As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 6, 2008

Registration Statement No. 333-140859

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

Post-Effective Amendment No. 1

to

FORM S-3

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

The Dow Chemical Company

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Delaware   38-1285128

(State or other jurisdiction of

incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification Number)

The Dow Chemical Company

2030 Dow Center

Midland, Michigan 48674

(989) 636-1000

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including

area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

 

Charles J. Kalil

Executive Vice President, Law and Governmental Affairs, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

The Dow Chemical Company

2030 Dow Center

Midland, Michigan 48674

(989) 636-1000

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including

area code, of agent for service)

 

 

Copies to:

Edward S. Best, Esq.

Mayer Brown LLP

71 South Wacker Drive

Chicago, Illinois 60606

(312) 782-0600

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale of the securities to the public: From time to time after the effective date of this Registration Statement, as determined by market conditions and other factors.

If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.   ¨

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box.   x

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.   ¨

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.   ¨

If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.   x

If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.   ¨

 

 

 


EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Post-Effective Amendment to Form S-3 is being filed to file certain exhibits relating to the registrant’s $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.70% Notes due 2018.

 

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized in the County of Midland, State of Michigan, on May 6, 2008.

 

THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Geoffery E. Merszei

  Geoffery E. Merszei
  Executive Vice President and
  Chief Financial Officer

 

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EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

Number

  

Description

  1.1    Underwriting Agreement, dated May 1, 2008, among The Dow Chemical Company and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.
  4.1    Indenture, dated May 1, 2008, between The Dow Chemical Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee
  4.2    Form of 5.70% Note due 2018
  5.1    Opinion of Kenneth D. Isley, Assistant General Counsel—Corporate and Financial Law of The Dow Chemical Company
12.1    Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges
23.2    Consent of Kenneth D. Isley (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

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Exhibit 1.1

$800,000,000

THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

5.70 % Notes due 2018

Underwriting Agreement

New York, New York

May 1, 2008

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated.

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

As representatives of the several underwriters

        named in Schedule I hereto

c/o Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

4 World Financial Center

New York, NY 10080

Ladies and Gentlemen:

The Dow Chemical Company, a corporation organized under the laws of Delaware (the “Company”), proposes to sell to the several underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the “Underwriters”), for whom you (the “Representatives”) are acting as representatives, $800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.70% Notes due 2018 (the “Securities”), to be issued under an indenture (the “Indenture”) dated as of May 1, 2008, between the Company and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the “Trustee”). Any reference herein to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the documents incorporated by reference therein pursuant to Item 12 of Form S-3, which were filed under the Exchange Act on or before the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be; and any reference herein to the terms “amend,” “amendment” or “supplement” with respect to the Registration Statement, the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus shall be deemed to refer to and include the filing of any document under the Exchange Act after the Effective Date of the Registration Statement or the issue date of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus, as the case may be, deemed to be incorporated therein by reference. Certain terms used herein are defined in Section 20 hereof.

1. Representations and Warranties . The Company represents and warrants to, and agrees with, each Underwriter as of the Execution Time and as of the Closing Date (as defined in Section 3) as set forth below in this Section 1.


(a) The Company meets the requirements for use of Form S-3 under the Act and has prepared and filed with the Commission an automatic shelf registration statement, as defined in Rule 405 on Form S-3 (File No. 333-140859), including a related Base Prospectus, for registration under the Act of the offering and sale of the Securities. Such Registration Statement, including any amendments thereto filed prior to the Execution Time, became effective upon filing and no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of such registration statement or any post-effective amendment thereto pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the Company. No order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened by the Commission. The Company may have filed with the Commission, as part of an amendment to the Registration Statement or pursuant to Rule 424(b), one or more preliminary prospectus supplements relating to the Securities, each of which has previously been furnished to you. The Company will file with the Commission a final prospectus supplement relating to the Securities in accordance with Rule 424(b). As filed, such final prospectus supplement shall contain all information required by the Act and the rules thereunder, and, except to the extent the Representatives shall agree in writing to a modification, shall be in all substantive respects in the form furnished to you prior to the Execution Time or, to the extent not completed at the Execution Time, shall contain only such specific additional information and other changes (beyond that contained in the Base Prospectus and any Preliminary Prospectus) as the Company has advised you, prior to the Execution Time, will be included or made therein. The Registration Statement, at the Execution Time, meets the requirements set forth in Rule 415(a)(1)(x).

(b) On each Effective Date, the Registration Statement did, and when the Final Prospectus is first filed in accordance with Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (and any supplement thereto) will, comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules thereunder; on each Effective Date and at the Execution Time, the Registration Statement did not and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements therein not misleading; on the Effective Date and on the Closing Date the Indenture did or will comply in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Trust Indenture Act and the rules thereunder; and on the date of any filing pursuant to Rule 424(b) and on the Closing Date, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) will not include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; provided , however , that the Company makes no representations or warranties as to (i) that part of the Registration Statement which shall constitute the Statement of Eligibility and Qualification (Form T-1) under the Trust Indenture Act of the Trustee or (ii) the information contained in or omitted from the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto) in reliance upon and in conformity with information furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the Registration Statement or the Final Prospectus (or any supplement thereto), it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

 

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(c) At the Execution Time, (i) the Disclosure Package and (ii) each electronic road show, when taken together as a whole with the Disclosure Package, did not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading. The preceding sentence does not apply to statements in or omissions from the Disclosure Package based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(d) (i) At the time of filing the Registration Statement, (ii) at the time of the most recent amendment thereto for the purposes of complying with Section 10(a)(3) of the Act (whether such amendment was by post-effective amendment, incorporated report filed pursuant to Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act or form of prospectus), (iii) at the time the Company or any person acting on its behalf (within the meaning, for this clause only, of Rule 163(c)) made any offer relating to the Securities in reliance on the exemption in Rule 163, and (iv) at the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (iv)), the Company was or is (as the case may be) a “well-known seasoned issuer” as defined in Rule 405. The Company agrees to pay the fees required by the Commission relating to the Securities within the time required by Rule 456(b)(1) without regard to the proviso therein and otherwise in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r).

(e) (i) At the earliest time after the filing of the Registration Statement that the Company or another offering participant made a bona fide offer (within the meaning of Rule 164(h)(2)) of the Securities and (ii) as of the Execution Time (with such date being used as the determination date for purposes of this clause (ii)), the Company was not and is not an Ineligible Issuer (as defined in Rule 405), without taking account of any determination by the Commission pursuant to Rule 405 that it is not necessary that the Company be considered an Ineligible Issuer.

(f) Each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereof does not include any information that conflicts with the information contained in the Registration Statement, including any document incorporated therein by reference and any prospectus supplement deemed to be a part thereof that has not been superseded or modified. If at any time following issuance of an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus there occurred or occurs an event or development as a result of which such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus conflicted or would conflict with the information contained in the Registration Statement, the Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus the Company has promptly notified or will promptly notify the Representatives and has promptly amended or supplemented or will promptly amend or supplement, at its own expense, such Issuer Free Writing Prospectus to eliminate or correct such conflict. The foregoing sentence does not

 

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apply to statements in or omissions from any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus based upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for use therein, it being understood and agreed that the only such information furnished by or on behalf of any Underwriter consists of the information described as such in Section 8 hereof.

(g) The documents incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, conformed in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and none of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading; and any further documents so filed and incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus, when such documents become effective or are filed with the Commission, as the case may be, will conform in all material respects to the requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable, and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder then in effect and will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

(h) The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; the Company is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each other jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not have a material adverse effect on the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its subsidiaries considered as a whole (a “Material Adverse Effect”).

(i) Union Carbide Corporation (“UCC”) is the only subsidiary of the Company that qualifies as a “significant subsidiary” under Section 1-02(w) of Regulation S-X. UCC has been duly organized and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, with power and authority to own or lease, as the case may be, and to operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; UCC is duly qualified as a foreign corporation to transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which such qualification is required, whether by reason of the ownership or leasing of property or the conduct of business, except where the failure so to qualify or to be in good standing would not have a Material Adverse Effect; except as otherwise disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of UCC has been duly authorized and validly issued, is fully paid and non-assessable and (except for shares necessary to qualify directors or to maintain any minimum

 

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number of shareholders required by law) is owned by the Company, directly or through subsidiaries, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, or claim.

(j) The Company has outstanding capital stock as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (except for subsequent issuances pursuant to employee benefit plans or pursuant to the exercise of convertible securities or options and except for repurchases in connection with open market or repurchase plans or redemptions of shares of preferred stock), and all of the issued shares of capital stock of the Company have been duly and validly authorized and issued and are fully paid and non-assessable.

(k) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company.

(l) The Securities have been duly authorized, and, when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the Securities will have been duly executed, issued and delivered and (assuming the due authentication thereof by the Trustee) will constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, will be entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture and will be enforceable in accordance with their terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

(m) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming due authorization, execution and delivery by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act.

(n) The Indenture conforms, and the Securities will conform, in all material respects, to the descriptions thereof contained in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus.

(o) The statements in each of the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences” in each case insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein.

(p) The issuance and sale of the Securities and the compliance by the Company with all of the provisions of the Securities, the Indenture and this Agreement and the consummation of the transactions therein and herein contemplated, will not result in a breach or violation of any of the terms or provisions of, or constitute a default under, or result in the creation or imposition of

 

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any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any of the property or assets of the Company or UCC pursuant to the terms of any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan agreement or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or UCC is a party or by which the Company or UCC is bound or to which any property or assets of the Company or UCC is subject, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or affect the validity of the Securities or the legal authority of the Company to comply with the Securities, the Indenture, or this Agreement; nor will such action result in any violation of the provisions of the Restated Articles of Incorporation, as amended, or the Bylaws of the Company; nor will such action result in a violation of any statute or any order, rule or regulation of any court or governmental agency or body in the United States having jurisdiction over the Company or UCC or any of their properties, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or affect the validity of the Securities or the legal authority of the Company to comply with the Securities, the Indenture, or this Agreement.

(q) No consent, approval, authorization, order, registration or qualification of or with any court or any such regulatory authority or other governmental body in the United States having jurisdiction over the Company is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, except such consents, approvals, authorizations, orders, registrations or qualifications as have been obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states and the securities laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States in which the Securities are offered.

