.

Section 5.02 . Collection of Indebtedness by Trustee; Trustee may Prove Debt. The Issuer covenants that (a) in case default shall be made in the payment of any installment of interest on any of the Securities of any series when such interest shall have become due and payable, and such default shall have continued for a period of 30 days or (b) in case default shall be made in the payment of all or any part of the principal of any of the Securities of any series when the same shall have become due and payable, whether upon maturity of the Securities of such series or upon any redemption or by declaration or otherwise—then upon demand of the Trustee, the Issuer will pay to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all Securities of such series, and such Coupons, for principal or interest, as the case may be (with interest to the date of such payment upon the overdue principal and, to the extent that payment of such interest is enforceable under applicable law, on overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of such series); and in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and any expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee except as a result of its negligence or bad faith.

Until such demand is made by the Trustee, the Issuer may pay the principal of and interest on the Securities of any series to the Holders, whether or not the Securities of such series be overdue.

 

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In case the Issuer 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 action or proceedings at law or in equity for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, and may prosecute any such action or proceedings to judgment or final decree, and may enforce any such judgment or final decree against the Issuer or other obligor upon the Securities and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Issuer or other obligor upon the Securities, wherever situated the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.

In case there shall be pending proceedings relative to the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Securities under Title 11 of the United States Code or any other applicable Federal or state bankruptcy, insolvency or other similar 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 Issuer or its property or such other obligor, or in case of any other comparable judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer or other obligor upon the Securities, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer or such other obligor, 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 pursuant to the provisions of this Section, shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceedings or otherwise:

(i) to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest (or, if the Securities of any series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such series) owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities of any series, 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 reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, except as a result of negligence or bad faith) and of the Securityholders allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Issuer or other obligor upon the Securities, or to the creditors or property of the Issuer or such other obligor,

(ii) unless prohibited by applicable law and regulations, to vote on behalf of the Holders of the Securities of any series in any election of a trustee or a standby trustee in arrangement, reorganization, liquidation or other bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings or Person performing similar functions in comparable proceedings, and

(iii) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims, and to distribute all amounts received with respect to the claims of the Securityholders and of the Trustee on their behalf; and any trustee, receiver, or liquidator, custodian or other similar official is hereby authorized by each of the Securityholders to make payments to the Trustee, and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of payments directly to the Securityholders, to pay to the Trustee such amounts as shall be sufficient to cover reasonable compensation to the Trustee, each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith.

 

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Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or vote for or accept or adopt on behalf of any Securityholder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities of any series or the rights of any Holder thereof, or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Securityholder in any such proceeding except, as aforesaid, to vote for the election of a trustee in bankruptcy or similar Person.

All rights of action and of asserting claims under this Indenture, or under any of the Securities of any series or Coupons appertaining to such Securities, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities of such series or Coupons appertaining to such Securities or the production thereof on any trial or other proceedings relative thereto, and any such action or proceedings instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment, subject to the payment of the expenses, disbursements and compensation of the Trustee, each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys, shall be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities or Coupons appertaining to such Securities in respect of which such action was taken.

In any proceedings brought by the Trustee (and also any proceedings involving the interpretation of any provision of this Indenture to which the Trustee shall be a party) the Trustee shall be held to represent all the Holders of the Securities or Coupons appertaining to such Securities in respect to which such action was taken, and it shall not be necessary to make any Holders of such Securities or Coupons appertaining to such Securities parties to any such proceedings.

Section 5.03 . Application of Proceeds. Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article in respect 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 moneys on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the several Securities and Coupons appertaining to such Securities in respect of which monies have been collected and stamping (or otherwise noting) thereon the payment, or issuing Securities of such series in reduced principal amounts in exchange for the presented Securities of like series if only partially paid, or upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

FIRST: To the payment of costs and expenses applicable to such series in respect of which moneys have been collected, including reasonable compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys and of all expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith;

SECOND: In case the principal of the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected shall not have become and be then due and payable, to the payment of interest on the Securities of such series 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) upon the overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in such Securities, such payments to be made ratably to the Persons entitled thereto, without discrimination or preference;

 

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THIRD: In case the principal of the Securities of such series in respect of which moneys have been collected shall have become and shall be then due and payable, to the payment of the whole amount then owing and unpaid upon all the Securities of such series for principal and interest, with interest upon the overdue principal, and (to the extent that such interest has been collected by the Trustee) upon overdue installments of interest at the same rate as the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of Original Issue Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of such series; and in case such moneys shall be insufficient to pay in full the whole amount so due and unpaid upon the Securities of such series, then to the payment of such principal and interest or Yield to Maturity, without preference or priority of principal over interest or Yield to Maturity, or of interest or Yield to Maturity over principal, or of any installment of interest over any other installment of interest, or of any Security of such series over any other Security of such series, ratably to the aggregate of such principal and accrued and unpaid interest or Yield to Maturity; and

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

Section 5.04 . Suits for Enforcement. In case an Event of Default has occurred, has not been waived and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce the rights vested in it by this Indenture by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any of such rights, either at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted in this Indenture or to enforce any other legal or equitable right vested in the Trustee by this Indenture or by law.

Section 5.05 . Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceedings. In case the Trustee shall have proceeded to enforce any right under this Indenture and such proceedings shall have been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or shall have been determined adversely to the Trustee, then and in every such case the Issuer and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Issuer, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken.

Section 5.06 . Limitations on Suits by Securityholders. No Holder of any Security of any series or of any Coupon appertaining thereto shall have any right by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to institute any action or proceeding at law or in equity or in bankruptcy or otherwise upon or under or with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a trustee, receiver, liquidator, custodian or other similar official or for any other remedy hereunder, unless such Holder previously shall have given to the Trustee written notice of default and of the continuance thereof, as hereinbefore provided, stating that such notice is a “ Notice of Default ”, and unless also the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the affected series then Outstanding shall have made written request upon the Trustee to institute such action or proceedings in its own name as trustee hereunder and shall have offered to the Trustee such reasonable indemnity as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby and the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity shall have failed to institute any such action or proceeding and no direction inconsistent with such written request shall have been given to the Trustee pursuant to Section 5.09; it being understood

 

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and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Security or Coupon with every other taker and Holder and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Securities of any series or Coupons appertaining to such Securities shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue or by availing of any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other such Holder of Securities or Coupons appertaining to such Securities, or to obtain or seek to obtain priority over or preference to any other such Holder or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal, ratable and common benefit of all Holders of Securities of the applicable series and Coupons appertaining to such Securities. For the protection and enforcement of the provisions of this Section, each and every Securityholder and the Trustee shall be entitled to such relief as can be given either at law or in equity.

Section 5.07 . Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Institute Certain Suits. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture and any provision of any Security, the right of any Holder of any Security or Coupon to receive payment of the principal of and interest on such Security or Coupon on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security or Coupon, or to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment on or after such respective dates, shall not be impaired or affected without the consent of such Holder.

Section 5.08 . Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission not Waiver of Default. Except as provided in Section 5.06, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or Coupons is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, 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 prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of Securities or Coupons to exercise any right or power accruing upon any 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 Event of Default or an acquiescence therein; and, subject to Section 5.06, every power and remedy given by this Indenture or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders of Securities or Coupons may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders of Securities or Coupons.

Section 5.09 . Control by Holders of Securities. The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of a series at the time 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 with respect to the Securities of such series by this Indenture; provided that such direction shall not be otherwise than in accordance with law and the provisions of this Indenture and provided further that (subject to the provisions of Section 6.01) the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, shall determine that the action or proceeding so directed may not lawfully be taken or if the Trustee in good faith by its board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or Responsible Officers of the Trustee shall determine that the action or proceedings so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability or if the Trustee in good faith shall so determine that the actions or forbearances specified in or

 

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pursuant to such direction would be unduly prejudicial to the interests of Holders of the Securities of all series so affected not joining in the giving of said direction, it being understood that (subject to Section 6.01) the Trustee shall have no duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Holders.

Nothing in this Indenture shall impair the right of the Trustee in its discretion to take any action deemed proper by the Trustee and which is not inconsistent with such direction or directions by Securityholders.

Section 5.10 . Waiver of Past Defaults. Prior to the acceleration of the maturity of the Securities of any series as provided in Section 5.01, the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series at the time Outstanding with respect to which an event of default shall have occurred and be continuing may on behalf of the Holders of all such Securities of such series waive any past default or Event of Default described in Section 5.01 and its consequences, except a default in the payment of principal or interest (unless such default has been cured and a sum sufficient to pay all matured installments of interest and principal due otherwise than by acceleration has been deposited with the Trustee) or a default in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each Security affected. In the case of any such waiver, the Issuer, the Trustee and the Holders of all such Securities shall be restored to their former positions and rights hereunder, respectively; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Upon any such waiver, such default shall cease to exist and be deemed to have been cured and not to have occurred, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, and not to have occurred for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

Section 5.11 . Trustee to Give Notice of Default; But May Withhold in Certain Circumstances. The Trustee shall, within 90 days after the occurrence of a default with respect to the Securities of any series, give notice of all defaults with respect to that series known to the Trustee (i) if any Unregistered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, to the Holders thereof, (A) by mail to such Holders who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee within the two years preceding the notice at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee and (B) either through the customary notice provisions of the clearing system or systems through which beneficial interests in such Unregistered Securities are owned if such Unregistered Securities are held only in global form or by publication at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in London (and, if required by Section 3.07, at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in Luxembourg), and (ii) if any Registered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, by mailing notice to the Holders of then Outstanding Registered Securities of each series affected at their addresses as they shall appear on the registry books, unless in each case such defaults shall have been cured before the mailing or publication of such notice (the term “defaults” for the purpose of this Section being hereby defined to mean any event or condition which is, or with notice or lapse of time or both would become, an Event of Default); provided that, except in the case of default in the payment of the principal of or interest on any of the Securities of such series, or in the payment of any sinking fund installment on such series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding

 

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such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or trustees and/or Responsible Officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that the withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Securityholders of such series.

Section 5.12 . Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security or Coupon 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, suffered 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, 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 shall not apply (i) to any suit instituted by the Trustee, (ii) to any suit instituted by any Securityholder or group of Securityholders of any series holding in the aggregate more than 10% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series, or, in the case of any suit relating to or arising under clause 5.01(c) or 5.01(g) (if the suit relates to Securities of more than one but less than all series), 10% in aggregate principal amount of Securities then Outstanding and affected thereby, or in the case of any suit relating to or arising under clause 5.01(c) or 5.01(g) (if the suit under clause 5.01(c) or 5.01(g) relates to all the Securities then Outstanding) or 5.01(d), 5.01(e) or 5.01(f), 10% in aggregate principal amount of all Securities then Outstanding, or (iii) to any suit instituted by any Securityholder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the due date expressed in such Security or any date fixed for redemption.

ARTICLE 6

C ONCERNING T HE T RUSTEE

Section 6.01 . Duties And Responsibilities of the Trustee; During Default; Prior to Default. With respect to the Holders of any series of Securities issued hereunder, the Trustee, prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a particular series and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default which may have occurred with respect to such series, undertakes to perform such duties and only such duties as are specifically set forth in this Indenture. In case an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of a series has occurred (which has not been cured or waived) the Trustee shall exercise with respect to such series of Securities such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent man would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his own affairs.

No provision of this Indenture shall be construed to relieve the Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that

(a) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default with respect to the Securities of any series and after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default with respect to such series which may have occurred:

 

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(i) the duties and obligations of the Trustee with respect to the Securities of any series shall be determined solely by the express provisions of this Indenture, and the Trustee shall not be liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations as are specifically set forth in this Indenture, and no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this Indenture against the Trustee; and

(ii) in the absence of bad faith on the part of the Trustee, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon any statements, certificates or opinions furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; but in the case of any such statements, certificates or opinions which by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall be under a duty to examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture;

(b) the Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer or Responsible Officers of the Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts; and

(c) the Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders pursuant to Section 5.09 relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture.

None of the provisions contained in this Indenture shall require the Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if there shall be reasonable ground for believing that the repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such liability is not reasonably assured to it. The provisions of this Section 6.01 are in furtherance of and subject to Section 315 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Section 6.02 . Certain Rights of the Trustee. In furtherance of and subject to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, and subject to Section 6.01:

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

(b) any request, direction, order or demand of the Issuer mentioned herein shall be sufficiently evidenced by an Officer’s Certificate (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed); and any resolution of the Board of Directors may be evidenced to the Trustee by a copy thereof certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Issuer;

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

 

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(d) the Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the trusts or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request, order or direction of any of the Securityholders pursuant to the provisions of this Indenture, unless such Securityholders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred therein or thereby;

(e) the Trustee shall not be liable for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith and believed by it to be authorized or within the discretion, rights or powers conferred upon it by this Indenture;

(f) prior to the occurrence of an Event of Default hereunder and after the curing or waiving of all Events of Default, 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, consent, order, approval, appraisal, bond, debenture, note, coupon, security, or other paper or document unless requested in writing so to do by the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of all series affected then Outstanding; provided that, if the payment within a reasonable time to the Trustee of the costs, expenses or liabilities likely to be incurred by it in the making of such investigation is, in the opinion of the Trustee, not reasonably assured to the Trustee by the security afforded to it by the terms of this Indenture, the Trustee may require reasonable indemnity against such expenses or liabilities as a condition to proceeding; the reasonable expenses of every such investigation shall be paid by the Issuer or, if paid by the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee, shall be repaid by the Issuer upon demand; and

(g) 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 not regularly in its employ and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of any such agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.

Section 6.03 . Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof. The recitals contained herein and in the Securities, except the Trustee’s certificates of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Issuer, and the Trustee assumes no responsibility for the correctness of the same. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Indenture or of the Securities or Coupons. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Issuer of any of the Securities or of the proceeds thereof.

Section 6.04 . Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities or Coupons; Collections, etc. The Trustee or any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee, in its individual or any other capacity, may become the owner or pledgee of Securities or Coupons with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent and may otherwise deal with the Issuer and receive, collect, hold and retain collections from the Issuer with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent.

Section 6.05 . Moneys Held by Trustee. Subject to the provisions of Section 10.04 hereof, all moneys received by the Trustee shall, until used or applied as herein provided, be held in trust for the purposes for which they were received, but need not be

 

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segregated from other funds except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law. Neither the Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be under any liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder.

Section 6.06 . Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and its Prior Claim. The Issuer covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, reasonable compensation (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and the Issuer covenants and agrees to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee upon its request for all reasonable expenses, disbursements and advances incurred or made by or on behalf of it in accordance with any of the provisions of this Indenture (including the reasonable compensation and the expenses and disbursements of its counsel and of all agents and other Persons not regularly in its employ) except any such expense, disbursement or advance as may arise from its negligence or bad faith. The Issuer also covenants to indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any loss, liability or expense incurred without negligence or bad faith on its part, arising out of or in connection with the acceptance or administration of this Indenture or the trusts hereunder and its duties hereunder, including the costs and expenses of defending itself against or investigating any claim of liability in the premises. The obligations of the Issuer under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder and shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture. Such additional indebtedness shall be a senior claim to that of the Securities upon all property and funds held or collected by the Trustee as such, except funds held in trust for the benefit of the Holders of particular Securities or Coupons, and the Securities are hereby subordinated to such senior claim.

Section 6.07 . Right of Trustee to Rely on Officer’s Certificate, etc. Subject to Sections 6.01 and 6.02, whenever in the administration of the trusts of this Indenture the Trustee shall deem it necessary or desirable that a matter be proved or established prior to taking or suffering or omitting any action hereunder, such matter (unless other evidence in respect thereof be herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, be deemed to be conclusively proved and established by an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee, and such certificate, in the absence of negligence or bad faith on the part of the Trustee, shall be full warrant to the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

Section 6.08 . Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee. The Trustee for each series of Securities hereunder shall at all times be a corporation or national banking association organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any State or the District of Columbia having a combined capital and surplus of at least $5,000,000, and which is authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers and is subject to supervision or examination by Federal, State or District of Columbia authority. If such Person publishes reports of condition at least annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the aforesaid supervising or examining authority, then for the purposes of this Section, the combined capital and surplus of such Person shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its most recent report of condition so published. In case at any time the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section, the Trustee shall resign immediately in the manner and with the effect specified in Section 6.09.

 

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The provisions of this Section 6.08 are in furtherance of and subject to Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939.

Section 6.09 . Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee. (a) The Trustee, or any trustee or trustees hereafter appointed, may at any time resign with respect to one or more or all series of Securities by giving written notice of resignation to the Issuer and (i) if any Unregistered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, by giving notice of such resignation to the Holders thereof (A) by mail to such Holders who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee within the two years preceding the notice at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee and (B) either through the customary notice provisions of the clearing system or systems through which beneficial interests in such Unregistered Securities are owned if such Unregistered Securities are held only in global form or by publication at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in London (and, if required bySection 3.07, at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in Luxembourg), and (ii) if any Registered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, by mailing notice of such resignation to the Holders of then Outstanding Registered Securities of each series affected at their addresses as they shall appear on the registry books. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Issuer shall promptly appoint a successor trustee or trustees with respect to the applicable series by written instrument in duplicate, executed by authority of the Board of Directors, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the resigning Trustee and one copy to the successor trustee or trustees. If no successor trustee shall have been so appointed with respect to any series and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the mailing of such notice of resignation, the resigning trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee, or any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of the applicable series for at least six months may, subject to the provisions of Section 5.12, on behalf of himself and all others similarly situated, petition any such court for the appointment of a successor trustee. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, appoint a successor trustee.

(b) In case at any time any of the following shall occur:

(i) the Trustee shall fail to comply with the provisions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to any series of Securities after written request therefor by the Issuer or by any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities of such series for at least six months; or

(ii) the Trustee shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.08 and Section 310(a) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Issuer or by any Securityholder; or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any series of Securities, or shall be adjudged a bankrupt or insolvent, or a receiver or liquidator 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;

 

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then, in any such case, the Issuer may remove the Trustee with respect to the applicable series of Securities and appoint a successor trustee for such series by written instrument, in duplicate, executed by order of the Board of Directors of the Issuer, one copy of which instrument shall be delivered to the Trustee so removed and one copy to the successor trustee, or, subject to the provisions of Section 315(e) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, any Securityholder who has been a bona fide Holder of a Security or Securities 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 and the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to such series. Such court may thereupon, after such notice, if any, as it may deem proper and prescribe, remove the Trustee and appoint a successor trustee.

(c) The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each series at the time outstanding may at any time remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of such series and appoint a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of such series by delivering to the Trustee so removed, to the successor trustee so appointed and to the Issuer the evidence provided for in Section 7.01 of the action in that regard taken by the Securityholders.

(d) Any resignation or removal of the Trustee with respect to any series and any appointment of a successor trustee with respect to such series pursuant to any of the provisions of this Section 6.09 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 6.10.

Section 6.10 . Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee. Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 6.09 shall execute and deliver to the Issuer and to its predecessor trustee an instrument accepting such appointment hereunder, and thereupon the resignation or removal of the predecessor trustee with respect to all or any applicable series shall become effective and such successor trustee, without any further act, deed or conveyance, shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and obligations with respect to such series of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as trustee for such series hereunder; but, nevertheless, on the written request of the Issuer or of the successor trustee, upon payment of its charges then unpaid, the trustee ceasing to act shall, subject to Section 10.04, pay over to the successor trustee all moneys at the time held by it hereunder and shall execute and deliver an instrument transferring to such successor trustee all such rights, powers, duties and obligations. Upon request of any such successor trustee, the Issuer shall execute any and all instruments in writing for more fully and certainly vesting in and confirming to such successor trustee all such rights and powers. Any trustee ceasing to act shall, nevertheless, retain a prior claim upon all property or funds held or collected by such trustee to secure any amounts then due it pursuant to the provisions of Section 6.06.

If a successor trustee is appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) series, the Issuer, the predecessor trustee and each successor trustee with respect to the Securities of any applicable series shall execute and deliver an indenture supplemental hereto which shall contain such provisions as shall be deemed necessary or desirable to confirm that all the rights, powers, trusts and duties of the predecessor trustee with respect to the Securities of any series as to which the predecessor trustee is not

 

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retiring shall continue to be vested in the predecessor trustee, and 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 and that each such Trustee shall be trustee of a trust or trusts under separate indentures.

No successor trustee with respect to any series of Securities shall accept appointment as provided in this Section 6.10 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be qualified under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and eligible under the provisions of Section 6.08.

Upon acceptance of appointment by any successor trustee as provided in this Section 6.10, the Issuer shall give notice thereof (i) if any Unregistered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, to the Holders thereof, (A) by mail to such Holders who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee within the two years preceding the notice at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee and (B) either through the customary notice provisions of the clearing system or systems through which beneficial interests in such Unregistered Securities are owned if such Unregistered Securities are held only in global form or by publication at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in London (and, if required by Section 3.07, at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in Luxembourg), and (ii) if any Registered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, by mailing notice to the Holders of then Outstanding Registered Securities of each series affected at their addresses as they shall appear on the registry books. If the acceptance of appointment is substantially contemporaneous with the resignation, then the notice called for by the preceding sentence may be combined with the notice called for by Section 6.09. If the Issuer fails to give such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be given at the expense of the Issuer.

Section 6.11 . Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee. Any Person into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any Person 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 Person shall be qualified under Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and eligible under the provisions of Section 6.08, without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of any of the parties hereto, anything herein to the contrary notwithstanding.

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

 

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Section 6.12 . Appointment of Authenticating Agent. As long as any Securities of a series remain Outstanding, the Trustee may, by an instrument in writing, appoint with the approval of the Issuer an authenticating agent (the “Authenticating Agent “) which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities, including Securities issued upon exchange, registration of transfer, partial redemption or pursuant to Section 2.09. Securities of each such series authenticated by such Authenticating Agent shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee. Whenever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities of any series by the Trustee or to 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 for such series and a Certificate of Authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by such Authenticating Agent. Such Authenticating Agent shall at all times be a Person organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any State, authorized under such laws to exercise corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least $5,000,000 (determined as provided in Section 6.08 with respect to the Trustee) and subject to supervision or examination by Federal or State authority.

Any Person into which any Authenticating Agent may be merged or converted, or with which it may be consolidated, or any Person resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which any Authenticating Agent shall be a party, or any Person succeeding to the corporate agency business of any Authenticating Agent, shall continue to be the Authenticating Agent with respect to all series of Securities for which it served as Authenticating Agent without the execution or filing of any paper or any further act on the part of the Trustee or such Authenticating Agent. Any Authenticating Agent may at any time, and if it shall cease to be eligible shall, resign by giving written notice of resignation to the Trustee and to the Issuer.

Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, or in case at any time any Authenticating Agent shall cease to be eligible in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6.12 with respect to one or more series of Securities, the Trustee shall upon receipt of an Issuer Order appoint a successor Authenticating Agent and the Issuer shall provide notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities of such series in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 11.04. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all rights, powers, duties and responsibilities of its predecessor hereunder, with like effect as if originally named as Authenticating Agent. The Issuer agrees to pay to the Authenticating Agent for such series from time to time reasonable compensation. The Authenticating Agent for the Securities of any series shall have no responsibility or liability for any action taken by it as such at the direction of the Trustee.

Sections 6.02, 6.03, 6.04, 6.06 and 7.03 shall be applicable to any Authenticating Agent.

 

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ARTICLE 7

C ONCERNING T HE S ECURITYHOLDERS

Section 7.01 . Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders. Any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action provided by this Indenture to be given or taken by a specified percentage in principal amount of the Securityholders of any or all series may be embodied in and evidenced by one or more instruments of substantially similar tenor signed by such specified percentage of Securityholders in person or by agent duly appointed in writing; and, except as herein otherwise expressly provided, such action shall become effective when such instrument or instruments are delivered to the Trustee. Proof of execution of any instrument or of a writing appointing any such agent shall be sufficient for any purpose of this Indenture and (subject to Sections 6.01 and 6.02) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Issuer, if made in the manner provided in this Article.

Section 7.02 . Proof of Execution of Instruments and of Holding of Securities. Subject to Sections 6.01 and 6.02, the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his agent or proxy may be proved in the following manner:

(a) The fact and date of the execution by any Holder of any instrument may be proved by the certificate of any notary public or other officer of any jurisdiction authorized to take acknowledgments of deeds or administer oaths that the person executing such instruments acknowledged to him the execution thereof, or by an affidavit of a witness to such execution sworn to before any such notary or other such officer. Where such execution is by or on behalf of any legal entity other than an individual, such certificate or affidavit shall also constitute sufficient proof of the authority of the person executing the same. The fact of the holding by any Holder of an Unregistered Security of any series, and the identifying number of such Security and the date of his holding the same, may be proved by the production of such Security or by a certificate executed by any trust company, bank, banker or recognized securities dealer wherever situated satisfactory to the Trustee, if such certificate shall be deemed by the Trustee to be satisfactory. Each such certificate shall be dated and shall state that on the date thereof a Security of such series bearing a specified identifying number was deposited with or exhibited to such trust company, bank, banker or recognized securities dealer by the Person named in such certificate. Any such certificate may be issued in respect of one or more Unregistered Securities of one or more series specified therein. The holding by the Person named in any such certificate of any Unregistered Securities of any series specified therein shall be presumed to continue for a period of one year from the date of such certificate unless at the time of any determination of such holding (1) another certificate bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Securities shall be produced, or (2) the Security of such series specified in such certificate shall be produced by some other Person, or (3) the Security of such series specified in such certificate shall have ceased to be Outstanding. Subject to Sections 6.01 and 6.02, the fact and date of the execution of any such instrument and the amount and numbers of Securities of any series held by the Person so executing such instrument and the amount and numbers of any Security or Securities for such series may also be proven in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee for such series or in any other manner which the Trustee for such series may deem sufficient.

(b) In the case of Registered Securities, the ownership of such Securities shall be proved by the Security register or by a certificate of the Security registrar.

 

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The Issuer may set a record date for purposes of determining the identity of Holders of Registered Securities of any series entitled to vote or consent to any action referred to in Section 7.01, which record date may be set at any time or from time to time by notice to the Trustee, for any date or dates (in the case of any adjournment or reconsideration) not more than 60 days nor less than five days prior to the proposed date of such vote or consent, and thereafter, notwithstanding any other provisions hereof, with respect to Registered Securities of any series, only Holders of Registered Securities of such series of record on such record date shall be entitled to so vote or give such consent or revoke such vote or consent.

Section 7.03 . Holders to be Treated as Owners. The Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may deem and treat the Person in whose name any Security shall be registered upon the Security register for such series as the absolute owner of such Security (whether or not such Security shall be overdue and notwithstanding any notation of ownership or other writing thereon) for the purpose of receiving payment of or on account of the principal of and, subject to the provisions of this Indenture, interest on such Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Issuer nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. The Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the Holder of any Unregistered Security and the Holder of any Coupon as the absolute owner of such Unregistered Security or Coupon (whether or not such Unregistered Security or Coupon shall be overdue) for the purpose of receiving payment thereof or on account thereof and for all other purposes and neither the Issuer, the Trustee, nor any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee shall be affected by any notice to the contrary. All such payments so made to any such Person, or upon his order, shall be valid, and, to the extent of the sum or sums so paid, effectual to satisfy and discharge the liability for moneys payable upon any such Unregistered Security or Coupon.

Section 7.04 . Securities Owned by Issuer Deemed Not Outstanding. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite aggregate principal amount of Outstanding Securities of any or all series have concurred in any direction, consent or waiver under this Indenture, Securities which are owned by the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities with respect to which such determination is being made or by any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities with respect to which such determination is being made shall be disregarded and deemed not to be Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination, except that for the purpose of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such direction, consent or waiver only Securities which the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been pledged in good faith may be regarded as Outstanding if the pledgee establishes to the satisfaction of the Trustee the pledgee’s right so to act with respect to such Securities and that the pledgee is not the Issuer or any other obligor upon the Securities or any Person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer or any other obligor on the Securities. In case of a dispute as to such right, the advice of counsel shall be full protection in respect of any decision made by the Trustee in accordance with such advice. Upon request of the Trustee, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officer’s Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Issuer to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described Persons; and, subject to Sections 6.01 and 6.02, the Trustee shall be entitled to accept such Officer’s Certificate as conclusive evidence of the facts therein set forth and of the fact that all Securities not listed therein are Outstanding for the purpose of any such determination.

 

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Section 7.05 . Right of Revocation of Action Taken. At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 7.01, of the taking of any action by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action, any Holder of a Security the serial number of which is shown by the evidence to be included among the serial numbers of the Securities the Holders of which have consented to such action may, by filing written notice at the Corporate Trust Office and upon proof of holding as provided in this Article, revoke such action so far as concerns such Security. Except as aforesaid any such action taken by the Holder of any Security shall be conclusive and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders and owners of such Security and of any Securities issued in exchange or substitution therefor or on registration of transfer thereof, irrespective of whether or not any notation in regard thereto is made upon any such Security. Any action taken by the Holders of the percentage in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any or all series, as the case may be, specified in this Indenture in connection with such action shall be conclusively binding upon the Issuer, the Trustee and the Holders of all the Securities affected by such action.

ARTICLE 8

S UPPLEMENTAL I NDENTURES

Section 8.01 . Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders. The Issuer, when authorized by a resolution of its Board of Directors (which resolution may provide general terms or parameters for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined in accordance with or pursuant to an Issuer Order), and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto for one or more of the following purposes:

(a) to convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge to the Trustee as security for the Securities of one or more series any property or assets;

(b) to evidence the succession of another corporation to the Issuer, or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor corporation of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Issuer pursuant to Article 9;

(c) to add to the covenants of the Issuer such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as the Issuer and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of Securities or Coupons, and to make the occurrence, or the occurrence and continuance, of a default in any such additional covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions an Event of Default permitting the enforcement of all or any of the several remedies provided in this Indenture as herein set forth; provided, that in respect of any such additional covenant, restriction, condition or provision such supplemental indenture may provide for a particular period of grace after default (which period may be shorter or longer than that allowed in the case of other defaults) or may provide for an immediate enforcement upon such an Event of Default or may limit the remedies available to the Trustee upon such an Event of Default or may limit the right of the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such series to waive such an Event of Default;

 

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(d) to cure any ambiguity or to correct or supplement any provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provision contained herein or in any supplemental indenture, or to make any other provisions as the Issuer may deem necessary or desirable, provided that no such action shall adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Securities or Coupons;

(e) to establish the forms or terms of Securities of any series or of the Coupons appertaining to such Securities as permitted by Sections 2.01 and 2.03; and

(f) 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 6.10.

The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Issuer in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations which may be therein contained and to accept the conveyance, transfer, assignment, mortgage or pledge of any property thereunder, but the Trustee 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.

Any supplemental indenture authorized by the provisions of this Section may be executed without the consent of the Holders of any of the Securities at the time outstanding, notwithstanding any of the provisions of Section 8.02.

Section 8.02 . Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders. With the consent (evidenced as provided in Article 7) of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, the Issuer, when authorized by a resolution of its Board of Directors (which resolution may provide general terms or parameters for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined in accordance with or pursuant to an Issuer Order), 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 Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of the Securities of such series or of the Coupons appertaining to such Securities; provided, that no such supplemental indenture shall (a) (i) extend the final maturity of any Security; (ii) reduce the principal amount thereof; reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon; (iii) reduce any amount payable on redemption thereof; (iv) make the principal thereof (including any amount in respect of original issue discount), or interest thereon payable in any coin or currency other than that provided in the Securities and Coupons or in accordance with the terms thereof, (v) alter the provisions of Section 11.11 or 11.12 or impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for the payment thereof or, if the Securities provide therefor, any right of repayment at the option of the Securityholder, in each case without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected, or reduce the aforesaid percentage of Securities of any series, the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture, without the consent of the Holders of each Security so affected.

 

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

Upon the request of the Issuer, accompanied by a copy of a resolution of the Board of Directors (which resolution may provide general terms or parameters for such action and may provide that the specific terms of such action may be determined in accordance with or pursuant to an Issuer Order) certified by the secretary or an assistant secretary of the Issuer authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of the Holders of the Securities as aforesaid and other documents, if any, required by Section 7.01, the Trustee shall join with the Issuer in the execution of such supplemental indenture unless such supplemental indenture affects the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this 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 Securityholders under this Section to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture, but it shall be sufficient if such consent shall approve the substance thereof.

Promptly after the execution by the Issuer and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the Trustee shall give notice thereof (i) if any Unregistered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, to the Holders thereof, (A) by mail to such Holders who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee within the two years preceding the notice at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee and (B) either through the customary notice provisions of the clearing system or systems through which beneficial interests in such Unregistered Securities are owned if such Unregistered Securities are held only in global form or by publication at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, and at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in London (and, if required by Section 3.07, at least once in an Authorized Newspaper in Luxembourg), (ii) if any Registered Securities of a series affected are then Outstanding, by mailing notice thereof by first class mail to the Holders of then Outstanding Registered Securities of each series affected at their addresses as they shall appear on the registry books, and in each case such notice shall set forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture. Any failure of the Issuer to give such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

Section 8.03 . Effect of Supplemental Indenture. Upon the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions hereof, this Indenture shall be and be deemed to be modified and amended in accordance therewith and the respective rights, limitations of rights, obligations, duties and immunities under this Indenture of the Trustee, the Issuer and the Holders of Securities of each series affected thereby shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such

 

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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 Indenture for any and all purposes.

Section 8.04 . Documents to Be Given to Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02, may receive an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article 8 complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

Section 8.05 . Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures. Securities of any series authenticated and delivered after the execution of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Article may bear a notation in form approved by the Trustee for such series as to any matter provided for by such supplemental indenture or as to any action taken by Securityholders. If the Issuer or the Trustee shall so determine, new Securities of any series so modified as to conform, in the opinion of the Trustee and the Board of Directors, to any modification of this Indenture contained in any such supplemental indenture may be prepared by the Issuer, authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Securities of such series then Outstanding.

ARTICLE 9

C ONSOLIDATION , M ERGER , S ALE O R C ONVEYANCE

Section 9.01 . Covenant Not to Merge, Consolidate, Sell or Convey Property Except Under Certain Conditions. The Issuer covenants that it will not merge or consolidate with any other Person or sell, lease or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any other Person, unless (i) either the Issuer shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor corporation or the Person which acquires by sale, lease or conveyance substantially all the assets of the Issuer (if other than the Issuer) shall be a corporation organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof or the District of Columbia and shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on all the Securities and Coupons, if any, according to their tenor, and the due and punctual performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this Indenture to be performed or observed by the Issuer, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such corporation, and (ii) the Issuer, such Person or such successor corporation, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such merger or consolidation, or such sale, lease or conveyance, be in default in the performance of any such covenant or condition.

Section 9.02 . Successor Corporation Substituted. In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, and following such an assumption by the successor corporation, such successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Issuer, with the same effect as if it had been named herein. Such successor corporation may cause to be signed, and may issue either in its own name or in the name of the Issuer prior to such succession any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which together with any Coupons appertaining thereto theretofore shall not have been signed by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the order of such successor corporation, instead of the Issuer, and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities

 

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together with any Coupons appertaining thereto which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Issuer to the Trustee for authentication, and any Securities which such successor corporation thereafter shall cause to be signed and delivered to the Trustee for that purpose. All of the Securities so issued together with any Coupons appertaining thereto shall in all respects have the same legal rank and benefit under this Indenture as the Securities theretofore or thereafter issued in accordance with the terms of this Indenture as though all of such Securities had been issued at the date of the execution hereof.

In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance such changes in phrasing and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities and Coupons thereafter to be issued as may be appropriate.

In the event of any such sale or conveyance (other than a conveyance by way of lease) the Issuer or any successor corporation which shall theretofore have become such in the manner described in this Article shall be discharged from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities and may be liquidated and dissolved.