(r) Except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), no action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries is pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened that (i) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(s) Since the dates as of which information is given in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto after the date hereof), there has not been (i) any material change in the capital stock (other than changes pursuant to open market or repurchase plans or employee benefit plans or changes resulting from the conversion or redemption of outstanding shares of preferred stock or convertible debt) or long-term debt of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries considered as a whole, or (ii) any material adverse change, in or affecting the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries considered as a whole, otherwise than as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto after the date hereof).

 

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(t) The accountants who have certified certain financial statements of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries and delivered their report with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements and schedules included in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, are independent registered public accountants with respect to the Company within the meaning of the Act and the applicable published rules and regulations thereunder.

(u) The consolidated historical financial statements and schedules of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries included in the Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and the Registration Statement present fairly in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of the dates and for the periods indicated, comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable accounting requirements of the Act and have been prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved (except as otherwise noted therein). The summary financial data set forth under the caption “Prospectus Supplement Summary — Summary Financial Information” in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus fairly present, in all material respects, and on the basis stated in the Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, the information included therein.

(v) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended.

(w) No material, collective labor dispute with the employees of the Company or any of its subsidiaries exists or, to the Company’s knowledge, is threatened that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

(x) Except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), the Company and its subsidiaries are in compliance in all material respects with all applicable laws (including all applicable laws and regulations relating to the protection of human health and safety, the environment, or hazardous or toxic substances or wastes, pollutants or contaminants (collectively “Environmental Laws”)), ordinances, rules, regulations, and requirements of governmental authorities except where (i) the necessity of compliance therewith is contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings or (ii) noncompliance therewith would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

(y) In the ordinary course of its business, the Company periodically reviews the effect of Environmental Laws on the business, operations and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, in the course of which it identifies and evaluates associated costs and liabilities (including, without limitation, any capital or operating expenditures required for clean-up, closure of properties or compliance with Environmental Laws, or any permit, license or approval, any related constraints on operating activities and any potential liabilities to third parties). To the Company’s knowledge, no such associated costs and liabilities would, singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

 

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(z) Except as would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), to the Company’s knowledge, the Company or its subsidiaries own or possess the right to use all patents, trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patentable inventions, trade secrets and know-how used by the Company or its subsidiaries in, and material to, the conduct of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ business taken as a whole as now conducted or as proposed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus to be conducted (collectively, the “Intellectual Property”). Except as would not otherwise reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect and except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there are no legal or governmental actions, suits, proceedings or claims pending or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened, against the Company (i) challenging the Company’s rights in or to any Intellectual Property, (ii) challenging the validity or scope of any Intellectual Property owned by the Company, or (iii) alleging that the operation of the Company’s business as now conducted infringes or otherwise violates any patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights of a third party.

(aa) There is and has been no failure in any material respects on the part of the Company and any of the Company’s directors or officers, in their capacities as such, to comply with any provision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith (the “Sarbanes-Oxley Act”), including Section 402 relating to loans and Sections 302 and 906 relating to certifications.

(bb) The Company maintains a system of internal control over financial reporting with respect to itself and its consolidated subsidiaries sufficient to provide reasonable assurance that (i) receipts and expenditures of the Company are made only in accordance with the general or specific authorizations of the management or directors of the Company; (ii) transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States and to maintain asset accountability; (iii) access to assets is permitted only in accordance with management’s general or specific authorization; and (iv) the recorded accountability for assets is compared with the existing assets at reasonable intervals and appropriate action is taken with respect to any material differences. The management of the Company concluded that such internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2007 and there have been no changes in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting since such date that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

(cc) The Company maintains “disclosure controls and procedures” (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act); based on the evaluation of these disclosure controls and procedures, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective as of March 31, 2008.

 

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(dd) The Company has not taken, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

Any certificate signed by any officer of the Company and delivered to the Representatives or counsel for the Underwriters in connection with the offering of the Securities shall be deemed a representation and warranty by the Company, as to matters covered thereby, to each Underwriter.

2. Purchase and Sale . Subject to the terms and conditions and in reliance upon the representations and warranties herein set forth, the Company agrees to sell to each Underwriter, and each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the Company, at the purchase price of 99.103% of the principal amount thereof plus accrued interest from May 6, 2008, the principal amount of the Securities set forth opposite such Underwriter’s name in Schedule I hereto, plus any additional principal amount of Securities which such Underwriter may become obligated to purchase pursuant to the provisions of Section 9 hereof.

3. Delivery and Payment . Delivery of and payment for the Securities shall be made at 9:00 a.m., New York City time, on May 6, 2008 or at such time on such later date not more than three Business Days after the foregoing date as the Representatives and Company shall mutually agree upon, which date and time may be postponed by agreement between the Representatives and the Company or as provided in Section 9 hereof (such date and time of delivery and payment for the Securities being herein called the “Closing Date”). Delivery of the Securities shall be made to the Representatives for the respective accounts of the several Underwriters against payment by the several Underwriters through the Representatives of the purchase price thereof to or upon the order of the Company by wire transfer payable in same-day funds to an account specified by the Company. Delivery of the Securities shall be made through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company unless the Representatives shall otherwise instruct.

4. Offering by Underwriters . It is understood that the several Underwriters propose to offer the Securities for sale to the public as set forth in the Final Prospectus.

5. Agreements . The Company agrees with the several Underwriters that:

(a) Prior to the termination of the offering of the Securities, the Company will not file any amendment of the Registration Statement or supplement (including the Final Prospectus or any Preliminary Prospectus) to the Base Prospectus unless the Company has furnished to the Representatives a copy for their review prior to filing and will not file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which the Representatives reasonably object. The Company will cause the Final Prospectus, properly completed, and any supplement thereto to be filed in a form approved by the Representatives with the Commission

 

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pursuant to the applicable paragraph of Rule 424(b) within the time period prescribed and will provide evidence satisfactory to the Representatives of such timely filing. The Company will promptly advise the Representatives (i) when the Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, shall have been filed (if required) with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b), (ii) when, prior to termination of the offering of the Securities, any amendment to the Registration Statement shall have been filed or become effective, (iii) of any request by the Commission or its staff for any amendment of the Registration Statement, or any Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, or for any supplement to the Final Prospectus or for any additional information, (iv) of the issuance by the Commission of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or of any notice objecting to its use or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for that purpose and (v) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Securities for sale in any jurisdiction or the institution or threatening of any proceeding for such purpose. The Company will use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the issuance of any such stop order or the occurrence of any such suspension or objection to the use of the Registration Statement and, upon such issuance, occurrence or notice of objection, to obtain as soon as practicable the withdrawal of such stop order or relief from such occurrence or objection, including, if necessary, by filing an amendment to the Registration Statement or a new registration statement and using its reasonable best efforts to have such amendment or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable.

(b) The Company will prepare (or cause to be prepared) a final term sheet, containing solely a description of final terms of the Securities and the offering thereof, in the form approved by the Representatives and attached as Schedule III hereto and to file such term sheet pursuant to Rule 433(d) within the time required by such Rule.

(c) If, at any time prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus pursuant to Rule 424(b), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made or the circumstances then prevailing not misleading, the Company will (i) notify promptly the Representatives so that any use of the Disclosure Package may cease until it is amended or supplemented; (ii) amend or supplement the Disclosure Package to correct such statement or omission; and (iii) supply any amendment or supplement to the Representatives in such quantities as the Representatives may reasonably request.

(d) If, at any time when a prospectus relating to the Securities is required to be delivered under the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), any event occurs as a result of which the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus as then supplemented would include any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state any material fact necessary to make the statements therein in the light of the circumstances under which they were made at such time not misleading, or if it shall be necessary to amend the Registration Statement, file a new registration statement or supplement the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus to comply with the Act or the Exchange Act or the respective rules

 

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thereunder, including in connection with use or delivery of the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus, the Company promptly will (i) notify the Representatives of any such event, (ii) prepare and file with the Commission, subject to the second sentence of paragraph (a) of this Section 5, an amendment or supplement or new registration statement which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance, (iii) use its reasonable best efforts to have any amendment to the Registration Statement or new registration statement declared effective as soon as practicable in order to avoid any disruption in use of the Disclosure Package or the Final Prospectus and (iv) supply any supplemented Disclosure Package or Final Prospectus to the Representatives in such quantities as they may reasonably request.

(e) As soon as practicable, the Company will make generally available to its security holders and to the Representatives an earnings statement or statements of the Company and its subsidiaries which will satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Act and Rule 158.

(f) The Company will furnish to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, without charge, signed copies of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and to each other Underwriter a copy of the Registration Statement (without exhibits thereto) and, so long as delivery of a prospectus by an Underwriter or dealer may be required by the Act (including in circumstances where such requirement may be satisfied pursuant to Rule 172), as many copies of each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and any supplement thereto as the Representatives may reasonably request. The Company will pay the expenses of printing or other production of all documents relating to the offering.

(g) The Company will arrange, if necessary, for the qualification of the Securities for sale under the laws of such jurisdictions in the United States as the Representatives may designate and will maintain such qualifications in effect so long as required for the distribution of the Securities; provided that in no event shall the Company be obligated to qualify to do business in any jurisdiction where it is not now so qualified or to take any action that would subject it to service of process in suits, other than those arising out of the offering or sale of the Securities, in any jurisdiction where it is not now so subject.

(h) The Company agrees that, unless it has or shall have obtained the prior written consent of the Representatives (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed), and each Underwriter, severally and not jointly, agrees with the Company that, unless it has or shall have obtained, as the case may be, the prior written consent of the Company, it has not made and will not make any offer relating to the Securities that would constitute an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or that would otherwise constitute a “free writing prospectus” (as defined in Rule 405) required to be filed by the Company with the Commission or retained by the Company under Rule 433, other than a free writing prospectus containing the information contained in the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto; provided that the prior written consent of the parties hereto shall be deemed to have been given in respect of the Free Writing Prospectuses included in Schedule II hereto. Any such free writing prospectus consented to by the Representatives or the Company is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted

 

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Free Writing Prospectus.” The Company agrees that (x) it has treated and will treat, as the case may be, each Permitted Free Writing Prospectus as an Issuer Free Writing Prospectus and (y) it has complied and will comply, as the case may be, with the requirements of Rules 164 and 433 applicable to any Permitted Free Writing Prospectus, including in respect of timely filing with the Commission, legending and pursuant to reasonable procedures developed in good faith, record keeping.

(i) The Company will not, without the prior written consent of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed), offer, sell, contract to sell, pledge, or otherwise dispose of (or enter into any transaction which is designed to, or might reasonably be expected to, result in the disposition (whether by actual disposition or effective economic disposition due to cash settlement or otherwise) by the Company), directly or indirectly, including the filing (or participation in the filing) of a registration statement with the Commission in respect of, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Exchange Act, any debt securities issued or guaranteed by the Company (other than the Securities) or publicly announce an intention to effect any such transaction, until , 2008.

(j) The Company will not take, directly or indirectly, any action designed to or that would constitute or that might reasonably be expected to cause or result in, under the Exchange Act or otherwise, stabilization or manipulation of the price of any security of the Company to facilitate the sale or resale of the Securities.

(k) The Company agrees to pay the costs and expenses relating to the following matters: (i) the preparation, printing or reproduction and filing with the Commission of the Registration Statement (including financial statements and exhibits thereto), each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and each amendment or supplement to any of them; (ii) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery (including postage, air freight charges and charges for counting and packaging) of such copies of the Registration Statement, each Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus and each Issuer Free Writing Prospectus, and all amendments or supplements to any of them, as may, in each case, be reasonably requested for use in connection with the offering and sale of the Securities; (iii) the preparation, printing (if any), authentication, issuance and delivery of certificates for the Securities, including any stamp or transfer taxes in connection with the original issuance and sale of the Securities; (iv) the printing (or reproduction) and delivery of this Agreement, any blue sky memorandum and all other agreements or documents printed (or reproduced) and delivered in connection with the offering of the Securities; (v) any registration of the Securities under the Exchange Act and listing of the Securities on the New York Stock Exchange; (vi) any registration or qualification of the Securities for offer and sale under the securities or blue sky laws of the several states (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such registration and qualification); (vii) any filings required to be made with the NASD, Inc. (including filing fees and the reasonable fees and

 

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expenses of counsel for the Underwriters relating to such filings); (viii) the transportation and other expenses incurred by or on behalf of Company representatives in connection with presentations to prospective purchasers of the Securities; (ix) the fees and expenses of the Company’s accountants and the fees and expenses of counsel (including local and special counsel) for the Company; and (x) all other costs and expenses incident to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder.

6. Conditions to the Obligations of the Underwriters . The obligations of the Underwriters to purchase the Securities shall be subject to the accuracy of the representations and warranties on the part of the Company contained herein as of the Execution Time and the Closing Date, to the accuracy of the statements of the Company made in any certificates pursuant to the provisions hereof, to the performance by the Company of its obligations hereunder and to the following additional conditions:

(a) The Final Prospectus, and any supplement thereto, have been filed in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); the final term sheet contemplated by Section 5(b) hereto, and any other material required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Rule 433(d) under the Act, shall have been filed with the Commission within the applicable time periods prescribed for such filings by Rule 433; and no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use shall have been issued and no proceedings for that purpose shall have been instituted or threatened.

(b) The Company shall have requested and caused Kenneth D. Isley, Assistant General Counsel—Corporate and Financial Law of the Company, to have furnished to the Representatives his opinion dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, to the effect that:

(i) the Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease, and/or operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or leases material properties or conducts material business, except where the failure to so qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

(ii) UCC has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the jurisdiction in which it is chartered or organized, with full corporate power and authority to own, lease, and/or operate its properties and conduct its business as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and is duly qualified to do business as a foreign corporation and is in good standing under the laws of each jurisdiction which requires such qualification wherein it owns or leases material properties or conducts material business, except where the failure to so qualify would not have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

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(iii) except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, all the outstanding shares of capital stock of UCC have been duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and non-assessable and, except as otherwise set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, and except for shares necessary to qualify directors or to maintain any minimum number of shareholders required by law, all outstanding shares of capital stock of UCC are owned by the Company either directly or through wholly owned subsidiaries free and clear of any perfected security interest and, to the knowledge of such counsel, after due inquiry, any other security interest, claim, lien or encumbrance;

(iv) the Company’s authorized equity capitalization is as set forth in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (except for subsequent issuances pursuant to employee benefit plans or pursuant to the exercise of options and except for repurchases in connection with open market or repurchase plans);

(v) this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company;

(vi) The Securities have been duly authorized, and when issued and delivered pursuant to this Agreement, the Securities will have been executed, issued and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authentication thereof by the Trustee, constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture and enforceable in accordance with their terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general equity principles;

(vii) the Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general equity principles; the Indenture has been duly qualified under the Trust Indenture Act;

(viii) the statements in each of the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus under the captions “Description of Notes,” “Description of Debt Securities” and “Material United States Federal Income Tax Consequences” in each case insofar as such statements constitute a summary of the legal matters, documents or proceedings referred to therein, fairly present and summarize, in all material respects, the matters referred to therein;

 

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(ix) to the knowledge of such counsel, except as disclosed in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, there is no pending or threatened action, suit or proceeding by or before any court or governmental agency, authority or body or any arbitrator involving the Company or any of its subsidiaries, that (i) would reasonably be expected to have a material adverse effect on the performance of this Agreement or the consummation of any of the transactions contemplated hereby or (ii) would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

(x) no consent, approval, authorization, filing with or order of any court or governmental agency or body is required for the issuance and sale of the Securities or the consummation by the Company of the other transactions contemplated by this Agreement or the Indenture, except such as have been made or obtained under the Act and the Trust Indenture Act and such as may be required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states and the securities laws of any jurisdiction outside the United States in which the Securities are offered and such other approvals as have been obtained;

(xi) neither the execution and delivery of the Indenture, the issue and sale of the Securities, nor the consummation of any other of the transactions herein contemplated nor the fulfillment of the terms hereof will conflict with, result in a breach or violation of, or imposition of any lien, charge or encumbrance upon any property or assets of the Company or its subsidiaries pursuant to, (i) the charter or by-laws of the Company or UCC, (ii) the terms of any indenture, contract, lease, mortgage, deed of trust, note agreement, loan agreement or other agreement, obligation, condition, covenant or instrument to which the Company or its subsidiaries is a party or bound or to which its or their property is subject, or (iii) any statute, law, rule, regulation, judgment, order or decree applicable to the Company or its subsidiaries of any court, regulatory body, administrative agency, governmental body, arbitrator or other authority having jurisdiction over the Company or its subsidiaries or any of its or their properties, which conflict, breach, violation, lien, charge or encumbrance, in the case of (ii) and (iii), would, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or affect the validity of the Securities or the legal authority of the Company to comply with the Securities, the Indenture or this Agreement in any material respect;

(xii) the Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of the Securities and the application of the proceeds thereof as described in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus, will not be an “investment company” as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended;

(xiii) the Registration Statement has become effective under the Act; any required filing of the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus, and any supplements thereto, pursuant to Rule 424(b) has been made in the manner and within the time period required by Rule 424(b); to the knowledge of such counsel, no notice of objection of the Commission to the use of the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 401(g)(2) under the Act has been received by the

 

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Company, no order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement has been issued by the Commission and no proceeding for that purpose or pursuant to Section 8A of the Act against the Company or related to the offering has been initiated or threatened by the Commission;

(xiv) the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act, the Exchange Act and the Trust Indenture Act and the respective rules thereunder; and

(xv) the documents incorporated by reference in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (other than the financial statements and other financial and statistical information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no opinion), when they became effective or were filed with the Commission, as the case may be, complied as to form in all material respects with the applicable requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder, and nothing has come to his attention that caused him to believe that any of such documents contained an untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading.

Such counsel shall also state that nothing has come to his attention that caused him to believe that (i) on the Effective Date the Registration Statement contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading, (ii) the Disclosure Package, as amended or supplemented at the Execution Time, contained any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted to state any material fact necessary in order to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading or (iii) the Final Prospectus as of its date and on the Closing Date included or includes any untrue statement of a material fact or omitted or omits to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading (in each case, other than the financial statements and other financial information contained therein, as to which such counsel need express no belief).

In rendering such opinion, such counsel may rely (A) as to matters involving the application of laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Michigan, the corporate law of the State of Delaware or the Federal laws of the United States, to the extent he deems proper and specified in such opinion, upon the opinion of other counsel of good standing whom he believes to be reliable and who are satisfactory to counsel for the Underwriters or he may assume that the laws of the State of New York are the same as the laws of the State of Michigan and (B) as to matters of fact, to the extent he deems proper, on certificates of responsible officers of the Company and public officials. References to the Final Prospectus in this paragraph (b) shall also include any supplements thereto at the Closing Date.

 

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(c) The Representatives shall have received from Mayer Brown LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, such opinion or opinions, dated the Closing Date and addressed to the Representatives, with respect to the issuance and sale of the Securities, the Indenture, the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus (together with any supplement thereto) and other related matters as the Representatives may reasonably require, and the Company shall have furnished to such counsel such documents as they reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon such matters.

(d) The Company shall have furnished to the Representatives a certificate of the Company, signed by the Chairman of the Board, the President, the Chief Financial Officer or the Treasurer of the Company, dated the Closing Date, to the effect that the signer of such certificate has carefully examined (or caused to be examined) the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package, the Final Prospectus and any supplements or amendments thereto, as well as each electronic road show used in connection with the offering of the Securities, and this Agreement and that:

(i) the representations and warranties of the Company in this Agreement are true and correct on and as of the Closing Date with the same effect as if made on the Closing Date and the Company has complied with all the agreements and satisfied all the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied at or prior to the Closing Date;

(ii) no stop order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement or any notice objecting to its use has been issued and no proceedings for that purpose have been instituted or, to the Company’s knowledge, threatened; and

(iii) since the date of the most recent financial statements included in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any supplement thereto), there has been no material adverse change in or affecting the business, financial condition or results of operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries considered as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendments or supplements thereto after the date hereof).

(e) At the Execution Time and on the Closing Date, Deloitte & Touche LLP shall have furnished to the Representatives, at the request of the Company, letters, dated the respective dates of delivery thereof and addressed to the Underwriters, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Representatives, containing statements and information of the type customarily included in accountants’ “comfort letters” to underwriters with respect to the financial statements and certain financial information contained or incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus; provided that the letter delivered on the Closing Date shall use a “cut-off” date no more than three business days prior to the Closing Date.