Section 9.03 . Opinion of Counsel Delivered to Trustee. The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.01 and 6.02, may receive an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, lease or conveyance, and any such assumption, and any such liquidation or dissolution, complies with the applicable provisions of this Indenture.

ARTICLE 10

S ATISFACTION A ND D ISCHARGE O F I NDENTURE ; U NCLAIMED M ONEYS

Section 10.01 . Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture. (a) If at any time (i) the Issuer shall have paid or caused to be paid the principal of and interest on all the Securities of any series Outstanding hereunder and all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto (other than Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.09) as and when the same shall have become due and payable, (ii) the Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities of any series theretofore authenticated and all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto (other than any Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.09) or (iii) in the case of any series of Securities where the exact amount (including the currency of payment) of principal of and interest due can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in clause (B) below, (A) all the Securities of such series and all unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation shall have become due and payable, or are by their terms to become due and payable within one year or are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption (or, in the case of Securities that do not bear a fixed interest rate, within the remaining term of the then current interest period) and (B) the Issuer shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds the entire amount in cash (other than moneys repaid by the Trustee or any paying agent to the Issuer in accordance with Section 10.04) or, in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only

 

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be made in Dollars, direct obligations of the United States of America, backed by its full faith and credit (“ U.S. Government Obligations ”), maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash, or a combination thereof, sufficient in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay (1) the principal and interest on all Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto on each date that such principal or interest is due and payable and (2) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the dates on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series; and if, in any such case, the Issuer shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Issuer with respect to the Securities of such series, then this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to the Securities of such series and the Coupons appertaining thereto (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such Series and of Coupons appertaining thereto and the Issuer’s right of optional redemption, if any, (ii) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons, (iii) rights of holders of Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (iv) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (v) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them, and (vi) the obligations of the Issuer under Section 3.02) and the Trustee, on demand of the Issuer accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Issuer, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture as to such series; provided, that the rights of Holders of the Securities and Coupons to receive amounts in respect of principal of and interest on the Securities and Coupons held by them shall not be delayed longer than required by then-applicable mandatory rules or policies of any securities exchange upon which the Securities are listed. The Issuer agrees to reimburse the Trustee for any costs or expenses thereafter reasonably and properly incurred and to compensate the Trustee for any services thereafter reasonably and properly rendered by the Trustee in connection with this Indenture or the Securities of such series.

(b) The following provisions shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate, form of Security for such series or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 2.03. In addition to discharge of the Indenture pursuant to the next preceding paragraph, in the case of any series of Securities the exact amounts (including the currency of payment) of principal of and interest due on which can be determined at the time of making the deposit referred to in clause (i) below, the Issuer shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the Securities of such a series and the Coupons appertaining thereto on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in clause (i) below, and the provisions of this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto shall no longer be in effect (except as to (1) rights of registration of transfer and exchange of Securities of such series and of Coupons appertaining thereto and the Issuer’s right of optional redemption, if any, (2) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or Coupons, (3) rights of Holders of Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto to receive payments of principal thereof and interest thereon, upon the original stated due dates therefor (but not upon

 

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acceleration), and remaining rights of the Holders to receive mandatory sinking fund payments, if any, (4) the rights, obligations, duties and immunities of the Trustee hereunder, (5) the rights of the Holders of Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them and (6) the obligations of the Issuer under Section 3.02) and the Trustee, at the expense of the Issuer, shall at the Issuer’s request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same, if

(i) with reference to this provision the Issuer has irrevocably deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust, specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto (A) cash in an amount, or (B) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations, maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay (1) the principal and interest on all Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto on each date that such principal or interest is due and payable and (2) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the dates on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series;

(ii) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, any agreement or instrument to which the Issuer is a party or by which it is bound;

(iii) the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel based on the fact that (x) the Issuer has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling or (y) since the date hereof, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and such opinion shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same times, as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred; and

(iv) the Issuer has delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this provision have been complied with.

(c) The following provisions shall apply to the Securities of each series unless specifically otherwise provided in a Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate, form of Security for such series or indenture supplemental hereto provided pursuant to Section 2.03. The Issuer shall be released from its obligations under Sections 3.06 and 9.01 with respect to the Securities of any Series, and any Coupons appertaining thereto, Outstanding on and after the date the conditions set forth below are satisfied (hereinafter, “covenant defeasance “). For this purpose, such covenant defeasance means that, with respect to the Outstanding Securities of any Series, the Issuer may omit to comply with

 

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and shall have no liability in respect of any term, condition or limitation set forth in such Sections, whether directly or indirectly by reason of any reference elsewhere herein to such Sections or by reason of any reference in such Sections to any other provision herein or in any other document and such omission to comply shall not constitute an Event of Default under Section 5.01, but the remainder of this Indenture and such Securities and Coupons shall be unaffected thereby. The following shall be the conditions to application of this subsection (c) of this Section 10.01:

(i) The Issuer has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee 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 the Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto, (A) cash in an amount, or (B) in the case of any series of Securities the payments on which may only be made in Dollars, U.S. Government Obligations maturing as to principal and interest at such times and in such amounts as will insure the availability of cash or (C) a combination thereof, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay (1) the principal and interest on all Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto and (2) any mandatory sinking fund payments on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of the Indenture and the Securities of such series.

(ii) No Event of Default or event which with notice or lapse of time or both would become an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or, insofar as subsections 5.01(d) and 5.01(f) are concerned, at any time during the period ending on the 91st day after the date of such deposit (it being understood that this condition shall not be deemed satisfied until the expiration of such period).

(iii) Such covenant defeasance shall not cause the Trustee to have a conflicting interest for purposes of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 with respect to any securities of the Issuer.

(iv) Such covenant defeasance shall not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Issuer is a party or by which it is bound.

(v) Such covenant defeasance shall not cause any Securities then listed on any registered national securities exchange under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to be delisted.

(vi) The Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel to the effect that the Holders of the Securities of such series and Coupons appertaining thereto will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such covenant defeasance and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such covenant defeasance had not occurred.

 

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(vii) The Issuer shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this provision have been complied with.

Section 10.02 . Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities. Subject to Section 10.04, all moneys deposited with the Trustee (or other trustee) pursuant to Section 10.01 shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly or through any paying agent (including the Issuer acting as its own paying agent), to the Holders of the particular Securities of such series and of Coupons appertaining thereto for the payment or redemption of which such moneys have been deposited with the Trustee, of all sums due and to become due thereon for principal and interest; but such money need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

Section 10.03 . Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent. In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any series, all moneys then held by any paying agent under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such series of Securities shall, upon demand of the Issuer, be repaid to it or paid to the Trustee and thereupon such paying agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

Section 10.04 . Return of Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent Unclaimed for Two Years. Any moneys deposited with or paid to the Trustee or any paying agent for the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of any series or Coupons attached thereto and not applied but remaining unclaimed for two years after the date upon which such principal or interest shall have become due and payable, shall, upon the written request of the Issuer and unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law, be repaid to the Issuer by the Trustee for such series or such paying agent, and the Holder of the Securities of such series and of any Coupons appertaining thereto shall, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property laws, thereafter look only to the Issuer for any payment which such Holder may be entitled to collect, and all liability of the Trustee or any paying agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease; provided, however, that the Trustee or such paying agent, before being required to make any such repayment with respect to moneys deposited with it for any payment (a) in respect of Registered Securities of any series, shall at the expense of the Issuer, mail by first-class mail to Holders of such Securities at their addresses as they shall appear on the Security register, and (b) in respect of Unregistered Securities of any series, shall at the expense of the Issuer either give through the customary notice provisions of the clearing system or systems through which beneficial interests in such Unregistered Securities are owned if such Unregistered Securities are held only in global form or cause to be published once, in an Authorized Newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and once in an Authorized Newspaper in London (and if required by Section 3.07, once in an Authorized Newspaper in Luxembourg), notice, that such moneys remain and that, after a date specified therein, which shall not be less than thirty days from the date of such mailing or publication, any unclaimed balance of such money then remaining will be repaid to the Issuer.

Section 10.05 . Indemnity for U.S. Government Obligations. The Issuer shall pay and indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against the U.S. Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Section 10.01 or the principal or interest received in respect of such obligations.

 

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ARTICLE 11

M ISCELLANEOUS P ROVISIONS

Section 11.01 . Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers And Directors Of Issuer Exempt From Individual Liability. 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, shall be had against any incorporator, as such or against any past, present or future stockholder, officer or director, as such, of the Issuer or of any successor, either directly or through the Issuer or any 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 and the Coupons appertaining thereto by the Holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities and the Coupons appertaining thereto.

Section 11.02 . Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Holders of Securities and Coupons. Nothing in this Indenture, in the Securities or in the Coupons appertaining thereto, expressed or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto and their successors and the Holders of the Securities or Coupons, if any, any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under this Indenture or under any covenant or provision herein contained, all such covenants and provisions being for the sole benefit of the parties hereto and their successors and of the Holders of the Securities or Coupons, if any.

Section 11.03 . Successors and Assigns of Issuer Bound by Indenture. All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Issuer shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

Section 11.04 . Notices and Demands on Issuer, Trustee and Holders of Securities and Coupons. Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee or by the Holders of Securities or Coupons to or on the Issuer may be given or served by being deposited postage prepaid, first-class mail (except as otherwise specifically provided herein) addressed (until another address of the Issuer is filed by the Issuer with the Trustee) to Discover Financial Services, 2500 Lake Cook Road, Riverwoods, Illinois 60015, Attention: Treasurer, with a copy to the General Counsel. Any notice, direction, request or demand by the Issuer or any Holder of Securities or Coupons to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or served by being deposited postage prepaid, first-class mail (except as otherwise specifically provided herein) addressed (until another address of the Trustee is filed by the Trustee with the Issuer) to U.S. Bank National Association, 100 Wall Street 16th Floor; New York, NY 10005, New York, New York 10004, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration.

Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of Registered Securities, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed, first-class postage prepaid, to each Holder entitled thereto, at his last

 

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address as it appears in the Security register. In any case where notice to such Holders is given by mail, neither the failure to mail such notice, nor any defect in any notice so mailed, to any particular Holder shall affect the sufficiency of such notice with respect to other Holders. 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 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.

In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service, it shall be impracticable to mail notice to the Issuer when such notice is required to be given pursuant to any provision of this Indenture, then any manner of giving such notice as shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.

Section 11.05 . Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to be Contained Therein. Upon any application or demand by the Issuer to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Issuer shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent 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 have been complied with, except that in the case of any such application or demand as to which the furnishing of such documents is specifically required by any provision of this Indenture relating to such particular application or demand, no additional certificate or opinion need be furnished.

Each certificate or opinion provided for in this Indenture and delivered to the Trustee with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture shall include (a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition, (b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based, (c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with and (d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Issuer may be based, insofar as it relates to legal matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by counsel, unless such officer knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous. Any certificate, statement or opinion of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to factual matters, information with respect to which is in the possession of the Issuer, upon the certificate, statement or opinion of or representations by an officer or officers of the Issuer, unless such counsel knows that the certificate, statement or opinion or representations with respect to the matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.

 

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Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Issuer or of counsel may be based, insofar as it relates to accounting matters, upon a certificate or opinion of or representations by an accountant or firm of accountants in the employ of the Issuer, unless such officer or counsel, as the case may be, knows that the certificate or opinion or representations with respect to the accounting matters upon which his certificate, statement or opinion may be based as aforesaid are erroneous, or in the exercise of reasonable care should know that the same are erroneous.

Any certificate or opinion of any independent firm of public accountants filed with and directed to the Trustee shall contain a statement that such firm is independent.

Section 11.06 . Payments Due on Saturdays, Sundays or Holidays. If the date of maturity of interest on or principal of the Securities of any series or any Coupons appertaining thereto or the date fixed for redemption or repayment of any such Security or Coupon shall not be a Business Day, then payment of interest or principal need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the date of maturity or the date fixed for redemption, and no interest shall accrue for the period after such date.

Section 11.07 . Conflict of any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939. If and to the extent that any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by, or with another provision (an “incorporated provision “) included in this Indenture by operation of, Sections 310 to 318, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, such imposed duties or incorporated provision shall control.

Section 11.08 . NEW YORK LAW TO GOVERN. THIS INDENTURE AND EACH SECURITY AND COUPON SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A CONTRACT UNDER THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, AND FOR ALL PURPOSES SHALL BE CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF SUCH STATE, EXCEPT AS MAY OTHERWISE BE REQUIRED BY MANDATORY PROVISIONS OF LAW.

Section 11.09 . Counterparts. This 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 11.10 . Effect Of Headings. The Article and Section headings herein and the Table of Contents are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction hereof.

Section 11.11 . Securities in a Foreign Currency. Unless otherwise specified in an Officer’s Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.03 of this Indenture with respect to a particular series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all series or all series affected by a particular action at the time Outstanding and, at such time, there are Outstanding Securities of any series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars, then the principal amount of Securities of such series which shall be deemed to be Outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate. For purposes of this Section 11.11, Market Exchange Rate shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as

 

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published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of the most recent available date, or quotations from one or more major banks in The City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question, or such other quotations as the Trustee shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a series denominated in a currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture.

All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, be conclusive to the extent permitted by law for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Issuer and all Holders.

Section 11.12 . Judgment Currency. The Issuer agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest 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 day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then, to the extent permitted by applicable law, 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 the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered 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 subsection (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 banking institutions in The City of New York are authorized or required by law or executive order to close.

ARTICLE 12

R EDEMPTION O F S ECURITIES A ND S INKING F UNDS

Section 12.01 . Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to the Securities of any series which are redeemable before their maturity or to any sinking fund for the retirement of Securities of a series except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.03 for Securities of such series.

 

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Section 12.02 . Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions. Notice of redemption to the Holders of Registered Securities of any series to be redeemed as a whole or in part at the option of the Issuer shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption by first class mail, postage prepaid, to such Holders of Securities of such series at their last addresses as they shall appear upon the registry books at least 10 days and not more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for redemption, or within such other redemption notice period as has been designated for any Securities of such series pursuant to Section 2.03 or 2.04 (the “ Redemption Notice Period ”). Notice of redemption to the Holders of Unregistered Securities to be redeemed as a whole or in part, who have filed their names and addresses with the Trustee within two years preceding such notice of redemption, shall be given by mailing notice of such redemption, by first class mail, postage prepaid, at least 10 and not more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for redemption or within any applicable Redemption Notice Period to such Holders at such addresses as were so furnished to the Trustee (and, in the case of any such notice given by the Issuer, the Trustee shall make such information available to the Issuer for such purpose). Notice of redemption to all other Holders of Unregistered Securities shall be published in an Authorized Newspaper in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York and in an Authorized Newspaper in London (and, if required by Section 3.07, in an Authorized Newspaper in Luxembourg), in each case, once in each of three successive calendar weeks, the first publication to be not less than 10 nor more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for redemption or within any applicable Redemption Notice Period; provided that notice to Holders of Unregistered Securities held only in global form may be made, at the option of the Issuer, through the customary notice provisions of the clearing system or systems through which beneficial interests in such Unregistered Securities are owned. Any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given, whether or not the Holder receives the notice. Failure to give notice by mail, or any defect in the notice to the Holder of any Security of a series designated for redemption as a whole or in part shall not affect the validity of the proceedings for the redemption of any other Security of such series.

The notice of redemption to each such Holder shall specify, the principal amount of each Security of such series held by such Holder to be redeemed, the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price (or if not then ascertainable, the manner of calculation thereof), the place or places of payment, that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Securities and, in the case of Securities with Coupons attached thereto, of all Coupons appertaining thereto maturing after the date fixed for redemption, that such redemption is pursuant to the mandatory or optional sinking fund, or both, if such be the case, that interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption will be paid as specified in such notice and that on and after said date interest thereon or on the portions thereof to be redeemed will cease to accrue. In case any Security of a series 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 date fixed for redemption, upon surrender of such Security, a new Security or Securities of such series in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion thereof will be issued.

The notice of redemption of Securities of any series to be redeemed at the option of the Issuer shall be given by the Issuer or, at the Issuer’s request, by the Trustee in the name and at the expense of the Issuer.

On or before the redemption date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section, the Issuer will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more

 

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paying agents (or, if the Issuer is acting as its own paying agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 3.04) an amount of money or other property sufficient to redeem on the redemption date all the Securities of such series so called for redemption at the appropriate redemption price, together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption. The Issuer will deliver to the Trustee at least 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption or at least 10 days prior to the first day of any applicable Redemption Notice Period an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be redeemed. In case of a redemption at the election of the Issuer prior to the expiration of any restriction on such redemption, the Issuer shall deliver to the Trustee, prior to the giving of any notice of redemption to Holders pursuant to this Section, an Officer’s Certificate stating that such restriction has been complied with.

If less than all the Securities of a series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select, in such manner as it shall deem appropriate and fair, Securities of such Series to be redeemed in whole or in part. Securities may be redeemed in part in multiples equal to the minimum authorized denomination for Securities of such series or any multiple thereof. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Issuer in writing of the Securities of such series selected for redemption and, in the case of any Securities of such series 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 of any series shall relate, in the case of any Security redeemed or to be redeemed only in part, to the portion of the principal amount of such Security which has been or is to be redeemed.

Section 12.03 . Payment of Securities Called for Redemption. If notice of redemption has been given as above provided, the Securities or portions of Securities specified in such notice shall become due and payable on the date and at the place stated in such notice at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption, and on and after said date (unless the Issuer shall default in the payment of such Securities at the redemption price, together with interest accrued to said date) interest on the Securities or portions of Securities so called for redemption shall cease to accrue, and the unmatured Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto shall be void, and, except as provided in Sections 6.05 and 10.04, such Securities shall cease from and after the date fixed for redemption to be entitled to any benefit or security under this Indenture, and the Holders thereof shall have no right in respect of such Securities except the right to receive the redemption price thereof and unpaid interest to the date fixed for redemption. On presentation and surrender of such Securities at a place of payment specified in said notice, together with all Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto maturing after the date fixed for redemption, said Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Issuer at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided that payment of interest becoming due on or prior to the date fixed for redemption shall be payable in the case of Securities with Coupons attached thereto, to the Holders of the Coupons for such interest upon surrender thereof, and in the case of Registered Securities, to the Holders of such Registered Securities registered as such on the relevant record date subject to the terms and provisions of Sections 2.03 and 2.07 hereof.