 

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(f) Subsequent to the Execution Time or, if earlier, the dates as of which information is given in the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof) and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto), there shall not have been (i) any change or decrease specified in the letters referred to in paragraph (e) of this Section 6 or (ii) any change, or any development involving an impending prospective change, in or affecting the business, financial position or results of operations of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries taken as a whole, whether or not arising from transactions in the ordinary course of business, except as set forth in or contemplated in the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto) the effect of which, in any case referred to in clause (i) or (ii) above, is, in the reasonable judgment of the Representatives, so material and adverse as to make it impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by the Registration Statement (exclusive of any amendment thereof), the Disclosure Package and the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

(g) Subsequent to the Execution Time, there shall not have been any decrease in the rating of any of the Company’s debt securities by any “nationally recognized statistical rating organization” (as defined for purposes of Rule 436(g) under the Act) or any notice given of any intended or potential decrease in any such rating or of a possible change in any such rating that does not indicate the direction of the possible change.

(h) Prior to the Closing Date, the Company shall have furnished to the Representatives such further information, certificates and documents as the Representatives may reasonably request for the purpose of enabling them to pass upon the issuance and sale of the Securities as herein contemplated, or in order to evidence the accuracy of any of the representations or warranties, or the fulfillment of any of the conditions, herein contained.

If any of the conditions specified in this Section 6 shall not have been fulfilled when and as provided in this Agreement, or if any of the opinions and certificates mentioned above or elsewhere in this Agreement shall not be reasonably satisfactory in form and substance to the Representatives and counsel for the Underwriters, this Agreement and all obligations of the Underwriters hereunder may be canceled at, or at any time prior to, the Closing Date by the Representatives. Notice of such cancellation shall be given to the Company in writing or by telephone or facsimile confirmed in writing.

The documents required to be delivered by this Section 6 shall be delivered at the office of Mayer Brown LLP, counsel for the Underwriters, at 71 South Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, on the Closing Date.

 

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7. Reimbursement of Underwriters’ Expenses . If the sale of the Securities provided for herein is not consummated because any condition to the obligations of the Underwriters set forth in Section 6 hereof is not satisfied, because of any termination pursuant to Section 10 hereof or because of any refusal, inability or failure on the part of the Company to perform any agreement herein or comply with any provision hereof other than by reason of a default by any of the Underwriters, the Company will reimburse the Underwriters severally through Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated on demand for all reasonable and properly documented out-of-pocket expenses (including reasonable fees and disbursements of counsel) that shall have been incurred by them in connection with the proposed purchase and sale of the Securities.

8. Indemnification and Contribution . (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless each Underwriter, the directors, officers, employees and agents of each Underwriter and each person who controls any Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act against any and all losses, claims, damages or liabilities, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject under the Act, the Exchange Act or other Federal or state statutory law or regulation, at common law or otherwise, insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities (or actions in respect thereof) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement for the registration of the Securities as originally filed or in any amendment thereof, or in the Base Prospectus, any Preliminary Prospectus or any other preliminary prospectus supplement relating to the Securities, the Final Prospectus, or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus or the information contained in the final term sheet required to be prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto, or in any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or arise out of or are based upon the omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, and agrees to reimburse each such indemnified party, as incurred, for any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by them in connection with investigating or defending any such loss, claim, damage, liability or action; provided , however , that the Company shall not be liable in any such case to the extent that any such loss, claim, damage or liability arises out of or is based upon any such untrue statement or alleged untrue statement or omission or alleged omission made therein in reliance upon and in conformity with written information furnished to the Company by or on behalf of any Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion therein. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which the Company may otherwise have.

(b) Each Underwriter severally and not jointly agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company, each of its directors, each of its officers who signs the Registration Statement, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to each Underwriter, but only with reference to written information relating to such Underwriter furnished to the Company by or on behalf of such Underwriter through the Representatives specifically for inclusion in the documents referred to in the foregoing indemnity. This indemnity agreement will be in addition to any liability which any Underwriter may otherwise have. The Company acknowledges that (i) the last paragraph of the cover page regarding delivery of the Securities, (ii) the list of Underwriters and

 

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their respective participation in the sale of the Securities, (iii) the sentences related to concessions and reallowances and (iv) the paragraphs related to stabilization, syndicate covering transactions and penalty bids in any Preliminary Prospectus and the Final Prospectus constitute the only information furnished in writing by or on behalf of the several Underwriters for inclusion in any Preliminary Prospectus, the Final Prospectus or any Issuer Free Writing Prospectus.

(c) Promptly after receipt by an indemnified party under this Section 8 of notice of the commencement of any action, such indemnified party will, if a claim in respect thereof is to be made against the indemnifying party under this Section 8, notify the indemnifying party in writing of the commencement thereof; but the failure so to notify the indemnifying party (i) will not relieve it from liability under paragraph (a) or (b) above unless and to the extent it did not otherwise learn of such action and such failure results in the forfeiture by the indemnifying party of substantial rights and defenses and (ii) will not, in any event, relieve the indemnifying party from any obligations to any indemnified party other than the indemnification obligation provided in paragraph (a) or (b) above. The indemnifying party shall be entitled to participate in any such action and appoint counsel of the indemnifying party’s choice at the indemnifying party’s expense to represent the indemnified party in any action for which indemnification is sought (in which case the indemnifying party shall not thereafter be responsible for the fees and expenses of any separate counsel retained by the indemnified party or parties except as set forth below); provided , however , that such counsel shall be satisfactory to the indemnified party. Notwithstanding the indemnifying party’s election to appoint counsel to represent the indemnified party in an action, the indemnified party shall have the right to employ separate counsel (including local counsel), and the indemnifying party shall bear the reasonable fees, costs and expenses of such separate counsel if (i) the use of counsel chosen by the indemnifying party to represent the indemnified party would present such counsel with a conflict of interest, (ii) the actual or potential defendants in, or targets of, any such action include both the indemnified party and the indemnifying party and the indemnified party shall have reasonably concluded that there may be legal defenses available to it and/or other indemnified parties which are different from or additional to those available to the indemnifying party (it being understood, however, that the indemnifying party shall not be liable for the expenses of more than one separate counsel (other than local counsel), approved by the Underwriters in the case of paragraph (a) of this Section 8, representing the indemnified parties under such paragraph (a) who are parties to such action), (iii) the indemnifying party shall not have employed counsel satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the indemnified party within a reasonable time after notice of the institution of such action or (iv) the indemnifying party shall authorize the indemnified party to employ separate counsel at the expense of the indemnifying party. An indemnifying party will not, without the prior written consent of the indemnified parties, settle or compromise or consent to the entry of any judgment with respect to any pending or threatened claim, action, suit or proceeding in respect of which indemnification or contribution may be sought hereunder (whether or not the indemnified parties are actual or potential parties to such claim or action) unless such settlement, compromise or consent (i) includes an unconditional release of each indemnified party from all liability arising out of such claim, action, suit or proceeding and (ii) does not include a statement as to or an admission of fault, culpability or a failure to act, by or on behalf of any indemnified party.

 

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(d) In the event that the indemnity provided in paragraph (a) or (b) of this Section 8 is unavailable to or insufficient to hold harmless an indemnified party for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally agree to contribute to the aggregate losses, claims, damages and liabilities (including legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in connection with investigating or defending the same) (collectively “Losses”) to which the Company and one or more of the Underwriters may be subject in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand and by the Underwriters on the other from the offering of the Securities. If the allocation provided by the immediately preceding sentence is unavailable for any reason, the Company and the Underwriters severally shall contribute in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not only such relative benefits but also the relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the other in connection with the statements or omissions which resulted in such Losses as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. Benefits received by the Company shall be deemed to be equal to the total net proceeds from the offering (before deducting expenses) received by it, and benefits received by the Underwriters shall be deemed to be equal to the total underwriting discounts and commissions, in each case as set forth on the cover page of the Final Prospectus. Relative fault shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether any untrue or any alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged omission to state a material fact relates to information provided by the Company on the one hand or the Underwriters on the other, the intent of the parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such untrue statement or omission. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the underwriting commissions received by such Underwriter in connection with the Securities underwritten by it and distributed to the public. The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution were determined by pro rata allocation or any other method of allocation which does not take account of the equitable considerations referred to above. Notwithstanding the provisions of this paragraph (d), no person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. For purposes of this Section 8, each person who controls an Underwriter within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act and each director, officer, employee and agent of an Underwriter shall have the same rights to contribution as such Underwriter, and each person who controls the Company within the meaning of either the Act or the Exchange Act, each officer of the Company who shall have signed the Registration Statement and each director of the Company shall have the same rights to contribution as the Company, subject in each case to the applicable terms and conditions of this paragraph (d).

9. Default by an Underwriter . If any one or more Underwriters shall fail to purchase and pay for any of the Securities agreed to be purchased by such Underwriter or Underwriters hereunder and such failure to purchase shall constitute a default in the performance of its or their obligations under this Agreement, the remaining Underwriters shall be obligated severally to take up and

 

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pay for (in the respective proportions which the principal amount of Securities set forth opposite their names in Schedule I hereto bears to the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth opposite the names of all the remaining Underwriters) the Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase; provided , however , that in the event that the aggregate principal amount of Securities which the defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but failed to purchase shall exceed 10% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities set forth in Schedule I hereto, the remaining Underwriters shall have the right to purchase all, but shall not be under any obligation to purchase any, of the Securities, and if such nondefaulting Underwriters do not purchase all the Securities, this Agreement will, subject to the immediately following sentence, terminate without liability to any nondefaulting Underwriter or the Company. In the event of a default by any Underwriter as set forth in this Section 9, the Closing Date shall be postponed for such period, not less than one but not exceeding five Business Days, as the Representatives shall determine in order that the required changes in the Registration Statement and the Final Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. During such time, the Company shall be entitled to procure another party or parties to purchase such Securities on such terms; provided that the non-defaulting Underwriters shall consent to such other party or parties, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned, or delayed. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall relieve any defaulting Underwriter of its liability, if any, to the Company and any nondefaulting Underwriter for damages occasioned by its default hereunder.

10. Termination . This Agreement shall be subject to termination in the absolute discretion of the Representatives, by notice given to the Company prior to delivery of and payment for the Securities, if at any time prior to such delivery and payment (i) trading in the Company’s Common Stock shall have been suspended by the Commission or the Stock Exchange or trading in securities generally on the New York Stock Exchange shall have been suspended or limited or minimum prices shall have been established on such exchange, (ii) a banking moratorium shall have been declared either by Federal or New York State authorities or (iii) there shall have occurred any outbreak or escalation of hostilities, declaration by the United States of a national emergency or war, or other calamity or crisis the effect of which on financial markets is such as to make it, in the judgment of the Representatives, impractical or inadvisable to proceed with the offering or delivery of the Securities as contemplated by any Preliminary Prospectus or the Final Prospectus (exclusive of any amendment or supplement thereto).

11. Representations and Indemnities to Survive . The respective agreements, representations, warranties, indemnities and other statements of the Company or its officers and of the Underwriters set forth in or made pursuant to this Agreement will remain in full force and effect, regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any Underwriter or the Company or any of the officers, directors, employees, agents or controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and will survive delivery of and payment for the Securities. The provisions of Sections 7 and 8 hereof shall survive the termination or cancellation of this Agreement.

12. Notices . All communications hereunder will be in writing and effective only on receipt, and, if sent to the Representatives, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Corporate Syndicate Department (fax no.: (212) 738-2309) and confirmed to the Corporate Syndicate Department, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith

 

22


Incorporated at 4 World Financial Center, North Tower, New York, New York 100080, Attention: Corporate Syndicate Department; Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc., General Counsel (fax no.: (203) 422 4534) and confirmed to the General Counsel, Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc., at 600 Steamboat Road, Greenwich, CT 06830, Attention: Debt Capital Markets Syndicate; and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., Transaction Management Group (fax no.: (212) 525-0238) and confirmed to the Transaction Management Group, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., at HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., Tower 3, 452 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10018, Attention: Transaction Management Group, or, if sent to the Company, will be mailed, delivered or telefaxed to the Treasurer, The Dow Chemical Company (fax no. (989) 636-2705 and confirmed to the Treasurer, The Dow Chemical Company at 2030 Dow Center, Midland, Michigan 48674.

13. Successors . This Agreement will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective successors and the officers, directors, employees, agents and controlling persons referred to in Section 8 hereof, and no other person will have any right or obligation hereunder.

14. No Fiduciary Duty . The Company hereby acknowledges that (a) the purchase and sale of the Securities pursuant to this Agreement is an arm’s-length commercial transaction between the Company, on the one hand, and the Underwriters and any affiliate through which it may be acting, on the other, (b) the Underwriters are acting as principal and not as an agent or fiduciary of the Company and (c) the Company’s engagement of the Underwriters in connection with the offering and the process leading up to the offering is as independent contractors and not in any other capacity. Furthermore, the Company agrees that it is solely responsible for making its own judgments in connection with the offering (irrespective of whether any of the Underwriters has advised or is currently advising the Company on related or other matters). The Company agrees that it will not claim that the Underwriters have rendered advisory services of any nature or respect, or owe an agency, fiduciary or similar duty to the Company, in connection with such transaction or the process leading thereto.

15. Integration . This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings (whether written or oral) between the Company and the Underwriters, or any of them, with respect to the subject matter hereof.

16. Applicable Law . This Agreement will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York applicable to contracts made and to be performed within the State of New York.

17. Waiver of Jury Trial . The Company and the Underwriters hereby irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated hereby.

18. Counterparts . This Agreement may be signed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall constitute an original and all of which together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

23


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

20. Definitions . The terms that follow, when used in this Agreement, shall have the meanings indicated.

“Act” shall mean the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Base Prospectus” shall mean the base prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above contained in the Registration Statement at the Execution Time.

“Business Day” shall mean any day other than a Saturday, a Sunday or a legal holiday or a day on which banking institutions or trust companies are authorized or obligated by law to close in New York City.

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Disclosure Package” shall mean (i) the Base Prospectus, (ii) the Preliminary Prospectus used most recently prior to the Execution Time, (iii) the Issuer Free Writing Prospectuses, if any, identified in Schedule II hereto, (iv) the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b) hereto, if any, and (v) any other Free Writing Prospectus that the parties hereto shall hereafter expressly agree in writing to treat as part of the Disclosure Package.

“Effective Date” shall mean each date and time that the Registration Statement and any post-effective amendment or amendments thereto became or becomes effective.

“Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Execution Time” shall mean the date and time that this Agreement is executed and delivered by the parties hereto.

“Final Prospectus” shall mean the prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that was first filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) after the Execution Time, together with the Base Prospectus.

“Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean a free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 405.

“Issuer Free Writing Prospectus” shall mean an issuer free writing prospectus, as defined in Rule 433.

“Preliminary Prospectus” shall mean any preliminary prospectus supplement to the Base Prospectus referred to in paragraph 1(a) above which is used prior to the filing of the Final Prospectus, together with the Base Prospectus.

 

24


“Registration Statement” shall mean the registration statement referred to in paragraph 1(a) above, including exhibits and financial statements and any prospectus supplement relating to the Securities that is filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) and deemed part of such registration statement pursuant to Rule 430B, as amended on each Effective Date and, in the event any post-effective amendment thereto becomes effective prior to the Closing Date, shall also mean such registration statement as so amended.

“Rule 158”, “Rule 163”, “Rule 164”, “Rule 172”, “Rule 405”, “Rule 415”, “Rule 424”, “Rule 430B” and “Rule 433” refer to such rules under the Act.

“Trust Indenture Act” shall mean the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

“Well-Known Seasoned Issuer” shall mean a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405.

 

25


If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding of our agreement, please sign and return to us the enclosed duplicate hereof, whereupon this letter and your acceptance shall represent a binding agreement among the Company and the several Underwriters.

 

Very truly yours,
THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Fernando Ruiz

Name:   Fernando Ruiz
Title:   Corporate Vice President and Treasurer

 

The foregoing Agreement is hereby confirmed and accepted as of the date first written above.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED

GREENWICH CAPITAL MARKETS, INC.

HSBC SECURITIES (USA) INC.

By:   MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
By:  

/s/ Nancy Keenan

Name:   Nancy Kennan
Title:   Authorized Signatory
For itself and the other several Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto.

 

26


SCHEDULE I

 

Underwriters

   Principal Amount
of Securities to

be Purchased

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated

   $ 200,000,000

Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc.

     160,000,000

HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.

     160,000,000

Citigroup Global Markets Inc.

     80,000,000

Banc of America Securities LLC

     40,000,000

Mizuho Securities USA Inc.

     40,000,000

BNP Paribas Securities Corp.

     24,000,000

Fortis Securities LLC

     24,000,000

KBC Financial Products USA Inc.

     24,000,000

Mitsubishi UFJ Securities International plc

     24,000,000

Santander Investment Securities Inc.

     24,000,000
      

Total

   $ 800,000,000
      


SCHEDULE II

Schedule of Free Writing Prospectuses included in the Disclosure Package

(exclusive of the final term sheet prepared and filed pursuant to Section 5(b))

None


SCHEDULE III

Final Term Sheet

Filed Pursuant to Rule 433

Registration Statement No. 333-140859

May 1, 2008

The Dow Chemical Company

5.700% Notes Due 2018

 

Issuer:    The Dow Chemical Company
Title of Securities:    Senior Unsecured Notes
Aggregate Principal Amount Offered:    $800,000,000
Maturity Date:    May 15, 2018
Trade Date:    May 1, 2008
Settlement Date (T+3):    May 6, 2008
Coupon (Interest Rate):    5.700% per annum
Price to Public (Issue Price):    99.553% of principal amount
Yield to Maturity:    5.759%
Benchmark Treasury:    UST 3.5% due February 15, 2018

Benchmark Treasury

Price and Yield:

   97-28+; 3.759%
Spread to Benchmark Treasury:    2.00% (200 basis points)
Interest Payment Dates:    Semi-annually on May 15 and November 15, beginning on November 15, 2008
Day Count Convention:    30/360
Optional Redemption:    The Notes will be redeemable at Issuer’s option at any time, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to (A) the greater of (i) 100% of the principal amount of such Notes and (ii) the sum of the present values of remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest (exclusive of interest accrued to the date of redemption) on such Notes discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis at the Treasury rate plus 0.300% (30 basis points), plus (B) accrued interest to the redemption date.


Change of Control:    If a change of control triggering event occurs, the Issuer will be required, subject to certain conditions, to make an offer to repurchase the Notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase (all as described in the Issuer’s Preliminary Prospectus Supplement dated May 1, 2008 relating to the Notes).
CUSIP Number:    260543 BV4
Denominations:    $2,000 x $1,000
Joint Book-Running Managers:    Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc.
Senior Co-Managers:    Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Banc of America Securities LLC and Mizuho Securities USA Inc.
Co-Managers:    BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Fortis Securities LLC, KBC Financial Products USA Inc., Mitsubishi UFJ Securities International plc and Santander Investment Securities Inc.
Type of Offering:    SEC registered (No. 333-140859)
Listing:    None
Long-term Debt Ratings:    Moody’s: A3 (Negative Outlook); S&P, A- (Stable); Fitch: A- (Stable)

 

Note : A securities rating is not a recommendation to buy, sell or hold securities and may be subject to revision or withdrawal at any time

The issuer has filed a registration statement (including a prospectus) with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before you invest, you should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents the issuer has filed with the SEC for more complete information about the issuer and this offering. You may get these documents for free by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Web site at www.sec.gov . Alternatively, the issuer, any underwriter or any dealer participating in the offering will arrange to send you the prospectus if you request it by calling Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated toll free at 1-866-500-5408, Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. toll free at 1-866-884-2071 or HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. toll free at 1-866-811-8049.

Exhibit 4.1

THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

AND

THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A.