If any Security called for redemption shall not be so paid upon surrender thereof for redemption, the principal shall, until paid or duly provided for, bear interest from the date fixed for redemption at the rate of interest or Yield to Maturity (in the case of an Original Issue Discount Security) borne by such Security.

 

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If any Security with Coupons attached thereto is surrendered for redemption and is not accompanied by all appurtenant Coupons maturing after the date fixed for redemption, the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Issuer and the Trustee, if there be furnished to each of them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them harmless.

Upon presentation of any Security redeemed in part only, the Issuer shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver to or on the order of the Holder thereof, at the expense of the Issuer, a new Security or Securities of such series, of authorized denominations, in principal amount equal to the unredeemed portion of the Security so presented.

Section 12.04 . Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption. Securities shall be excluded from eligibility for selection for redemption if they are identified by registration and certificate number in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee at least 40 days prior to the last date on which notice of redemption may be given as being owned of record and beneficially by, and not pledged or hypothecated by either (a) the Issuer or (b) an entity specifically identified in such written statement as directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer.

Section 12.05 . Mandatory and Optional Sinking Funds. The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the 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 the Securities of any series is herein referred to as an “optional sinking fund payment”. The date on which a sinking fund payment is to be made is herein referred to as the “sinking fund payment date”.

In lieu of making all or any part of any mandatory sinking fund payment with respect to any series of Securities in cash, the Issuer may at its option (a) deliver to the Trustee Securities of such series theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired (except upon redemption pursuant to the mandatory sinking fund) by the Issuer or receive credit for Securities of such series (not previously so credited) theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired (except as aforesaid) by the Issuer and delivered to the Trustee for cancellation pursuant to Section 2.10, (b) receive credit for optional sinking fund payments (not previously so credited) made pursuant to this Section, or (c) receive credit for Securities of such series (not previously so credited) redeemed by the Issuer through any optional redemption provision contained in the terms of such series. Securities so delivered or credited shall be received or credited by the Trustee at the sinking fund redemption price specified in such Securities.

On or before the 60th day next preceding each sinking fund payment date or the 30th day next preceding the last day of any applicable Redemption Notice Period relating to a sinking fund payment date for any series, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate (which need not contain the statements required by Section 11.05) (a) specifying the portion of the mandatory sinking fund payment to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion to be satisfied by credit of Securities of such series and the basis for such credit, (b) stating that none of the Securities of such series has theretofore been so credited, (c) stating that no defaults in the payment of interest or Events of Default with respect to such series have occurred (which have not been waived or cured) and are continuing and (d) stating whether or not the Issuer intends to exercise its right to make

 

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an optional sinking fund payment with respect to such series and, if so, specifying the amount of such optional sinking fund payment which the Issuer intends to pay on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date. Any Securities of such series to be credited and required to be delivered to the Trustee in order for the Issuer to be entitled to credit therefor as aforesaid which have not theretofore been delivered to the Trustee shall be delivered for cancellation pursuant to Section 2.10 to the Trustee with such Officer’s Certificate (or reasonably promptly thereafter if acceptable to the Trustee). Such Officer’s Certificate shall be irrevocable and upon its receipt by the Trustee the Issuer shall become unconditionally obligated to make all the cash payments or payments therein referred to, if any, on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date. Failure of the Issuer, on or before any such 60th day or 30th day, if applicable, to deliver such Officer’s Certificate and Securities specified in this paragraph, if any, shall not constitute a default but shall constitute, on and as of such date, the irrevocable election of the Issuer (i) that the mandatory sinking fund payment for such series due on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date shall be paid entirely in cash without the option to deliver or credit Securities of such series in respect thereof and (ii) that the Issuer will make no optional sinking fund payment with respect to such series as provided in this Section.

If the sinking fund payment or payments (mandatory or optional or both) to be made in cash on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date plus any unused balance of any preceding sinking fund payments made in cash shall exceed $50,000 (or the equivalent thereof in any Foreign Currency) or a lesser sum in Dollars (or the equivalent thereof in any Foreign Currency) if the Issuer shall so request with respect to the Securities of any particular series, such cash shall be applied on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date to the redemption of Securities of such series at the sinking fund redemption price together with accrued interest to the date fixed for redemption. If such amount shall be $50,000 (or the equivalent thereof in any Foreign Currency) or less and the Issuer makes no such request then it shall be carried over until a sum in excess of $50,000 (or the equivalent thereof in any Foreign Currency) is available. The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 12.02, for redemption on such sinking fund payment date a sufficient principal amount of Securities of such series to absorb said cash, as nearly as may be, and shall (if requested in writing by the Issuer) inform the Issuer of the serial numbers of the Securities of such series (or portions thereof) so selected. Securities shall be excluded from eligibility for redemption under this Section if they are identified by registration and certificate number in an Officer’s Certificate delivered to the Trustee at least 60 days prior to the sinking fund payment date or at least 30 days prior to the last day of any applicable Redemption Notice Period relating to a sinking fund payment date as being owned of record and beneficially by, and not pledged or hypothecated by either (a) the Issuer or (b) an entity specifically identified in such Officer’s Certificate as directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Issuer. The Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Issuer (or the Issuer, if it shall so request the Trustee in writing) shall cause notice of redemption of the Securities of such series to be given in substantially the manner provided in Section 12.02 (and with the effect provided in Section 12.03) for the redemption of Securities of such series in part at the option of the Issuer. The amount of any sinking fund payments not so applied or allocated to the redemption of Securities of such series shall be added to the next cash sinking fund payment for such series and, together with such payment, shall be applied in accordance with the provisions of this Section. Any and all sinking fund moneys held on the stated maturity date of the Securities of any particular series (or earlier, if such maturity is accelerated), which are

 

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not held for the payment or redemption of particular Securities of such series shall be applied, together with other moneys, if necessary, sufficient for the purpose, to the payment of the principal of, and interest on, the Securities of such series at maturity.

On or before each sinking fund payment date, the Issuer shall pay to the Trustee in cash or shall otherwise provide for the payment of all interest accrued to the date fixed for redemption on Securities to be redeemed on the next following sinking fund payment date.

The Trustee shall not redeem or cause to be redeemed any Securities of a series with sinking fund moneys or give any notice of redemption of Securities for such series by operation of the sinking fund during the continuance of a default in payment of interest on such Securities or of any Event of Default except that, where the giving of notice of redemption of any Securities shall theretofore have been made, the Trustee shall redeem or cause to be redeemed such Securities, provided that it shall have received from the Issuer a sum sufficient for such redemption. Except as aforesaid, any moneys in the sinking fund for such series at the time when any such default or Event of Default shall occur, and any moneys thereafter paid into the sinking fund, shall, during the continuance of such default or Event of Default, be deemed to have been collected under Article 5 and held for the payment of all such Securities. In case such Event of Default shall have been waived as provided in Section 5.10 or the default cured on or before the sixtieth day preceding the sinking fund payment date in any year, such moneys shall thereafter be applied on the next succeeding sinking fund payment date in accordance with this Section to the redemption of such Securities.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed, and their respective corporate seals to be hereunto affixed and attested, all as of June 12, 2007.

 

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES as Issuer
By:  

/s/ Roy A. Guthrie

Name:   Roy A. Guthrie
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee
By:  

/s/ K. Wendy Kumar

Name:   K. Wendy Kumar
Title:   Vice President

EXHIBIT 4.2

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES

FLOATING RATE SENIOR NOTE DUE 2010

 

REGISTERED

            $[            ]

No. Flt-

            CUSIP: [            ]

[UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE REGISTERED FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO THE NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.]*

[THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF IS DEEMED TO HAVE AGREED TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT AMONG DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE INITIAL PURCHASERS, DATED JUNE 12, 2007 (THE “REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT”). THE ISSUER WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO A HOLDER WITHOUT CHARGE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO IT AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS.

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS TWO YEARS AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF THE ISSUER, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN

 


* To be included in Global Notes.

 

1


DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION COMPLYING WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.]**


** To be included in Notes issued pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S until the Resale Restriction Termination Date.

 

2


DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES

FLOATING RATE SENIOR NOTE DUE 2010

 

RATE OF INTEREST PER ANNUM:    ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:    MATURITY DATE:
LIBOR plus 0.53%    June 12, 2007    June 11, 2010
INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:    INTEREST ACCRUAL DATE:    INTEREST RESET PERIOD:

Each June 12, September 12,

December 12 and March 12,

commencing September 12, 2007

   June 12, 2007    Three months
INITIAL INTEREST RESET DATE:    INTEREST RESET DATES:    INITIAL INTEREST RATE:
September 12, 2007    Each Interest Payment Date    To be determined on the second London Banking Day prior to the Original Issue Date
INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD:   

TAX REDEMPTION AND

PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL

AMOUNTS:

   MINIMUM DENOMINATIONS:
Quarterly    Yes    $2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof

 

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES, a Delaware corporation (together with its successors and assigns, the “ Issuer ”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assignees, the principal sum of $[            ] on the Maturity Date specified above (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to maturity) and to pay interest thereon from and including the Interest Accrual Date specified above at a rate per annum equal to the Initial Interest Rate specified above or determined in accordance with the provisions specified on the reverse hereof until the initial Interest Payment Date specified above, and thereafter at a rate per annum determined in accordance with the provisions specified on the reverse hereof until the principal hereof is paid or duly made available for payment. The Calculation Agent shall determine the Initial Interest Rate for this Note in accordance with the provisions specified on the reverse hereof. The Issuer will pay interest in arrears quarterly as specified above as the Interest Payment Period on each Interest Payment Date (as specified above), commencing on the initial Interest Payment Date, and on the Maturity Date (or on any redemption or repayment date); provided, however , that if the Interest Accrual Date occurs between a Record Date, as defined below, and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments will commence on the second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Interest Accrual Date to the registered Holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to such second Interest Payment Date; and provided, further , that if an Interest Payment Date (other than the Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date) would fall on a day that is not a Business Day, as defined below, such Interest Payment Date shall be the following day that is a Business Day, except that if such next Business Day falls in the next calendar month, such Interest Payment Date shall be the immediately preceding day that is a Business Day; and provided, further , that if the Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date would fall on a day that is not a Business Day, such payment shall be made on the following day that is a Business Day and no interest shall accrue for the period from and after such Maturity Date or redemption or repayment date. The Issuer shall also pay a Special Interest Premium (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) under the conditions, in the amounts and at the times set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement. References herein and in the Senior Indenture to interest shall be deemed to include any Special Interest Premium.

 

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Interest on this Note will accrue from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, or, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the Interest Accrual Date, until but excluding the date the principal hereof has been paid or duly made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to the person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the June 1, September 1, December 1 and March 1 immediately preceding to such Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day) (each such date, a “ Record Date ”); provided, however , that interest payable at maturity (or any redemption or repayment date) will be payable to the person to whom the principal hereof shall be payable. As used herein, “ Business Day ” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York.

Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on this Note due at maturity (or any redemption or repayment date) will be made in immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or agency of the Paying Agent, as defined on the reverse hereof, maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at such other paying agency as the Issuer may determine, in U.S. dollars. U.S. dollar payments of interest, other than interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, will be made by U.S. dollar check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Note register. A Holder of U.S. $10,000,000 or more in aggregate principal amount of Notes having the same Interest Payment Date, the interest on which is payable in U.S. dollars, shall be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, by wire transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer instructions have been received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15 calendar days prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date.

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

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

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be duly executed.

 

DATED: June 12, 2007

    DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES
    By:  

 

    Name:  
    Title:  

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION as Trustee

By:

 

 

  Authorized Officer

 

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[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

This Note is one of the duly authorized debt securities of the Issuer of a series designated as the Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2010 (the “ Notes ”). The Notes are issuable under a Senior Indenture, dated as of June 12, 2007, between the Issuer and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Senior Indenture) (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “ Senior Indenture ”), to which Senior Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Issuer, the Trustee and Holders of the Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The Issuer has appointed U.S. Bank National Association, at its corporate trust office in The City of New York, as the paying agent (the “ Paying Agent ,” which term includes any additional or successor Paying Agent appointed by the Issuer) with respect to this Note. To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of the Senior Indenture are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund.

Interest on this Note will accrue at a rate per annum, reset quarterly (the “ Interest Reset Period ”), equal to LIBOR (as defined below) plus 0.53%, as determined by the calculation agent (the “ Calculation Agent ”), which shall initially be the Trustee, on the second London Banking Day prior to each Interest Reset Date (as specified above). The Issuer will pay interest on this Note in arrears on each Interest Payment Date. The Issuer will make each interest payment to the Holders of record of this Note on the immediately preceding June 1, September 1, December 1 and March 1. Interest on this Note will accrue from and including the Issue Date or from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid or provided for to but excluding the Interest Payment Date or Maturity Date or any earlier redemption or repayment date.

The amount of interest for each day that this Note is outstanding (the “ Daily Interest Amount ”) will be calculated by dividing the interest rate in effect for such day by 360 and multiplying the result by the principal amount of this Note then outstanding. The amount of interest to be paid on this Note for each Interest Period will be calculated by adding the Daily Interest Amounts for each day in the Interest Period.

All percentages resulting from any of the above calculations will be rounded, if necessary, to the nearest one hundred thousandth of a percentage point, with five one-millionths of a percentage point being rounded upwards (e.g., 9.876545% (or .09876545) being rounded to 9.87655% (or .0987655)) and all dollar amounts used in or resulting from such calculations will be rounded to the nearest cent (with one-half cent being rounded upwards). The interest rate on this Note will in no event be higher than the maximum rate permitted by New York law as the same may be modified by United States law of general application.

The Calculation Agent will, upon the request of any Holder of this Note, provide the interest rate then in effect with respect to this Note. All calculations made by the Calculation Agent in the absence of manifest error will be conclusive for all purposes and binding on the Issuer and the Holders of this Note.

Interest Period ” with respect to this Note means the period commencing on and including an Interest Payment Date and ending on and including the day immediately preceding the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, with the exception that the first Interest Period shall commence on and include the Interest Accrual Date and end on and include September 11, 2007 and the last Interest Period will begin on and include the Interest Payment Date immediately preceding the Maturity Date or earlier redemption date or repayment date, as applicable, and end on and include the day immediately preceding the Maturity Date or earlier redemption date or repayment date, as applicable.

 

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LIBOR ” means, as of any day, the London interbank offered rate for deposits in U.S. Dollars for a three-month period, commencing on the second London Banking Day immediately following that day that appears on Reuters Page LIBOR01 at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, on that day. If no rate appears or is available, then the Calculation Agent will request the principal London offices of each of four major reference banks in the London interbank market, as selected by the Calculation Agent after consultation with the Issuer, to provide the Calculation Agent with its offered quotation for a representative amount of deposits in U.S. Dollars for a three-month period commencing on the second London Banking Day immediately following that day to prime banks in the London interbank market at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time. If at least two quotations are provided, LIBOR determined on that day will be the arithmetic mean of those quotations. If fewer than two quotations are provided, LIBOR will be determined for that day as the arithmetic mean of the rates quoted at approximately 11:00 a.m., New York City time on that day by three major banks in New York City, as selected by the Calculation Agent after consultation with the Issuer for loans in a representative amount of U.S. Dollars to leading European banks for a three-month period. If the banks so selected by the Calculation Agent are not quoting as set forth above, LIBOR for that day will remain LIBOR for the immediately preceding Interest Reset Period or, if there was no immediately preceding Interest Reset Period, the rate of interest payable will be the initial interest rate.

London Banking Day ” means any day on which dealings in deposits in U.S. dollars are transacted in the London interbank market.

If a Change of Control Triggering Event (defined below) occurs, the Holder of this Note will have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of this Note pursuant to the offer described below (the “ Change of Control Offer ”) on the terms set forth herein. In the Change of Control Offer, the Issuer shall offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of this Note repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the portion of this Note repurchased, to the date of purchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Issuer shall mail a notice to the Holder of this Note describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase all or part of this Note on the date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”), pursuant to the procedures required by this Note and described in such notice. The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of all or part of this Note as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions of this Note, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions of this Note by virtue of such conflicts.

On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful, to (a) accept for payment all or part of this Note if it is properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer; (b) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all or part of this Note if it is properly tendered; and (c) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee this Note properly accepted.

For purposes of the foregoing:

Below Investment Grade Rating Event ” means this Note is rated below an Investment Grade Rating by each of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice

 

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of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of this Note is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) other than the Issuer or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Issuer’s voting stock; or (3) commencing after the distribution of the Issuer’s common stock to the stockholders of Morgan Stanley, the first day on which a majority of the members of the Issuer’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors.

Change of Control Triggering Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Issuer who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the issuance of this Note; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by vote of the Board of Directors or by approval of the Issuer’s stockholders after receipt of a proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any additional rating agency selected by the Issuer.

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Rating Agencies ” means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P; and (2) if either of Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate this Note or fails to make a rating of this Note publicly available for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Issuer (as certified by a resolution of its Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, or both of them, as the case may be.

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

voting stock ” of any specified person as of any date means the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the Board of Directors of such person.

This Note may be redeemed at the option of the Issuer, as a whole but not in part, upon giving not less than 10 days’ nor more than 30 days’ notice to the Holders, and upon reasonable notice, in advance of such notice to the Holders, to the Trustee, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Amounts), if any, to the date

 

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selected by the Issuer for such redemption if, as a result of (a) any change in, or amendment to, the laws or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder of the United States or of any political subdivision or taxing authority of or in the United States affecting taxation, or (b) any change in the official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change or amendment becomes effective or, in the case of a change in official position, is announced on or after the Original Issue Date, with respect to any payment due or to become due under the Notes or this Indenture, the Issuer is, or on the next Interest Payment Date would be, required to pay Additional Amounts (as defined below), and such requirement cannot be avoided by the taking of reasonable measures by the Issuer; provided that no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Issuer would be obligated to pay such Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of this Note were then due.