Trustee

 

 

INDENTURE

Dated as of May 1, 2008

 

 


CROSS REFERENCE SHEET/*/

Provisions of Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended, and Indenture dated as of May 1, 2008, between THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY and THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., trustee:

 

Section of the Act

  

Section of Indenture

    
310(a)(1) and (2)    6.9   
310(a)(3) and (4)    Inapplicable   
310(b)    6.8 and 6.10   
310(c)    Inapplicable   
311(a)    6.13(a) and (c)(1) and (2) 311(b)   
6.13(b)      
311(c)    Inapplicable   
312(a)    4.1 and 4.2(a)   
312(b)    4.2(a) and (b)   
312(c)    4.2(c)   
313(a)    4.4(a)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v) and (vi)   
313(b)(1)    Inapplicable   
313(b)(2)    4.4   
313(c)    4.4   
313(d)    4.4   
314(a)    4.3   
314(b)    Inapplicable   
314(c)(1) and (2)    11.5   
314(c)(3)    Inapplicable   
314(d)    Inapplicable   
314(e)    11.5   
314(f)    Inapplicable   
315(a), (c) and (d)    6.1   
315(b)    5.11   
315(e)    5.12   
316(a)(1)    5.9 and 5.10   
316(a)(2)    Not required   
316(a) (last sentence)    7.4   
316(b)    5.7   
316(c)    7.6   
317(a)    5.2   
317(b)    3.4(a) and (b)   
318(a)    11.7   

 

* This Cross Reference Sheet is not part of the Indenture.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

          Page

ARTICLE ONE        DEFINITIONS

   1

SECTION 1.1

   Certain Terms Defined    1

ARTICLE TWO        SECURITIES

   6

SECTION 2.1

   Forms Generally    6

SECTION 2.2

   Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication    6

SECTION 2.3

   Amount Unlimited; Issuable in Series    7

SECTION 2.4

   Authentication and Delivery of Securities    9

SECTION 2.5

   Execution of Securities    11

SECTION 2.6

   Certificate of Authentication    11

SECTION 2.7

   Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest    11

SECTION 2.8

   Registration, Transfer and Exchange    13

SECTION 2.9

   Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities    16

SECTION 2.10

   Cancellation of Securities, Destruction Thereof    17

SECTION 2.11

   Temporary Securities    17

SECTION 2.12

   Compliance with Certain Laws and Regulations    19

SECTION 2.13

   Appointment of Agents With Respect to Certain Calculations    19

SECTION 2.14

   CUSIP Numbers    19

ARTICLE THREE        COVENANTS OF THE ISSUER

   20

SECTION 3.1

   Payment of Principal and Interest    20

SECTION 3.2

   Offices for Payment, etc    20

SECTION 3.3

   Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee    21

SECTION 3.4

   Paying Agents    21

SECTION 3.5

   [Reserved]    22

SECTION 3.6

   Limitation on Liens    22

SECTION 3.7

   Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions    24

SECTION 3.8

   Additional Amounts    24

ARTICLE FOUR        SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE ISSUER AND THE TRUSTEE

   25

SECTION 4.1

   Company to Furnish Trustee Information as to Names and Addresses of Securityholders    25

SECTION 4.2

   Preservation and Disclosure of Securityholders’ Lists    26

 

-i-


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page

SECTION 4.3

   Reports by the Company    27

SECTION 4.4

   Reports by the Trustee    28

ARTICLE FIVE        REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

   28

SECTION 5.1

   Event of Default Defined; Acceleration of Maturity; Waiver of Default    28

SECTION 5.2

   Collection of Indebtedness by Trustee; Trustee May Prove Debt    31

SECTION 5.3

   Application of Proceeds    33

SECTION 5.4

   Suits for Enforcement    34

SECTION 5.5

   Restoration of Rights on Abandonment of Proceedings    34

SECTION 5.6

   Limitations on Suits by Securityholders    34

SECTION 5.7

   Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Institute Certain Suits    35

SECTION 5.8

   Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver of Default    35

SECTION 5.9

   Control by Securityholders    35

SECTION 5.10

   Waiver of Past Defaults    36

SECTION 5.11

   Trustee to Give Notice of Default, But May Withhold in Certain Circumstances    36

SECTION 5.12

   Right of Court to Require Filing of Undertaking to Pay Costs    37

ARTICLE SIX        CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

   37

SECTION 6.1

   Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee; Prior to Default; During Default    37

SECTION 6.2

   Certain Rights of the Trustee    38

SECTION 6.3

   Trustee Not Responsible for Recitals, Disposition of Securities or Application of Proceeds Thereof    40

SECTION 6.4

   Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities; Collections, etc    40

SECTION 6.5

   Moneys Held by Trustee    40

SECTION 6.6

   Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and Its Prior Claim    40

SECTION 6.7

   Right of Trustee to Rely on Officer’s Certificate, etc    41

SECTION 6.8

   Disqualification of Trustee; Conflicting Interests    41

 

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page

SECTION 6.9

   Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee    41

SECTION 6.10

   Resignation and Removal; Appointment of Successor Trustee    42

SECTION 6.11

   Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee    43

SECTION 6.12

   Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee    44

SECTION 6.13

   Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company    44

SECTION 6.14

   Appointment of Authenticating Agent    44

ARTICLE SEVEN        CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

   45

SECTION 7.1

   Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders    45

SECTION 7.2

   Proof of Execution of Instruments    46

SECTION 7.3

   Holders to Be Treated as Owners    46

SECTION 7.4

   Securities Owned by Company Deemed Not Outstanding    46

SECTION 7.5

   Right of Revocation of Action Taken    47

SECTION 7.6

   Record Date for Determination of Holders Entitled to Vote    47

ARTICLE EIGHT        SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

   48

SECTION 8.1

   Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders    48

SECTION 8.2

   Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders    49

SECTION 8.3

   Effect of Supplemental Indenture    50

SECTION 8.4

   Documents to Be Given to Trustee    50

SECTION 8.5

   Notation on Securities in Respect of Supplemental Indentures    50

ARTICLE NINE        CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE

   50

SECTION 9.1

   Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms    50

SECTION 9.2

   Successor Corporation Substituted    51

SECTION 9.3

   Opinion of Counsel to Trustee    51

ARTICLE TEN        SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; UNCLAIMED MONEYS

   51

SECTION 10.1

   Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture    51

SECTION 10.2

   Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities    53

SECTION 10.3

   Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent    53

 

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

(continued)

 

          Page

SECTION 10.4

   Return of Unclaimed Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent    54

SECTION 10.5

   Reinstatement of Company’s Obligations    54

ARTICLE ELEVEN        MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

   54

SECTION 11.1

   Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability    54

SECTION 11.2

   Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Securityholders    54

SECTION 11.3

   Successors and Assigns of Company Bound by Indenture    55

SECTION 11.4

   Notices and Demands on Company, Trustee and Securityholders    55

SECTION 11.5

   Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to Be Contained Therein    55

SECTION 11.6

   Payments Due on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays    56

SECTION 11.7

   Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939    57

SECTION 11.8

   New York Law to Govern; Waiver of Jury Trial    57

SECTION 11.9

   Counterparts    57

SECTION 11.10

   Effect of Headings    57

SECTION 11.11

   Determination of Principal Amount; Calculation of Original Issue Discount    57

SECTION 11.12

   Force Majeure    58
ARTICLE TWELVE        REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUNDS    58

SECTION 12.1

   Applicability of Article    58

SECTION 12.2

   Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions    58

SECTION 12.3

   Payment of Securities Called for Redemption    59

SECTION 12.4

   Exclusion of Certain Securities from Eligibility for Selection for Redemption    60

SECTION 12.5

   Mandatory and Optional Sinking Funds    60

 

iv


THIS INDENTURE, dated as of May 1, 2008 between THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., a national banking association, as trustee (the “Trustee”).

W I T N E S S E T H:

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

WHEREAS, all things necessary to make this Indenture a valid and legally binding 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 Company and the Trustee mutually covenant and agree for the equal and proportionate benefit of the respective holders from time to time of the Securities as follows:

ARTICLE ONE

DEFINITIONS

SECTION 1.1 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 clearly 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, as supplemented and amended from time to time, and not to any particular Article, Section or other subdivision. The terms defined in this Article have the meanings assigned to them in this Article and include the plural as well as the singular.

“Authenticating Agent“ means any Person authorized by the Trustee pursuant to Section 6.14 to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of one or more Series.

“Board of Directors“ means either the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.


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

“Business Day“ means, except as may otherwise be provided in the form of Securities of any particular Series, with respect to any Place of Payment, any day, other than a Saturday or Sunday, that is not a legal holiday, or a day on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law or regulation to close in The City of New York, Chicago or in that Place of Payment, or with respect to Securities denominated in a Foreign Currency, the capital city of the country of such Foreign Currency, or with respect to Securities denominated in euros, Brussels, Belgium.

“Clearstream“ means Clearstream Banking, société anonyme

“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.

“Company“ means (except as otherwise provided in Article Six) The Dow Chemical Company, a Delaware corporation, and, subject to Article Nine, its successors and assigns.

“Company Order “ or “Company Request“ means a written order or request of the Company, signed in its name by its President, Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer and delivered to the Trustee.

“Consolidated Net Tangible Assets“ means the total assets of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries as shown on or reflected in its balance sheet less (a) all current liabilities (excluding current liabilities which could be classified as long-term debt in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and current liabilities which are by their terms extendible or renewable at the option of the obligor thereon to a time more than 12 months after the time as of which the amount thereof is being computed), (b) advances to entities accounted for on the equity method of accounting, and (c) intangible assets. “Intangible assets” means the aggregate value (net of any applicable reserves), as shown on or reflected in such balance sheet, of: (i) all trade names, trademarks, licenses, patents, copyrights and goodwill; (ii) organizational and development costs; (iii) deferred charges (other than prepaid items such as insurance, taxes, interest, commissions, rents and similar items and tangible assets being amortized); and (iv) unamortized debt discount and expense, less unamortized premium.

“Corporate Trust Office“ means the principal office of the Trustee at which at any time its corporate trust business shall be administered, which office at the date hereof is located at 2 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1020, Chicago, Illinois 60602, Attention: Corporate Trust Administration, or such other address as the Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company, or the principal corporate trust office of any successor Trustee (or such other address as such successor Trustee may designate from time to time by notice to the Holders and the Company).

 

2


“Coupon“ means any interest coupon appertaining to any Security.

“Coupon Security“ means any Security authenticated and delivered with one or more Coupons appertaining thereto.

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

“euro” means the lawful currency of the member states of the European Economic and Monetary Union, pursuant to the Treaty establishing the European Community, as amended by the Treaty on European Union.

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

“Event of Default“ means any event or condition specified as such in Section 5.1.

“Exempted Indebtedness“ means the sum of (i) all outstanding indebtedness of the Company and its Restricted Subsidiaries incurred after the date of this Indenture and secured by liens proscribed in paragraph (a) of Section 3.6, and (ii) the aggregate of present values (discounted at a rate per annum equal to the average interest borne by all Outstanding Securities determined on a weighted average basis and compounded semi-annually) of the obligations of the Company or any Restricted Subsidiaries for rental payments during the remaining term of all leases (including any period for which any such lease has been extended or may, at the option of the lessor, be extended) of all Principal Property other than those leases expressly permitted by paragraph (a) of Section 3.7. The net amount of rent required to be paid under any such lease for any such term shall be the amount of the rent payable by the lessee with respect to such period, after excluding amounts required to be paid on account of maintenance and repairs, insurance, taxes, assessments, water rates and similar charges and contingent rents such as those based on sales. In the case of any such lease which is terminable by the lessee upon the payment of a penalty, such net amount shall also include the amount of such penalty, but no rent shall be considered as required to be paid under such lease subsequent to the first date upon which it may be so terminated.

“Foreign Currency“ means a currency issued by the government of any country other than the United States reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

“Holder,” “Holder of Securities,” “Securityholder“ or other similar terms mean the holder of an Unregistered Security or a Registered Holder of a Registered Security and, when used with respect to any Coupon, means the holder thereof.

“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.

 

3


“Officer’s Certificate” means a certificate signed by the President, Chief Financial Officer or Treasurer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee. Each such certificate shall include the statements provided for in Section 11.5.

“Opinion of Counsel“ means an opinion in writing signed by legal counsel who may be an employee of or counsel to the Company. Each such opinion shall include the statements provided for in Section 11.5.

“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 which provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.1.

“Outstanding“ (except as otherwise provided in Section 6.8), when used with reference to Securities, shall, subject to the provisions of Section 7.4, 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 in the necessary amount shall have been deposited in trust with the Trustee or with any paying agent (other than the Company) or shall have been set aside, segregated and held in trust by the Company for the holders of such Securities (if the Company 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 in substitution for which other Securities shall have been authenticated and delivered, or which shall have been paid, pursuant to the terms of Section 2.9 (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 Company).

“Paying Agent“ means any Person (which may include the Company) authorized by the Company to pay the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security on behalf of the Company.

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

“Place of Payment“ when used with respect to the Securities of any Series, means the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series are payable as specified pursuant to Section 3.2.

 

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“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 Property“ means any manufacturing facility owned by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and located within the United States (excluding its territories and possessions and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico) the gross book value (without deduction of any depreciation reserves) of which on the date as of which the determination is being made exceeds one percent of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets, other than any such facility or portion thereof which the Board of Directors reasonably determines is not material to the business conducted by the Company and its Subsidiaries as a whole.

“Registered Holder“ when used with respect to a Registered Security means the person in whose name such Security is registered in the Security register.

“Registered Security“ means any Security registered in the Security register.

“Responsible Officer“ when used with respect to the Trustee shall mean any officer in the corporate trust department (or any successor group) of the Trustee including any vice president, assistant vice president, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer, trust officer or any other 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 at the Corporate Trust Office because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with the particular subject and who shall have direct responsibility for the administration of the Indenture.

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary: (i) substantially all of the property of which is located, and substantially all of the business of which is carried on, within the United States (excluding its territories and possessions and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico); and (ii) which owns or operates one or more Principal Properties; provided , however , that Restricted Subsidiary shall not include a Subsidiary which is primarily engaged in the business of a finance or insurance company and branches thereof.

“Security “ or “Securities“ (except as otherwise provided in Section 6.8) 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.

“Series” or “Series of Securities“ means a series of Securities.

“Specified Amount“ has the meaning specified in Section 2.12.

“Subsidiary“ means any corporation, of which at least a majority of the Voting Stock is at the time owned directly or indirectly by the Company or by the Company and its other Subsidiaries. The term “Voting Stock” means outstanding shares of stock having voting power for the election of directors, whether at all times or only so long as no senior class of stock has such voting power because of default in dividends or some other default.

“Trustee“ means the Person identified as “Trustee” in the first paragraph hereof and, subject to the provisions of Article Six, any successor trustee.

 

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“Trust Indenture Act of 1939” or “Trust Indenture Act“ (except as otherwise provided in Sections 8.1 and 8.2) means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date as of which this Indenture was originally executed.

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

“United States Alien“ means any Person who, for United States Federal income tax purposes, is a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual, a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust, or a foreign partnership one or more of the members of which is, for United States Federal income tax purposes, a foreign corporation, a non-resident alien individual or a non-resident alien fiduciary of a foreign estate or trust.

“Unregistered Security“ means any Security not registered as to principal.

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

“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 by the Company in accordance with accepted financial practice.

ARTICLE TWO

SECURITIES

SECTION 2.1 Forms Generally . The Securities of each Series (including any temporary or permanent global Securities) and the Coupons, if any, shall be substantially in such form (not inconsistent with this Indenture) as shall be established by or pursuant to a Board Resolution (or, to the extent established pursuant to, rather than set forth in, such Board Resolution, in an Officer’s Certificate) 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 (the provisions of which shall be appropriate to reflect the terms of each Series of Securities, including the currency or denomination, which may be Dollars, Foreign Currency or ECU) and may have imprinted or otherwise reproduced thereon such legend or legends, 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 the Securities and Coupons, if any. The definitive Securities and Coupons, if any, shall be printed, lithographed 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 2.2 Form of Trustee’s Certificate of Authentication . The Trustee’s certificate of authentication on all Securities shall be in substantially the following form:

 

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

 

The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.,

  as Trustee

By  

 

  Authorized Signatory
Dated:  

 

SECTION 2.3 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. There shall be established in or pursuant to a Board Resolution, or to the extent established pursuant to, rather than set forth in, such resolution, established in an Officer’s Certificate, or established in one or more indentures supplemental hereto, prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series,

(1) the title of the Securities of the Series (which title shall distinguish the Securities of the Series from all other Securities issued by the Company);

(2) 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 Sections 2.8, 2.9, 2.11 or 12.3);

(3) whether Securities of the Series are to be issuable as Registered Securities, Unregistered Securities or both, whether any Securities of the Series are to be issuable initially in temporary global form and whether any Securities of the Series are to be issuable in permanent global form with or without Coupons and, if so, (i) whether beneficial owners of interest in any such permanent global Security may exchange such interest for Securities of such Series and of like tenor of any authorized form and denomination and the circumstances under which any such exchanges may occur, if other than in the manner provided in Section 2.8 and (ii) the name of the depositary with respect to any global Security; if Securities are to be issuable as Unregistered Securities, the form of any required certifications

(4) the Person to whom any interest in any Registered Security of the Series shall be payable, if other than the Person in whose name the Security (or one or more predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the record date for such interest, the manner in which, or the Person to whom, any interest on any Unregistered Security of the Series shall be payable, if otherwise than upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons appertaining thereto as they severally mature, and the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global Security on an interest payment date will be paid if other than in the manner provided in Section 2.11;

 

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(5) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

(6) the rate or rates (or formula for determining such rates) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest shall accrue, the interest payment dates on which such interest shall be payable and the record dates for the determination of Holders to whom interest is payable; and the circumstances, if any, in which the Company may defer interest payments;

(7) whether the interest rate or interest rate formula, as the case may be, for Securities of the Series may be reset at the option of the Company and, if so, the date or dates on which such interest rate or interest rate formula, as the case may be, may be reset;

(8) the place or places where the principal and interest on Securities of the Series shall be payable (if other than as provided in Section 3.2), any Registered Securities of the Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, Securities of the Series may be surrendered for exchange and notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of the Series and this Indenture may be served;

(9) the price or prices at which, the period or periods within which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series may be redeemed or repurchased, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company or repaid at the option of the Holders;

(10) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem, purchase or repay Securities of the Series pursuant to any 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 the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed, purchased or repaid, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

(11) the denominations in which any Registered Securities of the Series may be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, and the denomination or denominations in which any Unregistered Securities of the Series may be issued, if other than the denomination of $5,000;

(12) the form of the Securities (or forms thereof if Unregistered and Registered Securities shall be issuable in such Series), including such legends as required by law or as the Company deems necessary or appropriate, the form of any Coupons or Temporary Global Security which may be issued and the forms of any certificates which may be required hereunder or which the Company may require in connection with the offering, sale, delivery or exchange of Unregistered Securities;

(13) the currency or currencies, including composite currencies, in which payments of interest or principal are payable with respect to the Securities of the Series if other than the currency of the United States of America;

 

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(14) if the amount of payments of principal of or interest on the Securities of any Series may be determined with reference to the differences in the price of or rate of exchange between any indexes, currencies or commodities, the manner in which such amounts shall be determined;

(15) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of Securities of the Series which thereof pursuant to Section 5.1 or provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.2;

(16) any additional Events of Default or restrictive covenants with respect to the Securities of such Series which are not set forth herein;

(17) any other terms or conditions upon which the Securities of the Series are to be issued (which terms shall not be inconsistent with the provisions of this Indenture); and

(18) any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars or any other agents with respect to the Securities of such Series.

All Securities of any one Series shall be substantially identical except as to denomination, except as provided in the immediately succeeding paragraph, and except as may otherwise be provided in or pursuant to such Board Resolution or in any such indenture supplemental hereto. All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time, and unless otherwise provided, a Series may be reopened for issuances of additional Securities of such Series.