Prior to the mailing of any notice of redemption of this Note pursuant hereto, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee not more than 90 days before a redemption date (a) an Officers’ Certificate stating that such change or amendment as discussed above has occurred, describing the facts related thereto and stating that such requirement cannot be avoided by the Issuer taking reasonable measures available to it; and (b) an Opinion of Counsel or an opinion of a tax consultant, in either case of recognized standing with respect to tax matters of (i) the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof or any authority therein or thereof having the power to tax, (ii) any jurisdiction in which the Issuer (including any successor entity) is then incorporated, engaged in business or resident for tax purposes or any political subdivision thereof or therein having the power to tax or (iii) any jurisdiction by or through which payment is made, stating that the requirement to pay such Additional Amounts results from such change or amendment. The Trustee shall accept such certificate and opinion as sufficient evidence of the satisfaction of the conditions precedent described above, in which event it shall be conclusive and binding on the Holders. Any Notes that are redeemed will be cancelled.

The Issuer will, subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth below, pay to a Holder of any Note, as additional interest, such additional amounts (the “ Additional Amounts ”) as may be necessary in order that every net payment by the Issuer or a paying agent of the principal of and interest on this Note and any other amounts payable on this Note after withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future tax, assessment or governmental charge imposed or levied by the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein will not be less than the amount provided for in this Note to be then due and payable under this Note.

However, the obligation to pay Additional Amounts shall not apply (a) to any present or future tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for (i) the existence of any present or former connection between the Holder (or between a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of the Holder, if the Holder is an estate, a trust, a partnership, a limited liability company or a corporation) and the United States and its possessions, including, without limitation, the Holder (or such fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder) being or having been a citizen or resident of the United States or being or having been engaged in a trade or business or present in the United States or having, or having had, a permanent establishment in the United States, or (ii) the presentation by the Holder of any Note, where presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the date on which payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is duly provided for, whichever occurs later; (b) to any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, transfer, capital gains, excise or personal property tax or any similar tax, assessment or governmental charge; (c) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of the Holder’s past or present status as a controlled foreign corporation or passive foreign investment company with respect to the United States or as a corporation that accumulates earnings to avoid United States federal income tax or as a private foundation or other tax-exempt organization; (d) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed other than by withholding or deduction from payments on or in respect of any Note; (e) to any

 

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tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the failure to comply with certification, information or other reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence or identity of the Holder or beneficial owner of that Note, if compliance is required by statute or by regulation of the United States or of any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein as a precondition to relief or exemption from the tax, assessment or other governmental charge; (f) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of the Holder’s past or present status as the actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of the Issuer or as a direct or indirect subsidiary of the Issuer; (g) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed on a payment to an individual and that is required to be made pursuant to any law implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to, any European Union Directive on the taxation of savings; (h) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be withheld by any paying agent from any payment of the principal of, or interest on any Note, if such tax, assessment or other governmental charge results from the presentation of any Note for payment and the payment can be made without such withholding or deduction by the presentation of this Note for payment by at least one other paying agent; or (i) in the case of any combination of the forgoing items.

Additional Amounts will also not be paid with respect to any payment on a Note to a Holder who is a fiduciary, a partnership, a limited liability company, or other than the sole beneficial owner of that payment to the extent that payment would be required by the laws of the United States (or any political subdivision thereof) to be included in the income, for tax purposes, of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to that fiduciary, a member of that partnership, an interest Holder of that limited liability company, or a beneficial owner who, in each case, would not have been entitled to the Additional Amounts had that beneficiary, settlor, member or beneficial owner been the Holder.

This Note and all the obligations of the Issuer hereunder are direct, unsecured obligations of the Issuer and rank without preference or priority among themselves and pari passu with all other existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Issuer, subject to certain statutory exceptions in the event of liquidation upon insolvency.

This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or exchange hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and is issuable only in denominations of U.S. $2,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Trustee has been appointed registrar for the Notes, and the Trustee will maintain at its office in The City of New York a register for the registration and transfer of Notes. This Note may be transferred at the aforesaid office of the Trustee by surrendering this Note for cancellation, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee and duly executed by the registered Holder hereof in person or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon the Trustee shall issue in the name of the transferee or transferees, in exchange herefor, a new Note or Notes having identical terms and provisions and having a like aggregate principal amount in authorized denominations, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein; provided, however, that the Trustee will not be required (i) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note that has been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of Notes being redeemed in part, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note if the Holder thereof has exercised his right, if any, to require the Issuer to repurchase such Note in whole or in part, except the portion of such Note not required to be repurchased, or (iii) to register the transfer of or exchange Notes to the extent and during the period so provided in the Senior Indenture with respect to the redemption of Notes. Notes are exchangeable at said office for other Notes of other authorized denominations of equal aggregate principal amount having identical terms and provisions. All such exchanges and transfers of Notes will be free of charge, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other

 

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governmental charge in connection therewith. All Notes surrendered for exchange shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee and executed by the registered Holder in person or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing. The date of registration of any Note delivered upon any exchange or transfer of Notes shall be such that no gain or loss of interest results from such exchange or transfer.

In case this Note shall at any time become mutilated, defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen and this Note or evidence of the loss, theft or destruction thereof (together with the indemnity hereinafter referred to and such other documents or proof as may be required in the premises) shall be delivered to the Trustee, the Issuer in its discretion may execute a new Note of like tenor in exchange for this Note, but, if this Note is destroyed, lost or stolen, only upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee and the Issuer that this Note was destroyed or lost or stolen and, if required, upon receipt also of indemnity satisfactory to each of them. All expenses and reasonable charges associated with procuring such indemnity and with the preparation, authentication and delivery of a new Note shall be borne by the owner of the Note mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen.

The Senior Indenture provides that if an Event of Default (as defined in the Senior Indenture) applicable to the debt securities of any series shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series by notice in writing to the Issuer and to the Trustee, if given by the securityholders, may then declare the principal of all debt securities of such series and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, but upon certain conditions such declarations may be annulled and past defaults may be waived (except a continuing default in payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on such debt securities) by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series then outstanding.

The Senior Indenture permits the Issuer and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities of any series issued under the Senior Indenture then outstanding and affected, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner the rights of the Holders of such series so affected; provided that the Issuer and the Trustee may not, without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security affected thereby, (a) extend the final maturity of any such Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable on redemption or repayment thereof, or change the currency of payment thereof, or modify or amend the provisions for conversion of any currency into any other currency, or impair or affect the rights of any Holder to institute suit for the payment thereof or (b) reduce the aforesaid percentage in principal amount of debt securities the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture.

The obligations of the Issuer with respect to this Note may not be discharged or defeased pursuant to Section 10.01(b) or (c) of the Senior Indenture.

Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note will not be entitled to have the Notes represented by such Global Note registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the Notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the Notes under the Senior Indenture.

If (i) The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”), as depositary for the Notes, notifies the Issuer that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depositary or DTC ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days of such notice or cessation, (ii) the Issuer in its sole discretion determines that the Global Notes (on whole but not in part) should be exchanged for individual Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee or (iii)

 

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an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or 5.01(f) of the Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to the Notes, then, upon surrender by DTC of the Global Note, Notes in certificated form will be issued to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of the Notes represented by the Global Note. Upon any such issuance, the Trustee is required to register such certificated Notes in the name of such person or persons (or the nominee of any thereof) and cause the same to be delivered thereto.

Principal of, premium (if any) and interest on this Note will be payable, and this Note may be exchanged or transferred, at the office or agency maintained by the Issuer for such purpose (which initially will be the corporate trust office of the Trustee). Payment of principal of, premium (if any) and interest on Notes in global form will be made in immediately available funds to DTC’s nominee as the registered Holder of such global notes. If this Note is no longer represented by a global Note, payment of interest on the Notes in certificated form may, at the Issuer’s option, be made by check mailed directly to Holders at their registered addresses.

So long as the Notes are represented by one or more global Notes, transfers of beneficial interests in such global Notes will be effected under DTC’s procedures and will be settled in same-day funds. If the Notes are no longer represented by global Notes, a Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in certificated form at the same location given in the preceding paragraph. The Issuer is not required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption or for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

The registered Holder of a Note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

The Issuer will not be required to (a) register the transfer of or exchange any Note if the Holder has exercised the Holder’s right, if any, to require the Issuer to repurchase the Note, in whole or in part, except the portion of the Note not required to be repurchased, (b) register the transfer of or exchange Notes to be redeemed for a period of fifteen calendar days preceding the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption; or (c) register the transfer of or exchange any registered Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed or unpaid portion of that registered Note being redeemed in part.

No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with the registration of transfer or exchange of Notes.

With respect to moneys paid by the Issuer and held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent for payment of the principal of or interest or premium, if any, on any Notes that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, interest or premium shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity or upon call for redemption or otherwise), (i) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall notify the Holders of such Notes that such moneys shall be repaid to the Issuer and any person claiming such moneys shall thereafter look only to the Issuer for payment thereof and (ii) such moneys shall be so repaid to the Issuer. Upon such repayment all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease, without, however, limiting in any way any obligation that the Issuer may have to pay the principal of or interest or premium, if any, on this Note as the same shall become due.

No provision of this Note or of the Senior Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed unless otherwise agreed between the Issuer and the registered Holder of this Note.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the Holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and none of the Issuer, the Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 

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No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or the interest on this Note, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Senior Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Issuer or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

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

All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Senior Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Senior Indenture.

 

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ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM     as tenants in common   
TEN ENT     as tenants by the entireties   
JT TEN     as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT —  

 

   Custodian  

 

  (Minor)      (Cust)

 

Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act  

 

    
  (State)     

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

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FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

 

 

  

[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]

  

 

 

 

 

[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE]

the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing such person attorney to transfer such note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:                     

 

NOTICE:   The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

 

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OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT

The undersigned hereby irrevocably requests and instructs the Issuer to repay the within Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest to the Change of Control Payment Date, to the undersigned at

 

 

 

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address of the undersigned)

If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be repaid, specify the portion thereof which the Holder elects to have repaid:                      ; and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the within Note not being repaid (in the absence of any such specification, one such Note will be issued for the portion not being repaid):                      .

 

Dated:  

 

    

 

  Name:      NOTICE: The signature on this Option to Elect Repayment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular without alteration or enlargement.

 

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EXHIBIT 4.3

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES

6.450% RATE SENIOR NOTE

 

REGISTERED   $[            ]
No. Fixed-   CUSIP: [                    ]

[UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) TO THE ISSUER OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR SUCH OTHER NAME AS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO., ANY TRANSFER, PLEDGE OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS WRONGFUL SINCE THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST HEREIN.

UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE REGISTERED FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO THE NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY.]*

[THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF IS DEEMED TO HAVE AGREED TO BE BOUND BY THE PROVISIONS OF A REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT AMONG DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES AND THE INITIAL PURCHASERS, DATED JUNE 12, 2007 (THE “REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT”). THE ISSUER WILL PROVIDE A COPY OF THE REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT TO A HOLDER WITHOUT CHARGE UPON WRITTEN REQUEST TO IT AT ITS PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS.

THIS SECURITY HAS NOT BEEN REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933, AS AMENDED (THE “SECURITIES ACT”), OR THE SECURITIES LAWS OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION. NEITHER THIS SECURITY NOR ANY INTEREST OR PARTICIPATION HEREIN MAY BE REOFFERED, SOLD, ASSIGNED, TRANSFERRED, PLEDGED, ENCUMBERED OR OTHERWISE DISPOSED OF IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCH REGISTRATION OR UNLESS SUCH TRANSACTION IS EXEMPT FROM, OR NOT SUBJECT TO, SUCH REGISTRATION. THE HOLDER OF THIS SECURITY, BY ITS ACCEPTANCE HEREOF, AGREES ON ITS OWN BEHALF AND ON BEHALF OF ANY INVESTOR ACCOUNT FOR WHICH IT HAS PURCHASED SECURITIES, TO OFFER, SELL OR OTHERWISE TRANSFER SUCH SECURITY, PRIOR TO THE DATE (THE “RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE”) THAT IS TWO YEARS AFTER THE LATER OF THE ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE HEREOF AND THE LAST DATE ON WHICH THE ISSUER OR ANY AFFILIATE OF THE ISSUER WAS THE OWNER OF THIS SECURITY (OR ANY PREDECESSOR OF SUCH SECURITY), ONLY (A) TO THE ISSUER OR ANY SUBSIDIARY OF THE ISSUER, (B) PURSUANT TO A REGISTRATION STATEMENT THAT HAS BEEN DECLARED EFFECTIVE UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, (C) FOR SO LONG AS THE SECURITIES ARE ELIGIBLE FOR RESALE PURSUANT TO RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, TO A PERSON IT REASONABLY BELIEVES IS A “QUALIFIED

 


* To be included in Global Notes.

 

1


INSTITUTIONAL BUYER” AS DEFINED IN RULE 144A UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT THAT PURCHASES FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT OR FOR THE ACCOUNT OF A QUALIFIED INSTITUTIONAL BUYER TO WHOM NOTICE IS GIVEN THAT THE TRANSFER IS BEING MADE IN RELIANCE ON RULE 144A, (D) IN AN OFFSHORE TRANSACTION COMPLYING WITH RULE 903 OR RULE 904 OF REGULATION S UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR (E) PURSUANT TO ANOTHER AVAILABLE EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS OF THE SECURITIES ACT, SUBJECT TO THE ISSUER’S AND THE TRUSTEE’S RIGHT PRIOR TO ANY SUCH OFFER, SALE OR TRANSFER PURSUANT TO CLAUSES (D) OR (E) TO REQUIRE THE DELIVERY OF AN OPINION OF COUNSEL, CERTIFICATION OR OTHER INFORMATION SATISFACTORY TO EACH OF THEM. THIS LEGEND WILL BE REMOVED UPON THE REQUEST OF THE HOLDER AFTER THE RESALE RESTRICTION TERMINATION DATE.]**

 


** To be included in Notes issued pursuant to Rule 144A or Regulation S until the Resale Restriction Termination Date.

 

2


DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES

6.450% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2017

 

INTEREST RATE:

 

6.450%

  

ORIGINAL ISSUE DATE:

 

June 12, 2007

  

MATURITY DATE:

 

June 12, 2017

INTEREST PAYMENT DATES:

 

Each June 12 and December 12, commencing December 12, 2007.

  

INTEREST ACCRUAL DATE:

 

June 12, 2007

  

REPAYMENT AT OPTION OF HOLDER:

 

Yes, only as described herein.

INTEREST PAYMENT PERIOD:

 

Semiannually

  

TAX REDEMPTION AND PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL AMOUNTS:

 

Yes

  

MINIMUM DENOMINATIONS:

 

$2,000 and integral multiples of $1,000 in excess thereof

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES, a Delaware corporation (together with its successors and assigns, the “ Issuer ”), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assignees, the principal sum of $[            ] on the Maturity Date specified above (except to the extent redeemed or repaid prior to maturity) and to pay interest thereon at the Interest Rate per annum specified above, from and including the Interest Accrual Date specified above until the principal hereof is paid or duly made available for payment semiannually in arrears on each Interest Payment Date (as specified above), commencing on the Interest Payment Date next succeeding the Interest Accrual Date specified above, and on the Maturity Date (or on any redemption or repayment date); provided , however , that if the Interest Accrual Date occurs between a Record Date, as defined below, and the next succeeding Interest Payment Date, interest payments will commence on the second Interest Payment Date succeeding the Interest Accrual Date to the registered Holder of this Note on the Record Date with respect to such second Interest Payment Date; and provided, further , that if the Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) does not fall on a Business Day, as defined below, payment of interest, premium, if any, or principal otherwise payable on such date need not be made on such date, but may be made on the next succeeding Business Day with the same force and effect as if made on the Interest Payment Date or on the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date), and no interest on such payment shall accrue for the period from and after the Interest Payment Date or the Maturity Date (or any redemption or repayment date) to such next succeeding Business Day. The Issuer shall also pay a Special Interest Premium (as defined in the Registration Rights Agreement) under the conditions, in the amounts and at the times set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement. References herein and in the Senior Indenture to interest shall be deemed to include any Special Interest Premium.

Interest on this Note will accrue from and including the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, or, if no interest has been paid or duly provided for, from and including the Interest Accrual Date, until but excluding the date the principal hereof has been paid or duly made available for payment. The interest so payable, and punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date will, subject to certain exceptions described herein, be paid to the person in whose name this Note (or one or more predecessor Notes) is registered at the close of business on the June 1 and December 1 immediately preceding such Interest Payment Date (whether or not a Business Day) (each such date, a “ Record Date ”); provided , however , that interest payable at maturity (or any redemption or repayment date) will be payable to the person to whom the principal hereof shall be payable. As used herein, “ Business Day ” means any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is neither a legal holiday nor a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York.

 

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Payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest on this Note due at maturity (or any redemption or repayment date) will be made in immediately available funds upon surrender of this Note at the office or agency of the Paying Agent, as defined on the reverse hereof, maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or at such other paying agency as the Issuer may determine, in U.S. dollars. U.S. dollar payments of interest, other than interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, will be made by U.S. dollar check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Note register. A Holder of U.S. $10,000,000 or more in aggregate principal amount of Notes having the same Interest Payment Date, the interest on which is payable in U.S. dollars, shall be entitled to receive payments of interest, other than interest due at maturity or on any date of redemption or repayment, by wire transfer of immediately available funds if appropriate wire transfer instructions have been received by the Paying Agent in writing not less than 15 calendar days prior to the applicable Interest Payment Date.

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

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

 

4


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Issuer has caused this Note to be duly executed.

 

DATED: June 12, 2007   DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES
  By:    
  Name:  
  Title:  

 

TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
as Trustee

By:    
  Authorized Officer

 

5


[FORM OF REVERSE OF SECURITY]

This Note is one of the duly authorized debt securities of the Issuer of a series designated as the 6.450% Senior Notes due 2017 (the “ Notes ”). The Notes are issuable under a Senior Indenture, dated as of June 12, 2007, between the Issuer and U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee (the “ Trustee ,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Senior Indenture) (as may be amended or supplemented from time to time, the “ Senior Indenture ”), to which Senior Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities of the Issuer, the Trustee and Holders of the Notes and the terms upon which the Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. The Issuer has appointed U.S. Bank National Association, at its corporate trust office in The City of New York, as the paying agent (the “ Paying Agent ,” which term includes any additional or successor Paying Agent appointed by the Issuer) with respect to this Note. To the extent not inconsistent herewith, the terms of the Senior Indenture are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

This Note will not be subject to any sinking fund.

Interest payments on this Note will include interest accrued to but excluding the Interest Payment Dates or the Maturity Date (or any earlier redemption or repayment date), as the case may be. Interest payments for this Note will be computed and paid on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months.

This Note may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the Issuer’s option at any time at a make-whole redemption price equal to (A) the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of the portion of this Note to be redeemed, and (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on such portion to be redeemed (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued to the date of redemption) discounted to the date of redemption on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below), plus 25 basis points, as calculated by the Premium Calculation Agent (as defined below); plus (B) accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to the redemption date.

Treasury Rate ” means, with respect to any redemption date (A) the yield, under the heading that represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release designated “H.15(519)” or any successor publication that is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and that establishes yields on actively traded U.S. Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Remaining Life (as defined below), yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue will be determined and the Treasury Rate will be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight-line basis, rounding to the nearest month); or (B) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semiannual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such redemption date.

The Treasury Rate will be calculated on the third business day preceding the redemption date.

The Issuer will mail a notice of redemption to DTC, as Holder of the Note, by first-class mail at least 10 and not more than 30 days prior to the date fixed for redemption in such notice. Unless the Issuer defaults on payment of the redemption price, interest will cease to accrue on the Notes or portions thereof called for redemption on the applicable redemption date. If fewer than all of the Notes are to be redeemed, the Trustee will select, not more than 30 days (or such other indicated period) prior to the redemption date, the particular Notes or portions thereof for redemption from the outstanding Notes not previously called for redemption by such method as the Trustee deems fair and appropriate.

 

1


Comparable Treasury Issue ” means the U.S. Treasury security selected by the Premium Calculation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (“ Remaining Life ”) of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of such Notes to be redeemed.

Comparable Treasury Price ” means, with respect to a redemption date, (1) the average of five Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations or (2) if the Premium Calculation Agent obtains fewer than five such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations.

Premium Calculation Agent ” means Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, or if that firm is unwilling or unable to select the Comparable Treasury Issue, an investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Trustee after consultation with the Issuer.

Reference Treasury Dealer ” means (1) Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated and its successors; provided , that if the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. government securities dealer in New York City (a “ Primary Treasury Dealer ”) the Issuer will substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer and (2) any other Primary Treasury Dealers selected by the Premium Calculation Agent after consultation with the Issuer.

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

The Issuer shall notify the Trustee of the redemption price promptly after the calculation thereof and such Trustee will have no responsibility for calculating the redemption price.

If a Change of Control Triggering Event (defined below) occurs, the Holder of this Note will have the right to require the Issuer to repurchase all or part (equal to $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof) of this Note pursuant to the offer described below (the “ Change of Control Offer ”) on the terms set forth herein (except to the extent of any part of this Note with respect to which the Issuer previously exercised its right to redeem (as described above)). In the Change of Control Offer, the Issuer shall offer payment in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of this Note repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the portion of this Note repurchased, to the date of purchase (the “ Change of Control Payment ”). Within 30 days following any Change of Control Triggering Event, the Issuer shall mail a notice to the Holder of this Note describing the transaction or transactions that constitute the Change of Control Triggering Event and offering to repurchase all or part of this Note on the date specified in the notice, which date will be no earlier than 30 days and no later than 60 days from the date such notice is mailed (the “ Change of Control Payment Date ”), pursuant to the procedures required by this Note and described in such notice. The Issuer shall comply with the requirements of Rule 14e-1 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “ Exchange Act ”) and any other securities laws and regulations thereunder to the extent those laws and regulations are applicable in connection with the repurchase of all or part of this Note as a result of a Change of Control Triggering Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with the Change of Control provisions of this Note, the Issuer shall comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under the Change of Control provisions of this Note by virtue of such conflicts.

 

2


On the Change of Control Payment Date, the Issuer shall, to the extent lawful, (a) accept for payment all or part of this Note if it is properly tendered pursuant to the Change of Control Offer; (b) deposit with the Paying Agent an amount equal to the Change of Control Payment in respect of all or part of this Note if it is properly tendered; and (c) deliver or cause to be delivered to the Trustee this Note properly accepted.

For purposes of the foregoing discussion of a repurchase at the option of Holders:

Below Investment Grade Rating Event ” means this Note is rated below an Investment Grade Rating by each of the Rating Agencies (as defined below) on any date from the date of the public notice of an arrangement that could result in a Change of Control until the end of the 60-day period following public notice of the occurrence of the Change of Control (which 60-day period shall be extended so long as the rating of this Note is under publicly announced consideration for possible downgrade by either of the Rating Agencies).

Change of Control ” means the occurrence of any of the following: (1) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, conveyance or other disposition (other than by way of merger or consolidation), in one or a series of related transactions, of all or substantially all of the properties or assets of the Issuer and its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) other than the Issuer or one of its subsidiaries; (2) the consummation of any transaction (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any person (as such term is used in Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act) becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Issuer’s voting stock; or (3) commencing after the distribution of the Issuer’s common stock to the stockholders of Morgan Stanley, the first day on which a majority of the members of the Issuer’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors.

Change of Control Triggering Event ” means the occurrence of both a Change of Control and a Below Investment Grade Rating Event.

Continuing Directors ” means, as of any date of determination, any member of the Board of Directors of the Issuer who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the issuance of this Note; or (2) was nominated for election or elected to such Board of Directors with the approval of a majority of the Continuing Directors who were members of such Board of Directors at the time of such nomination or election (either by vote of the Board of Directors or by approval of the Issuer’s stockholders after receipt of a proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director, without objection to such nomination).

“Investment Grade Rating ” means a rating equal to or higher than Baa3 (or the equivalent) by Moody’s and BBB- (or the equivalent) by S&P and the equivalent investment grade credit rating from any additional rating agency selected by the Issuer.

Moody’s ” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.

Rating Agencies ” means (1) each of Moody’s and S&P; and (2) if either of Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate this Note or fails to make a rating of this Note publicly available for reasons outside of the Issuer’s control, a “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” within the meaning of Rule 15c3-1(c)(2)(vi)(F) under the Exchange Act, selected by the Issuer (as certified by a resolution of its Board of Directors) as a replacement agency for Moody’s or S&P, or both of them, as the case may be.

S&P ” means Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. “ voting stock ” of any specified person as of any date means the capital stock of such person that is at the time entitled to vote generally in the election of the Board of Directors of such person.

 

3


This Note may be redeemed at the option of the Issuer, as a whole but not in part, upon giving not less than 10 days’ nor more than 30 days’ notice to the Holders, and upon reasonable notice, in advance of such notice to the Holders, to the Trustee, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest (including any Additional Amounts), if any, to the date selected by the Issuer for such redemption if, as a result of (a) any change in, or amendment to, the laws or any regulations or rulings promulgated thereunder of the United States or of any political subdivision or taxing authority of or in the United States affecting taxation, or (b) any change in the official position regarding the application or interpretation of such laws, regulations or rulings (including a holding, judgment or order by a court of competent jurisdiction), which change or amendment becomes effective or, in the case of a change in official position, is announced on or after the Original Issue Date, with respect to any payment due or to become due under the Notes or this Indenture, the Issuer is, or on the next Interest Payment Date would be, required to pay Additional Amounts (as defined below), and such requirement cannot be avoided by the taking of reasonable measures by the Issuer; provided that no such notice of redemption shall be given earlier than 90 days prior to the earliest date on which the Issuer would be obligated to pay such Additional Amounts if a payment in respect of this Note were then due.

Prior to the mailing of any notice of redemption of this Note pursuant hereto, the Issuer will deliver to the Trustee not more than 90 days before a redemption date (a) an Officers’ Certificate stating that such change or amendment as discussed above has occurred, describing the facts related thereto and stating that such requirement cannot be avoided by the Issuer taking reasonable measures available to it; and (b) an Opinion of Counsel or an opinion of a tax consultant, in either case of recognized standing with respect to tax matters of (i) the United States of America or any political subdivision thereof or any authority therein or thereof having the power to tax, (ii) any jurisdiction in which the Issuer (including any successor entity) is then incorporated, engaged in business or resident for tax purposes or any political subdivision thereof or therein having the power to tax or (iii) any jurisdiction by or through which payment is made, stating that the requirement to pay such Additional Amounts results from such change or amendment. The Trustee shall accept such certificate and opinion as sufficient evidence of the satisfaction of the conditions precedent described above, in which event it shall be conclusive and binding on the Holders. Any Notes that are redeemed will be cancelled.

The Issuer will, subject to the exceptions and limitations set forth below, pay to a Holder of any Note, as additional interest, such additional amounts (the “ Additional Amounts ”) as may be necessary in order that every net payment by the Issuer or a paying agent of the principal of and interest on this Note and any other amounts payable on this Note after withholding or deduction for or on account of any present or future tax, assessment or governmental charge imposed or levied by the United States or any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein will not be less than the amount provided for in this Note to be then due and payable under this Note.

However, the obligation to pay Additional Amounts shall not apply (a) to any present or future tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for (i) the existence of any present or former connection between the Holder (or between a fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder of the Holder, if the Holder is an estate, a trust, a partnership, a limited liability company or a corporation) and the United States and its possessions, including, without limitation, the Holder (or such fiduciary, settlor, beneficiary, member or shareholder) being or having been a citizen or resident of the United States or being or having been engaged in a trade or business or present in the United States or having, or having had, a permanent establishment in the United States, or (ii) the presentation by the Holder of any Note, where presentation is required, for payment on a date more than 30 days after the date on which payment became due and payable or the date on which payment thereof is

 

4


duly provided for, whichever occurs later; (b) to any estate, inheritance, gift, sales, transfer, capital gains, excise or personal property tax or any similar tax, assessment or governmental charge; (c) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of the Holder’s past or present status as a controlled foreign corporation or passive foreign investment company with respect to the United States or as a corporation that accumulates earnings to avoid United States federal income tax or as a private foundation or other tax-exempt organization; (d) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed other than by withholding or deduction from payments on or in respect of any Note; (e) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that would not have been imposed but for the failure to comply with certification, information or other reporting requirements concerning the nationality, residence or identity of the Holder or beneficial owner of that Note, if compliance is required by statute or by regulation of the United States or of any political subdivision or taxing authority thereof or therein as a precondition to relief or exemption from the tax, assessment or other governmental charge; (f) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge imposed by reason of the Holder’s past or present status as the actual or constructive owner of 10% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock entitled to vote of the Issuer or as a direct or indirect subsidiary of the Issuer; (g) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge that is imposed on a payment to an individual and that is required to be made pursuant to any law implementing or complying with, or introduced in order to conform to, any European Union Directive on the taxation of savings; (h) to any tax, assessment or other governmental charge required to be withheld by any paying agent from any payment of the principal of, or interest on any Note, if such tax, assessment or other governmental charge results from the presentation of any Note for payment and the payment can be made without such withholding or deduction by the presentation of this Note for payment by at least one other paying agent; or (i) in the case of any combination of the forgoing items.

Additional Amounts will also not be paid with respect to any payment on a Note to a Holder who is a fiduciary, a partnership, a limited liability company, or other than the sole beneficial owner of that payment to the extent that payment would be required by the laws of the United States (or any political subdivision thereof) to be included in the income, for tax purposes, of a beneficiary or settlor with respect to that fiduciary, a member of that partnership, an interest Holder of that limited liability company, or a beneficial owner who, in each case, would not have been entitled to the Additional Amounts had that beneficiary, settlor, member or beneficial owner been the Holder.

This Note and all the obligations of the Issuer hereunder are direct, unsecured obligations of the Issuer and rank without preference or priority among themselves and pari passu with all other existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of the Issuer, subject to certain statutory exceptions in the event of liquidation upon insolvency.

This Note, and any Note or Notes issued upon transfer or exchange hereof, is issuable only in fully registered form, without coupons, and is issuable only in denominations of U.S. $2,000 and any integral multiple of U.S. $1,000 in excess thereof.

The Trustee has been appointed registrar for the Notes, and the Trustee will maintain at its office in The City of New York a register for the registration and transfer of Notes. This Note may be transferred at the aforesaid office of the Trustee by surrendering this Note for cancellation, accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee and duly executed by the registered Holder hereof in person or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon the Trustee shall issue in the name of the transferee or transferees, in exchange herefor, a new Note or Notes having identical terms and provisions and having a like aggregate principal amount in authorized denominations, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein; provided, however , that the Trustee will not be required (i) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note that has been called for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of Notes being redeemed in part, (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Note if the Holder thereof has exercised his right, if any, to require the Issuer to repurchase such Note in whole or in part, except the portion of such Note not

 

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required to be repurchased, or (iii) to register the transfer of or exchange Notes to the extent and during the period so provided in the Senior Indenture with respect to the redemption of Notes. Notes are exchangeable at said office for other Notes of other authorized denominations of equal aggregate principal amount having identical terms and provisions. All such exchanges and transfers of Notes will be free of charge, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge in connection therewith. All Notes surrendered for exchange shall be accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Issuer and the Trustee and executed by the registered Holder in person or by the Holder’s attorney duly authorized in writing. The date of registration of any Note delivered upon any exchange or transfer of Notes shall be such that no gain or loss of interest results from such exchange or transfer.

In case this Note shall at any time become mutilated, defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen and this Note or evidence of the loss, theft or destruction thereof (together with the indemnity hereinafter referred to and such other documents or proof as may be required in the premises) shall be delivered to the Trustee, the Issuer in its discretion may execute a new Note of like tenor in exchange for this Note, but, if this Note is destroyed, lost or stolen, only upon receipt of evidence satisfactory to the Trustee and the Issuer that this Note was destroyed or lost or stolen and, if required, upon receipt also of indemnity satisfactory to each of them. All expenses and reasonable charges associated with procuring such indemnity and with the preparation, authentication and delivery of a new Note shall be borne by the owner of the Note mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen.

The Senior Indenture provides that if an Event of Default (as defined in the Senior Indenture) applicable to the debt securities of any series shall have occurred and be continuing, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of such series by notice in writing to the Issuer and to the Trustee, if given by the securityholders, may then declare the principal of all debt securities of such series and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, but upon certain conditions such declarations may be annulled and past defaults may be waived (except a continuing default in payment of principal or premium, if any, or interest on such debt securities) by the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of such series then outstanding.

The Issuer is permitted, at any time, to discharge (“defease”) all of its obligations under this Note, other than those as to transfers and exchanges of this Note. The Issuer may be released with respect to any outstanding Note from the obligations imposed by the covenants described herein limiting liens and consolidations, mergers, asset sales and leases, and elect not to comply with those sections without creating an Event of Default or a default (“covenant defeasance”). Defeasance or covenant defeasance may be effected only if, among other things (a) the Issuer irrevocably deposits with the Trustee cash sufficient or trust funds in an amount certified to be sufficient, or a combination of the above, to pay the principal of and interest on, and any mandatory sinking fund payments for, all outstanding Notes being defeased; (b) the Issuer delivers to the Trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that (i) the Holders of Notes being defeased will not recognize income, gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes as a result of the defeasance or covenant defeasance; and (ii) the defeasance or covenant defeasance will not otherwise alter those Holders’ U.S. federal income tax treatment of principal and interest payments on the Notes being defeased.

The Senior Indenture permits the Issuer and the Trustee, with the consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in aggregate principal amount of Securities of any series issued under the Senior Indenture then outstanding and affected, to execute supplemental indentures adding any provisions to or changing in any manner the rights of the Holders of such series so affected; provided that the Issuer and the Trustee may not, without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security affected thereby, (a) extend the final maturity of any such Security, or reduce the principal amount thereof, or reduce the rate or extend the time of payment of interest thereon, or reduce any amount payable on redemption or repayment thereof, or change the currency of payment thereof, or modify or amend the provisions for

 

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conversion of any currency into any other currency, or impair or affect the rights of any Holder to institute suit for the payment thereof or (b) reduce the aforesaid percentage in principal amount of Securities the consent of the Holders of which is required for any such supplemental indenture.

Except as described below, owners of beneficial interests in a Global Note will not be entitled to have the Notes represented by such Global Note registered in their names, will not receive or be entitled to receive physical delivery of the Notes in definitive form and will not be considered the owners or holders of the Notes under the Senior Indenture.

If (i) The Depository Trust Company (“ DTC ”), as depositary for the Notes, notifies the Issuer that it is no longer willing or able to act as a depositary or DTC ceases to be registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act and a successor depositary is not appointed within 90 days of such notice or cessation, (ii) the Issuer in its sole discretion determines that the Global Notes (on whole but not in part) should be exchanged for individual Notes and delivers a written notice to such effect to the Trustee or (iii) an Event of Default specified in Section 5.01(e) or 5.01(f) of the Indenture shall have occurred and be continuing with respect to the Notes, then, upon surrender by DTC of the Global Note, Notes in certificated form will be issued to each person that DTC identifies as the beneficial owner of the Notes represented by the Global Note. Upon any such issuance, the Trustee is required to register such certificated Notes in the name of such person or persons (or the nominee of any thereof) and cause the same to be delivered thereto.

Principal of, premium (if any) and interest on this Note will be payable, and this Note may be exchanged or transferred, at the office or agency maintained by the Issuer for such purpose (which initially will be the corporate trust office of the Trustee). Payment of principal of, premium (if any) and interest on Notes in global form will be made in immediately available funds to DTC’s nominee as the registered Holder of such global notes. If this Note is no longer represented by a global Note, payment of interest on the Notes in certificated form may, at the Issuer’s option, be made by check mailed directly to Holders at their registered addresses.

So long as the Notes are represented by one or more global Notes, transfers of beneficial interests in such global Notes will be effected under DTC’s procedures and will be settled in same-day funds. If the Notes are no longer represented by global Notes, a Holder may transfer or exchange Notes in certificated form at the same location given in the preceding paragraph. The Issuer is not required to transfer or exchange any Note selected for redemption or for a period of 15 days before a selection of Notes to be redeemed.

The registered Holder of a Note will be treated as the owner of it for all purposes.

The Issuer will not be required to (a) register the transfer of or exchange any Note if the Holder has exercised the Holder’s right, if any, to require the Issuer to repurchase the Note, in whole or in part, except the portion of the Note not required to be repurchased, (b) register the transfer of or exchange Notes to be redeemed for a period of fifteen calendar days preceding the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption; or (c) register the transfer of or exchange any registered Note selected for redemption in whole or in part, except the unredeemed or unpaid portion of that registered Note being redeemed in part.

No service charge will be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Notes, but the Issuer may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge payable in connection with the registration of transfer or exchange of Notes.

With respect to moneys paid by the Issuer and held by the Trustee or any Paying Agent for payment of the principal of or interest or premium, if any, on any Notes that remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, interest or premium shall have become due and payable (whether at maturity or upon call for redemption or otherwise), (i) the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall notify the Holders of such Notes that such moneys shall be repaid to the Issuer and any person claiming such

 

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moneys shall thereafter look only to the Issuer for payment thereof and (ii) such moneys shall be so repaid to the Issuer. Upon such repayment all liability of the Trustee or such Paying Agent with respect to such moneys shall thereupon cease, without, however, limiting in any way any obligation that the Issuer may have to pay the principal of or interest or premium, if any, on this Note as the same shall become due.

No provision of this Note or of the Senior Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Issuer, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note at the time, place, and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed unless otherwise agreed between the Issuer and the registered Holder of this Note.

Prior to due presentment of this Note for registration of transfer, the Issuer, the Trustee and any agent of the Issuer or the Trustee may treat the Holder in whose name this Note is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and none of the Issuer, the Trustee or any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

No recourse shall be had for the payment of the principal of, premium, if any, or the interest on this Note, for any claim based hereon, or otherwise in respect hereof, or based on or in respect of the Senior Indenture or any indenture supplemental thereto, against any incorporator, shareholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Issuer or of any successor corporation, either directly or through the Issuer or any successor corporation, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule of law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being, by the acceptance hereof and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

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

All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Senior Indenture and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Senior Indenture.

 

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ABBREVIATIONS

The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations:

 

TEN COM     as tenants in common
TEN ENT     as tenants by the entireties
JT TEN     as joint tenants with right of survivorship and not as tenants in common

 

UNIF GIFT MIN ACT —  

 

  Custodian  

 

  (Minor)     (Cust)

 

 

Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act  

 

  
  (State)   

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list.

 

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FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto

 

 

  

[PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE]

  

 

 

 

 

[PLEASE PRINT OR TYPE NAME AND ADDRESS, INCLUDING ZIP CODE, OF ASSIGNEE]

the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing such person attorney to transfer such note on the books of the Issuer, with full power of substitution in the premises.

Dated:                     

 

NOTICE:   The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within Note in every particular without alteration or enlargement or any change whatsoever.

 

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OPTION TO ELECT REPAYMENT

The undersigned hereby irrevocably requests and instructs the Issuer to repay the within Note (or portion thereof specified below) pursuant to its terms at a price equal to the principal amount thereof, together with interest to the Change of Control Payment Date, to the undersigned at

 

 

 

 

(Please print or typewrite name and address of the undersigned)

If less than the entire principal amount of the within Note is to be repaid, specify the portion thereof which the Holder elects to have repaid:                      ; and specify the denomination or denominations (which shall not be less than the minimum authorized denomination) of the Notes to be issued to the Holder for the portion of the within Note not being repaid (in the absence of any such specification, one such Note will be issued for the portion not being repaid):                      .

 

Dated:   

 

  

 

   Name:    NOTICE: The signature on this Option to Elect Repayment must correspond with the name as written upon the face of the within instrument in every particular without alteration or enlargement.

 

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EXHIBIT 4.4

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

This REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT dated June 12, 2007 (the “Agreement”) is entered into by and among Discover Financial Services, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated (“Morgan Stanley”), as representative (the “Representative”) of the several initial purchasers listed on Schedule I (the “Initial Purchasers”) to the Purchase Agreement dated June 12, 2007 (the “Purchase Agreement”) with the Company. The Purchase Agreement provides for the sale by the Company to the Initial Purchasers of $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s Securities (as defined below). As an inducement to the Initial Purchasers to enter into the Purchase Agreement, the Company has agreed to provide to the Initial Purchasers and their direct and indirect transferees the registration rights set forth in this Agreement. The execution and delivery of this Agreement is a condition to the closing under the Purchase Agreement.

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Exchange Offer” shall mean the exchange offer by the Company of Exchange Securities for Registrable Securities pursuant to Section 2(a) hereof.

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

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


“Exchange Securities” shall mean notes issued by the Company under the Indenture containing terms identical to the Securities of the relevant series (except that the Exchange Securities will not be subject to restrictions on transfer or to any increase in annual interest rate for failure to comply with this Agreement) and to be offered to Holders of Registrable Securities in exchange for Exchange Securities pursuant to the Exchange Offer.

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

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

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

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

“Indenture” shall mean the Indenture relating to the Securities and Exchange Securities dated as of June 12, 2007 between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, as the same may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms thereof.

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

“Purchase Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the Preamble.

“Registrable Securities” shall mean the Securities; provided that the Securities shall cease to be Registrable Securities (i) when a Registration Statement with respect to such Securities has become effective under the Securities Act and such Securities have been exchanged or disposed of pursuant to such Registration Statement, (ii) when such Securities are eligible to be sold pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in force, but not Rule 144A) under the Securities Act or (iii) when such Securities cease to be outstanding.

“Registration Expenses” shall mean any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance by the Company with this Agreement, including without limitation: (i) all SEC, stock exchange or National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. registration and filing fees, (ii) all fees and expenses incurred in connection with compliance with state securities or blue sky laws (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel for any Underwriters or Holders in connection with blue sky qualification of any Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities), (iii) all expenses of any Persons in preparing or assisting in preparing, word processing, printing and distributing any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and any amendments or supplements thereto, any underwriting agreements, securities sales agreements or other similar agreements and any other documents relating to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, (iv) all rating agency fees, (v) all fees and disbursements relating to the qualification of the Indenture under applicable securities laws, (vi) the fees and disbursements of the Trustee and its counsel, (vii) the fees and disbursements of counsel for the Company and, in the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Holders (which counsel shall be selected by the Majority Holders and which counsel may also be counsel for the Initial Purchasers) and (viii) the fees and disbursements of the independent public accountants of the Company including the expenses of any special audits or “comfort” letters required by or incident to the performance of and compliance with this Agreement, but excluding fees and expenses of counsel to the Underwriters (other than fees and

 

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expenses set forth in clause (ii) above) or the Holders and underwriting discounts and commissions, brokerage commissions and transfer taxes, if any, relating to the sale or disposition of Registrable Securities by a Holder.

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

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

“Securities” means the Floating Rate Senior Notes due 2010 of the Company and the 6.450% Senior Notes due 2017 of the Company to be purchased pursuant to the Purchase Agreement. Unless otherwise indicated, each series of Securities shall be treated as a separate series hereunder.

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

“Shelf Additional Interest Date” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2(d) hereof.

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

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

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

“Staff” shall mean the staff of the SEC.

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

“Trustee” shall mean the trustee with respect to the Securities under the Indenture.

 

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

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

2. Registration Under the Securities Act . (a) To the extent not prohibited by any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, the Company shall (i) cause to be filed within 270 days after the date hereof an Exchange Offer Registration Statement covering an offer to the Holders to exchange all the Registrable Securities for Exchange Securities and (ii) use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to be declared effective within 330 days after the date hereof. The Company shall commence the Exchange Offer promptly after the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is declared effective by the SEC and use its reasonable best efforts to complete the Exchange Offer not later than 360 days after the date hereof.

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

(iv) that any Holder electing to have a Registrable Security exchanged pursuant to the Exchange Offer will be required to (A) surrender such Registrable Security, together with the appropriate letters of transmittal, to the institution and at the address and in the manner specified in the notice, or (B) effect such exchange otherwise in compliance with the applicable procedures of the depositary for such Registrable Security, in each case prior to the close of business on the last Exchange Date; and

 

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

 

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As a condition to participating in the Exchange Offer, a Holder will be required to represent to the Company that (i) any Exchange Securities to be received by it will be acquired in the ordinary course of its business, (ii) at the time of the commencement of the Exchange Offer it has no arrangement or understanding with any Person to participate in the distribution (within the meaning of the Securities Act) of the Exchange Securities in violation of the provisions of the Securities Act, (iii) it is not an “affiliate” (within the meaning of Rule 405 under the Securities Act) of the Company and (iv) if such Holder is a broker-dealer that will receive Exchange Securities for its own account in exchange for Registrable Securities that were acquired as a result of market-making or other trading activities, then such Holder will deliver a Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available a Prospectus to purchasers) in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

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

 

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

 

(ii) deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Trustee for cancellation all Registrable Securities or portions thereof so accepted for exchange by the Company and issue, and cause the Trustee to promptly authenticate and deliver to each Holder, Exchange Securities equal in principal amount to the principal amount of the Registrable Securities tendered by such Holder and of the same series as such Registrable Securities.

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

(b) In the event that (i) the Company determines that the Exchange Offer Registration provided for in Section 2(a) above is not available or the Exchange Offer may not be completed as soon as practicable after the last Exchange Date because it would violate any applicable law or applicable interpretations of the Staff, (ii) the Exchange Offer is not for any other reason completed by June 7, 2008, (iii) in the case of any Holder that participates in the Exchange Offer, such Holder does not receive Exchange Securities on the date of the exchange that may be sold without restriction under state and federal securities laws (other than due solely to the status of such Holder as an affiliate of the Company within the meaning of the Securities Act or as a broker-dealer) or (iv) the Company so elects, the Company shall (1) promptly deliver to the Holders written notice thereof and (2) at the Company’s sole expense, (a) file, as

 

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promptly as practicable (but in no event more than 45 days after so required hereby), a Shelf Registration Statement providing for the sale of all the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (b) use the Company’s reasonable best efforts to cause the Shelf Registration Statement to be declared effective under the Securities Act.

The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to keep the Shelf Registration Statement continuously effective until the expiration of the period referred to in Rule 144(k) (or any similar rule then in force, but not Rule 144A) under the Securities Act with respect to the Registrable Securities or such shorter period that will terminate when all the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement have been sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement (the “Shelf Effectiveness Period”). The Company further agrees to supplement or amend the Shelf Registration Statement, the related Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus if required by the rules, regulations or instructions applicable to the registration form used by the Company for such Shelf Registration Statement or by the Securities Act or by any other rules and regulations thereunder or if reasonably requested by a Holder of Registrable Securities with respect to information relating to such Holder, and to use its reasonable best efforts to cause any such amendment to become effective, if required, and such Shelf Registration Statement, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to become usable as soon as thereafter practicable. The Company agrees to furnish to the Holders of Registrable Securities copies of any such supplement or amendment promptly after its being used or filed with the SEC.

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

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

If, with respect to any series of Securities: (i) neither the Exchange Offer Registration Statement nor the Shelf Registration Statement is filed with the SEC on or prior to March 8, 2008, (ii) no Shelf Registration Statement has been filed and the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to May 7, 2008, or (iii) the Exchange Offer is not consummated and the Shelf Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to June 7, 2008, then a special interest premium (the “Special Interest Premium”) will accrue in respect of such series of the Securities from and including the next calendar day following each of (a) March 8, 2008 in the case of clause (i) above, (b) May 7, 2008 in the case of clause (ii) above, and (c) June 7, 2008 in the case of clause (iii) above, in each case at a rate equal to 0.25% per

 

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annum. If, with respect to any series of Securities, the Exchange Offer Registration Statement is not declared effective on or prior to May 7, 2008 and the Company requests Holders of the Registrable Securities of such series to provide the information called for hereby for inclusion in the Shelf Registration Statement, the Registrable Securities of such series owned by Holders who do not deliver such information to the Company when required hereby will not be entitled to any such increase in the interest rate for any day after May 7, 2008. With respect to a series of Securities, upon (1) the filing of an Exchange Offer Registration Statement or a Shelf Registration Statement after March 8, 2008, (2) the effectiveness of the Exchange Offer Registration Statement or the filing of such Shelf Registration Statement after May 7, 2008 or (3) the consummation of the Exchange Offer or the effectiveness of a Shelf Registration Statement, as the case may be, after June 7, 2008, the interest rate on the Registrable Securities of such series from the day of such filing, effectiveness or consummation, as the case may be, will be reduced to the original interest rate for the Registrable Securities for such series.

If the Shelf Registration Statement, if required hereby, has become effective and thereafter either ceases to be effective or the Prospectus contained therein ceases to be usable, in each case whether or not permitted by this Agreement, at any time during the Shelf Effectiveness Period, and such failure to remain effective or usable exists for more than 120 days (whether or not consecutive) in any 12-month period, then the interest rate on the Registrable Securities of each affected series will be increased by 0.25% per annum commencing on the 121 st day in such 12-month period and ending on such date that (i) the Shelf Registration Statement has again become effective or the Prospectus again becomes usable, (ii) the date that is the second anniversary of the date hereof (or, if Rule 144(k) is amended to provide a shorter restrictive period, such shorter period) or (iii) the date as of which all of the Registrable Securities are sold pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement.

(e) Without limiting the remedies available to the Initial Purchasers and the Holders, the Company acknowledges that any failure by the Company to comply with its obligations under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof may result in material irreparable injury to the Initial Purchasers or the Holders for which there is no adequate remedy at law, that it may not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and that, in the event of any such failure, the Initial Purchasers or any Holder may seek to obtain such relief as may be required to specifically enforce the obligations of the Company under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof.

(f) It is acknowledged and agreed that the Company shall be entitled to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement through the use of one or more Registration Statements; provided that the Company shall not be entitled to use more than one Registration Statement for each series of Securities.

3. Registration Procedures . (a) In connection with its obligations pursuant to Section 2(a) and Section 2(b) hereof, the Company shall:

(i) prepare and file with the SEC a Registration Statement on the appropriate form under the Securities Act, which form (x) shall be selected by the Company, (y) shall, in the case of a Shelf Registration, be available for the sale of the Registrable Securities by the Holders thereof and (z) shall comply as to form in all material respects with the requirements of the applicable form and include all financial statements required by the SEC to be filed therewith; and use its reasonable best efforts to cause such Registration Statement to become effective and remain effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof;

 

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(ii) prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and post-effective amendments to each Registration Statement as may be necessary to keep such Registration Statement effective for the applicable period in accordance with Section 2 hereof and cause each Prospectus to be supplemented by any required prospectus supplement and, as so supplemented, to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act; and keep each Prospectus current during the period described in Section 4(3) of and Rule 174 under the Securities Act that is applicable to transactions by brokers or dealers with respect to the Registrable Securities or Exchange Securities;

(iii) to the extent any Free Writing Prospectus is used, file with the SEC any Free Writing Prospectus that is required to be filed by the Company with the SEC in accordance with the Securities Act and to retain any Free Writing Prospectus not required to be filed;

(iv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities, to counsel for the Initial Purchasers, to counsel for such Holders and to each Underwriter of an Underwritten Offering of Registrable Securities, if any, without charge, as many copies of each Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, and any amendment or supplement thereto, as such Holder, counsel or Underwriter may reasonably request in order to facilitate the sale or other disposition of the Registrable Securities thereunder; and the Company consents to the use of such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus and any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law by each of the Holders of Registrable Securities and any such Underwriters in connection with the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities covered by and in the manner described in such Prospectus, preliminary prospectus or such Free Writing Prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto in accordance with applicable law;

(v) use its reasonable best efforts to register or qualify the Registrable Securities under all applicable state securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Registration Statement shall reasonably request in writing by the time the applicable Registration Statement becomes effective; cooperate with such Holders in connection with any filings required to be made with the National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc.; and do any and all other acts and things that may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable each Holder to complete the disposition in each such jurisdiction of the Registrable Securities owned by such Holder; provided that the Company shall not be required to (1) qualify as a foreign

 

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corporation or other entity or as a dealer in securities in any such jurisdiction where it would not otherwise be required to so qualify, (2) file any general consent to service of process in any such jurisdiction or (3) subject itself to taxation in any such jurisdiction if it is not otherwise so subject;

(vi) notify counsel for the Initial Purchasers and, in the case of a Shelf Registration, notify each Holder of Registrable Securities and counsel for such Holders promptly and, if requested by any such Holder or counsel, confirm such advice in writing (1) when a Registration Statement has become effective, when any post-effective amendment thereto has been filed and becomes effective, when any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus has been filed, (2) of any request by the SEC or any state securities authority for amendments and supplements to a Registration Statement, Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or for additional information relating to the Registration Statement after the Registration Statement has become effective, (3) of the issuance by the SEC or any state securities authority of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or the initiation of any proceedings for that purpose, including the receipt by the Company of any notice of objection of the SEC to the use of a Shelf Registration Statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Securities Act, (4) if, between the applicable effective date of a Shelf Registration Statement and the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities covered thereby, the representations and warranties of the Company contained in any underwriting agreement, securities sales agreement or other similar agreement, if any, relating to an offering of such Registrable Securities cease to be true and correct in all material respects or if the Company receives any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation of any proceeding for such purpose, (5) of the happening of any event during the period a Registration Statement is effective that makes any statement made in such Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus untrue in any material respect or that requires the making of any changes in such Registration Statement or Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus in order to make the statements therein not misleading and (6) of any determination by the Company that a post-effective amendment to a Registration Statement or any amendment or supplement to the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus would be appropriate;

(vii) use its reasonable best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of any order suspending the effectiveness of a Registration Statement or, in the case of a Shelf Registration, the resolution of any objection of the SEC pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2), including by filing an amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement on the proper form, at the earliest possible moment and provide prompt notice to each Holder of the withdrawal of any such order or such resolution;

(viii) in the case of a Shelf Registration, furnish to each Holder of Registrable Securities upon request, without charge, at least one conformed copy of each Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment thereto (without any documents incorporated therein by reference or exhibits thereto, unless requested);

 

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(ix) in the case of a Shelf Registration, cooperate with the Holders of Registrable Securities to facilitate the timely preparation and delivery of certificates representing Registrable Securities to be sold and not bearing any restrictive legends and enable such Registrable Securities to be issued in such denominations and registered in such names (consistent with the provisions of the Indenture) as such Holders may reasonably request at least one Business Day prior to the closing of any sale of Registrable Securities;

(x) in the case of a Shelf Registration, upon the occurrence of any event contemplated by Section 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, use its reasonable best efforts to prepare and file with the SEC a supplement or post-effective amendment to such Shelf Registration Statement or the related Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus or any document incorporated therein by reference or file any other required document so that, as thereafter delivered (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available) to purchasers of the Registrable Securities, such Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and the Company shall notify the Holders of Registrable Securities to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus as promptly as practicable after the occurrence of such an event, and such Holders hereby agree to suspend use of the Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, until the Company has amended or supplemented the Prospectus or the Free Writing Prospectus, as the case may be, to correct such misstatement or omission;

(xi) a reasonable time prior to the filing of any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment to a Registration Statement or amendment or supplement to a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus after initial filing of a Registration Statement, provide copies of such document to the Initial Purchasers and its counsel and make such of the representatives of the Company as shall be reasonably requested by the Initial Purchasers or their counsel available for discussion of such document; and the Company shall not, at any time after initial filing of a Registration Statement, use or file any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus, any amendment of or supplement to a Registration Statement, a Prospectus or a Free Writing Prospectus of which the Initial Purchasers and their counsel shall not have previously been advised and furnished a copy or to which the Initial Purchasers or their counsel shall reasonably object;

(xii) obtain a CUSIP number for all Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be, not later than the initial effective date of a Registration Statement;

(xiii) cause the Indenture to be qualified under the Trust Indenture Act in connection with the registration of the Exchange Securities or Registrable Securities, as the case may be; cooperate with the Trustee and the Holders to effect such changes to the Indenture as may be required for the Indenture to be so qualified in accordance with the

 

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terms of the Trust Indenture Act; and execute, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Trustee to execute, all documents as may be required to effect such changes and all other forms and documents required to be filed with the SEC to enable the Indenture to be so qualified in a timely manner;

(xiv) in the case of a Shelf Registration, make available for inspection by any Underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to such Shelf Registration Statement, any attorneys and accountants designated by Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Registrable Securities of each series to be included in such Shelf Registration and any attorneys and accountants designated by such Underwriter, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, all pertinent financial and other records, documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the officers, directors and employees of the Company to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Underwriter, attorney or accountant in connection with a Shelf Registration Statement; provided that if any such information is identified by the Company as being confidential or proprietary, each Person receiving such information shall take such actions as are reasonably necessary to protect the confidentiality of such information to the extent such action is otherwise not inconsistent with, an impairment of or in derogation of the rights and interests of any Inspector, Holder or Underwriter;

(xv) if reasonably requested by any Holder of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement, promptly include in a Prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment such information with respect to such Holder as such Holder reasonably requests to be included therein and make all required filings of such Prospectus supplement or such post-effective amendment reasonably promptly thereafter; and

(xvi) in the case of a Shelf Registration, enter into such customary agreements and take all such other actions in connection therewith (including those requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of each series of the Registrable Securities covered by the Shelf Registration Statement) in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of such Registrable Securities including, but not limited to, an Underwritten Offering and in such connection, (1) to the extent possible, make such representations and warranties to the Holders and any Underwriters of such Registrable Securities with respect to the business of the Company and its subsidiaries and the Registration Statement, Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus and documents incorporated by reference or deemed incorporated by reference, if any, in each case, in form, substance and scope as are customarily made by issuers to underwriters in underwritten offerings and confirm the same if and when requested, (2) obtain opinions of counsel to the Company (which counsel and opinions, in form, scope and substance, shall be reasonably satisfactory to such Underwriters and its counsel) addressed to each Underwriter of Registrable Securities, covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in underwritten offerings, (3) obtain “comfort” letters from the independent certified public accountants of the Company (and, if necessary, any other certified public accountant of any subsidiary of the Company or of any business acquired by the Company for which financial statements and financial data are or are required to be included in the

 

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Registration Statement) addressed to each selling Holder (to the extent permitted by applicable professional standards) and Underwriter of Registrable Securities, such letters to be in customary form and covering matters of the type customarily covered in “comfort” letters in connection with underwritten offerings, including but not limited to financial information contained in any preliminary prospectus, Prospectus or Free Writing Prospectus and (4) deliver such documents and certificates as may be reasonably requested by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities of each series being sold or the Underwriters, and which are customarily delivered in underwritten offerings, to evidence the continued validity of the representations and warranties of the Company made pursuant to clause (1) above and to evidence compliance with any customary conditions contained in an underwriting agreement.

(b) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, the Company may require each Holder of Registrable Securities to furnish to the Company such information regarding such Holder and the proposed disposition by such Holder of such Registrable Securities as the Company may from time to time reasonably request in writing.

(c) In the case of a Shelf Registration Statement, each Holder of Registrable Securities covered in such Shelf Registration Statement agrees that, upon receipt of any notice from the Company of the happening of any event of the kind described in Section 3(a)(vi)(3) or 3(a)(vi)(5) hereof, such Holder will forthwith discontinue disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to the Shelf Registration Statement until such Holder’s receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus contemplated by Section 3(a)(x) hereof and, if so directed by the Company such Holder will deliver to the Company all copies in its possession, other than permanent file copies then in such Holder’s possession, of the Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus covering such Registrable Securities that is current at the time of receipt of such notice.

(d) If the Company shall give any notice to suspend the disposition of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Registration Statement, the Company shall extend the period during which such Registration Statement shall be maintained effective pursuant to this Agreement by the number of days during the period from and including the date of the giving of such notice to and including the date when the Holders of such Registrable Securities shall have received copies of the supplemented or amended Prospectus or any Free Writing Prospectus necessary to resume such dispositions. The Company may give any such notice only four times during any 365-day period and any such suspensions shall not exceed an aggregate of 120 days during any 365-day period.

(e) The Holders of Registrable Securities covered by a Shelf Registration Statement who desire to do so may sell such Registrable Securities in an Underwritten Offering. In any such Underwritten Offering, the investment bank or investment banks and manager or managers (each an “Underwriter”) that will administer the offering will be selected by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Registrable Securities included in such offering.

 

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4. Participation of Broker-Dealers in Exchange Offer . (a) Certain broker-dealers may receive Exchange Securities for their own account in the Exchange Offer in exchange for Securities that were acquired by such broker-dealer as a result of market-making or other trading activities (a “Participating Broker-Dealer”) and may be deemed to be an “underwriter” within the meaning of the Securities Act and may be required to deliver a prospectus meeting the requirements of the Securities Act in connection with any resale of such Exchange Securities.

The Company understands that it is the Staff’s position that if the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement includes a plan of distribution containing a statement to the above effect and the means by which Participating Broker-Dealers may resell the Exchange Securities, without naming the Participating Broker-Dealers or specifying the amount of Exchange Securities owned by them, such Prospectus may be delivered by Participating Broker-Dealers (or, to the extent permitted by law, made available to purchasers) to satisfy their prospectus delivery obligation under the Securities Act in connection with resales of Exchange Securities for their own accounts, so long as the Prospectus otherwise meets the requirements of the Securities Act.

(b) In light of the above, and notwithstanding the other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent required by the applicable rules of the SEC, the Company agrees to amend or supplement the Prospectus contained in the Exchange Offer Registration Statement for a period of not less than 90 days after the last Exchange Date (as such period may be extended pursuant to Section 3(d) of this Agreement), in order to expedite or facilitate the disposition of any Exchange Securities by Participating Broker-Dealers consistent with the positions of the Staff recited in Section 4(a) above. The Company further agrees that Participating Broker-Dealers shall be authorized to deliver such Prospectus (or, to the extent permitted by law, make available) during such period in connection with the resales contemplated by this Section 4.

(c) The Initial Purchasers shall have no liability to the Company or any Holder with respect to any request that they may make pursuant to Section 4(b) above.

5. Indemnification and Contribution . (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Initial Purchaser and each Holder, their respective affiliates, directors and officers and each Person, if any, who controls such Initial Purchaser or any Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including, without limitation, legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with any suit, action or proceeding or any claim asserted, as such fees and expenses are incurred), joint or several, that arise out of, or are based upon, (1) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Registration Statement or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading, or (2) any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any “issuer information” (“Issuer Information”) filed or required to be filed pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Securities Act, or any omission or

 

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alleged omission to state therein a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, in each case except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to any Initial Purchaser or information relating to any Holder furnished to the Company in writing through any Initial Purchaser or any selling Holder, respectively, expressly for use therein. In connection with any Underwritten Offering permitted by Section 3, the Company will also indemnify the Underwriters, if any participating in the distribution, their respective affiliates and each Person who controls such Persons (within the meaning of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act) to the same extent as provided above with respect to the indemnification of the Holders, if requested in connection with any Registration Statement, any Prospectus, any Free Writing Prospectus or any Issuer Information.

(b) Each Holder agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, the Initial Purchasers and the other selling Holders, the directors of the Company, each officer of the Company who signed the Registration Statement and each Person, if any, who controls the Company, any Initial Purchaser and any other selling Holder within the meaning of Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the Exchange Act to the same extent as the indemnity set forth in paragraph (a) above, but only with respect to any losses, claims, damages or liabilities that arise out of, or are based upon, any untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission made in reliance upon and in conformity with any information relating to such Holder furnished to the Company in writing by such Holder expressly for use in any Registration Statement, any Prospectus and any Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) If any suit, action, proceeding (including any governmental or regulatory investigation), claim or demand shall be brought or asserted against any Person in respect of which indemnification may be sought pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b) above, such Person (the “Indemnified Person”) shall promptly notify the Person against whom such indemnification may be sought (the “Indemnifying Person”) in writing; provided that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have under this Section 5 except to the extent that it has been materially prejudiced (through the forfeiture of substantive rights or defenses) by such failure; and provided, further , that the failure to notify the Indemnifying Person shall not relieve it from any liability that it may have to an Indemnified Person otherwise than under this Section 5. If any such proceeding shall be brought or asserted against an Indemnified Person and it shall have notified the Indemnifying Person thereof, the Indemnifying Person shall retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person to represent the Indemnified Person and any others entitled to indemnification pursuant to this Section 5 that the Indemnifying Person may designate in such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such proceeding and shall pay the fees and expenses of such counsel related to such proceeding, as incurred. In any such proceeding, any Indemnified Person shall have the right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall be at the expense of such Indemnified Person unless (i) the Indemnifying Person and the

 

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Indemnified Person shall have mutually agreed to the contrary; (ii) the Indemnifying Person has failed within a reasonable time to retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Indemnified Person; (iii) the Indemnified Person shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it that are different from or in addition to those available to the Indemnifying Person; or (iv) the named parties in any such proceeding (including any impleaded parties) include both the Indemnifying Person and the Indemnified Person and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood and agreed that the Indemnifying Person shall not, in connection with any proceeding or related proceeding in the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all Indemnified Persons, and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are incurred. Any such separate firm (x) for any Initial Purchaser, its affiliates, directors and officers and any control Persons of such Initial Purchaser shall be designated in writing by the Initial Purchasers, (y) for any Holder, its directors and officers and any control Persons of such Holder shall be designated in writing by the Majority Holders and (z) in all other cases shall be designated in writing by the Company. The Indemnifying Person shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the Indemnifying Person agrees to indemnify each Indemnified Person from and against any loss or liability by reason of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at any time an Indemnified Person shall have requested that an Indemnifying Person reimburse the Indemnified Person for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated by this paragraph, the Indemnifying Person shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45 days after receipt by the Indemnifying Person of such request and (ii) the Indemnifying Person shall not have reimbursed the Indemnified Person in accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No Indemnifying Person shall, without the written consent of the Indemnified Person, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect of which any Indemnified Person is or could have been a party and indemnification could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnified Person, unless such settlement (A) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnified Person, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnified Person, from all liability on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding and (B) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnified Person.

(d) If the indemnification provided for in paragraphs (a) and (b) above is unavailable to an Indemnified Person or insufficient in respect of any losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each Indemnifying Person under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such Indemnified Person thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by such Indemnified Person as a result of such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (i) in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company from the offering of the Securities and the Exchange Securities, on the one hand, and by the Holders from receiving Securities or Exchange Securities registered under the Securities Act, on the other hand, or (ii) if the allocation

 

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provided by clause (i) is not permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only the relative benefits referred to in clause (i) but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders on the other in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Holders on the other shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company or by the Holders and the parties’ relative intent, knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.

(e) The Company and the Holders agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 5 were determined by pro rata allocation (even if the Holders were treated as one entity for such purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to in paragraph (d) above. The amount paid or payable by an Indemnified Person as a result of the losses, claims, damages and liabilities referred to in paragraph (d) above shall be deemed to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other expenses incurred by such Indemnified Person in connection with any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 5, in no event shall a Holder be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Securities or Exchange Securities sold by such Holder exceeds the amount of any damages that such Holder has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. The Holders’ obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section (5) are several and not joint.

(f) The remedies provided for in this Section 5 are not exclusive and shall not limit any rights or remedies that may otherwise be available to any Indemnified Person at law or in equity.

(g) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section 5 shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i) any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf of the Initial Purchasers or any Holder or any Person controlling any Initial Purchaser or any Holder, or by or on behalf of the Company or the officers or directors of or any Person controlling the Company (iii) acceptance of any of the Exchange Securities and (iv) any sale of Registrable Securities pursuant to a Shelf Registration Statement.

6. General .

(a) No Inconsistent Agreements. The Company represents, warrants and agrees that (i) the rights granted to the Holders hereunder do not in any way conflict with and are not inconsistent with the rights granted to the holders of any other outstanding

 

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securities issued or guaranteed by the Company under any other agreement and (ii) the Company has not entered into, and on or after the date of this Agreement will not enter into, any agreement that is inconsistent with the rights granted to the Holders of Registrable Securities in this Agreement or otherwise conflicts with the provisions hereof.

(b) Amendments and Waivers. The provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of this sentence, may not be amended, modified or supplemented, and waivers or consents to departures from the provisions hereof may not be given unless the Company has obtained the written consent of Holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of each series of the outstanding Registrable Securities affected by such amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent; provided that no amendment, modification, supplement, waiver or consent to any departure from the provisions of Section 5 hereof shall be effective as against any Holder of Registrable Securities unless consented to in writing by such Holder. Any amendments, modifications, supplements, waivers or consents pursuant to this Section 6(b) shall be by a writing executed by each of the parties hereto.

(c) Notices. All notices and other communications provided for or permitted hereunder shall be made in writing by hand-delivery, registered first-class mail, telex, telecopier, or any courier guaranteeing overnight delivery (i) if to a Holder, at the most current address given by such Holder to the Company by means of a notice given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c), which address initially is, with respect to the Initial Purchasers, the address set forth in the Purchase Agreement; (ii) if to the Company, initially at the Company’s address set forth in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section (6)(c); and (iii) to such other persons at their respective addresses as provided in the Purchase Agreement and thereafter at such other address, notice of which is given in accordance with the provisions of this Section 6(c). All such notices and communications shall be deemed to have been duly given: at the time delivered by hand, if personally delivered; five Business Days after being deposited in the mail, postage prepaid, if mailed; when answered back, if telexed; when receipt is acknowledged, if telecopied; and on the next Business Day if timely delivered to an air courier guaranteeing overnight delivery. Copies of all such notices, demands or other communications shall be concurrently delivered by the Person giving the same to the Trustee, at the address specified in the Indenture.

(d) Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors, assigns and transferees of each of the parties, including, without limitation and without the need for an express assignment, subsequent Holders; provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to permit any assignment, transfer or other disposition of Registrable Securities in violation of the terms of the Purchase Agreement or the Indenture. If any transferee of any Holder shall acquire Registrable Securities in any manner, whether by operation of law or otherwise, such Registrable Securities shall be held subject to all the terms of this Agreement, and by taking and holding such Registrable Securities such Person shall be conclusively deemed to have agreed to be

 

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bound by and to perform all of the terms and provisions of this Agreement and such Person shall be entitled to receive the benefits hereof. The Initial Purchasers (in their capacity as Initial Purchasers) shall have no liability or obligation to the Company with respect to any failure by a Holder to comply with, or any breach by any Holder of, any of the obligations of such Holder under this Agreement.

(e) Third Party Beneficiaries. Each Holder shall be a third party beneficiary to the agreements made hereunder between the Company, on the one hand, and the Initial Purchasers, on the other hand, and shall have the right to enforce such agreements directly to the extent it deems such enforcement necessary or advisable to protect its rights or the rights of other Holders hereunder.

(f) Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

(g) Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only, are not a part of this Agreement and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

(h) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

(j) Entire Agreement; Severability. This Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all oral statements and prior writings with respect thereto. If any term, provision, covenant or restriction contained in this Agreement is held by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, void or unenforceable or against public policy, the remainder of the terms, provisions, covenants and restrictions contained herein shall remain in full force and effect and shall in no way be affected, impaired or invalidated. The Company and the Initial Purchasers shall endeavor in good faith negotiations to replace the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, void or unenforceable provisions.

 

19


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

 

DISCOVER FINANCIAL SERVICES
By:  

/s/ Roy A. Guthrie

 

Name:   Roy A. Guthrie
Title:   Chief Financial Officer

 

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement


Confirmed and accepted as of the date first above written:

 

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
By  

/s/ Yurij Slyz

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

Signature Page to Registration Rights Agreement