SECTION 2.4 Authentication and Delivery of Securities . At any time and from time to time after the execution and delivery of this Indenture, the Company may deliver Securities of any Series having attached thereto appropriate Coupons, if any, executed by the Company to the Trustee for authentication, together with an Company Order for the authentication and delivery of such Securities, and the Trustee in accordance with the Company Order shall authenticate and deliver such Securities; provided , however , that in connection with its original issuance, no Unregistered Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States; and provided , further , that an Unregistered Security may be delivered in connection with its original issuance only if the Person entitled to receive such Unregistered Security shall have furnished a certificate in the form designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.3 dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the earlier of the date on which such Unregistered Security is delivered and the date on which any temporary Security first becomes exchangeable for such Unregistered Security in accordance with the terms of such temporary Security and this Indenture. If any Security shall be represented by a permanent global Unregistered Security, then, for purposes of this Section and Section 2.11, the notation of a beneficial owner’s interest therein upon original issuance of such Security or upon exchange of a portion of a temporary global Security shall be deemed to be delivered in connection with its original issuance of such beneficial owner’s interest in such permanent global Unregistered Security. In authenticating such Securities and accepting the additional responsibilities under this Indenture in relation to such Securities, the Trustee shall be provided with and (subject to Section 6.1) shall be fully protected in relying upon:

(1) an Company Order requesting such authentication and setting forth delivery instructions if the Securities are not to be delivered to the Company;

 

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(2) any Board Resolution, Officer’s Certificate and/or supplemental indenture referred to in Sections 2.1 and 2.3 by or pursuant to which the forms of the Securities of any such Series were established;

(3) an Officer’s Certificate setting forth the form and terms of the Securities stating that the form and terms of the Securities have been established pursuant to Section 2.1 and 2.3 and comply with this Indenture, and covering such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request;

(4) an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that:

(a) the form or forms and terms of such Securities have been established pursuant to Sections 2.1 and 2.3 and comply with this Indenture;

(b) the authentication and delivery of such Securities by the Trustee are authorized under the provisions of this Indenture;

(c) such Securities, when authenticated and delivered by the Trustee and issued by the Company in the manner and subject to any conditions specified in such Opinion of Counsel, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company;

(d) all laws and requirements in respect of the execution and delivery by the Company have been complied with; and

(e) covering such other matters as the Trustee may reasonably request.

If all the Securities of any Series are not to be issued at one time, it shall not be necessary to deliver an Opinion of Counsel and an Officer’s Certificate at the time of issuance of each Security, but such opinion and certificate, with appropriate modifications, shall be delivered at or before the time of issuance of the first Security of such series. After any such first delivery, any separate written request by an Officer of the Company or any person designated in writing by an Officer that the Trustee authenticate and deliver Securities of such series for original issue will be deemed to be a certification by the Company that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to authentication and delivery of such Securities continue to have been complied with and that no Event of Default with respect to any of the Securities has occurred or is continuing.

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 Company or if the issue of such Securities pursuant to this Indenture will affect the Trustee’s own rights, duties or immunities under this Indenture in a manner not reasonably acceptable to the Trustee.

 

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SECTION 2.5 Execution of Securities . The Securities shall be signed on behalf of the Company by the Chairman of its Board of Directors or its president or any vice president or its treasurer or any assistant treasurer. Such signatures may be the manual or facsimile signatures of the present or any future such officers. The seal of the Company may be in the form of a facsimile thereof and may be impressed, affixed, imprinted or otherwise reproduced on the Securities. Typographical and other minor errors or defects in any such reproduction of the seal or any such signature shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any Security that has been duly authenticated and delivered by the Trustee. Any Coupons attached to any Unregistered Security shall be executed on behalf of the Company by the manual or facsimile signature of any such officer of the Company.

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

SECTION 2.6 Certificate of Authentication . Only such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto 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 signatories, shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose. Such certificate by the Trustee upon any Security executed by the Company 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.

The Trustee shall not authenticate or deliver any Unregistered Security until any matured Coupons appertaining thereto have been detached and canceled, except as otherwise provided or permitted by this Indenture.

SECTION 2.7 Denomination and Date of Securities; Payments of Interest . The Securities shall be issuable in denominations as shall be specified as contemplated by Section 2.3. In the absence of any such specification with respect to the Securities of any Series, Registered Securities of such Series shall be issuable in denominations of $1,000 and any multiple thereof, and Unregistered Securities of such Series shall be issuable in denominations of $5,000, and interest shall be computed on the basis of a 360-day year of twelve 30-day months. The Securities shall be numbered, lettered, or otherwise distinguished in such manner or in accordance with such plan as the officers of the Company 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 of the date of original issuance of the first Security of such Series to be issued, shall bear interest from the date and shall be payable on the dates, in each case, which shall be specified as contemplated by Section 2.3.

 

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Interest on any Security which is payable, and is punctually paid or duly provided for, on any interest payment date shall be paid, in the case of Registered Securities, to the person in whose name that Security (or one or more predecessor Securities) is registered at the close of business on the regular record date for the payment of such interest and, in the case of Unregistered Securities, upon surrender of the Coupon appertaining thereto in respect of the interest due on such interest payment date.

The term “record date” as used with respect to any interest payment date (except for a date for payment of defaulted interest) shall mean the date specified as such in the terms of the Securities of any particular Series, or, if no such date is so specified, if such interest payment date is the first day of a calendar month, the close of business on the fifteenth day of the next preceding calendar month or, if such interest payment date is the fifteenth day of a calendar month, the close of business on the first day of such calendar month, whether or not such record date is a Business Day.

Any interest on any Security of any Series which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any interest payment date (called “defaulted interest” for the purpose of this Section) shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Registered Holder on the relevant regular record date by virtue of his having been such Holder; and such defaulted interest may be paid by the Company, at its election in each case, as provided in clause (1) or clause (2) below:

(1) The Company may elect to make payment of any defaulted interest to the persons in whose names any such Registered Securities (or their respective predecessor Securities) are registered at the close of business on a special record date for the payment of such defaulted interest, which shall be fixed in the following manner. The Company shall notify the Trustee in writing of the amount of defaulted interest proposed to be paid on each Security of such Series and the date of the proposed payment, and at the same time the Company shall deposit with the Trustee an amount of money equal to the aggregate amount proposed to be paid in respect of such defaulted interest or shall make arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for such deposit prior to the date of the proposed payment, such money when deposited to be held in trust for the benefit of the persons entitled to such defaulted interest as in this clause provided. Thereupon the Trustee shall fix a special record date for the payment of such defaulted interest in respect of Registered Securities of such Series which shall be not more than 15 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of the proposed payment and not less than 10 days after the receipt by the Trustee of the notice of the proposed payment. The Trustee shall promptly notify the Company of such special record date and, in the name and at the expense of the Company, shall cause notice of the proposed payment of such defaulted interest and the special record date thereof to be mailed, first class postage prepaid, to each Registered Holder at his address as it appears in the Security register, not less than 10 days prior to such special record date. Notice of the proposed payment of such defaulted interest and the special record date therefor having been mailed as aforesaid, such defaulted interest in respect of Registered Securities of such Series shall be paid to the person in whose names such Securities (or their respective predecessor Securities) are registered on such special record date and such defaulted interest shall no longer be payable pursuant to the following clause (2).

 

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

Any defaulted interest payable in respect of any Security of any Series which is not a Registered Security shall be payable pursuant to such procedures as may be satisfactory to the Trustee in such manner that there is no discrimination as between the Holders of Registered Securities and other Securities of the same Series, and notice of the payment date therefor shall be given by the Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Company, in the manner specified in Section 11.4.

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

SECTION 2.8 Registration, Transfer and Exchange . The Company will keep at each office or agency to be maintained for the purpose as provided in Section 3.2 for each Series of Securities a register or registers in which, subject to such reasonable regulations as it may prescribe, it will register, and will register the transfer of, Registered Securities as in this Article provided. 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 3.2, the Company 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 in authorized denominations for a like aggregate principal amount.

At the option of the Holder, Registered Securities of any Series may be exchanged for other Registered Securities of the same Series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency. Whenever any Securities are so surrendered for exchange, the Company shall execute, and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, the Securities which the Holder making the exchange is entitled to receive. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, Unregistered Securities may not be issued in exchange for Registered Securities.

At the option of the Holder, Unregistered Securities of any Series may be exchanged for Registered Securities of the same Series of any authorized denominations and of a like aggregate principal amount and tenor, upon surrender of the Unregistered Securities to be exchanged at any such office or agency, with all unmatured Coupons, if any, and all matured Coupons, if any, in default thereto appertaining. If the Holder of an Unregistered Security is unable to produce any such unmatured Coupons and all matured Coupon or Coupons or matured Coupon or Coupons in default, such exchange may be effected if the Unregistered Securities are accompanied by

 

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payment in funds acceptable to the Company in an amount equal to the face amount of such missing Coupon or Coupons, or the surrender of such missing Coupon or Coupons may be waived by the Company and the Trustee if there is furnished to them such security or indemnity as they may require to save each of them and any Paying Agent harmless. If thereafter the Holder of such Security shall surrender to any Paying Agent any such missing Coupon in respect of which such a payment shall have been made, such Holder shall be entitled to receive the amount of such payment; provided , however , that, except as otherwise provided in Section 3.2, interest represented by Coupons shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of those Coupons at an office or agency located outside the United States. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in case an Unregistered Security of any Series is surrendered at any such office or agency in exchange for a Registered Security of the same Series and like tenor after the close of business at such office or agency on any record date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant interest payment date, such Unregistered Security shall be surrendered without the Coupon relating to such interest payment date and interest will not be payable on such interest payment date in respect of the Registered Security issued in exchange for such Unregistered Security, but will be payable only to the Holder of such Coupon when due in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, any permanent global Security shall be exchangeable only as provided in this paragraph. If the beneficial owners of interests in a permanent global Security are entitled to exchange such interests for Securities of such Series and of like tenor and principal amount of another authorized form and denomination, as specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, then without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities of that Series in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such permanent global Security, executed by the Company. On or after the earliest date on which such interests may be so exchanged, such permanent global Securities shall be surrendered from time to time by the depositary holding such global security and in accordance with instructions given to the Trustee and such depositary (which instructions shall be in writing but need not comply with Section 11.5 or be accompanied by an Opinion of Counsel), as shall be specified in the Company Order with respect to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or in part, for definitive Securities of the same Series without charge. The Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in exchange for each portion of such surrendered permanent global Security, a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same Series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such permanent global Security to be exchanged which (unless the Securities of the Series are not issuable both as Unregistered Securities and as Registered Securities, in which case the definitive Securities exchanged for the permanent global Security shall be issuable only in the form which the Securities are issuable, as specified as contemplated by Section 2.3) shall be in the form of Unregistered Securities or Registered Securities, or any combination thereof, as shall be specified by the beneficial owner thereof; provided, however, that no such exchanges may occur during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before any selection of Securities of that Series to be redeemed and ending on the relevant Redemption Date; and provided, further, that no Unregistered Security delivered in exchange for a portion of a permanent global Security shall be mailed or otherwise delivered to any location in the United States. Promptly following any such exchange in part, such permanent global Security shall be returned by the Trustee to the depositary or such other depositary referred

 

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to above in accordance with the instructions of the Company referred to above. If a Registered Security is issued in exchange for any portion of a permanent global Security after the close of business at the office or agency where such exchange occurs on (i) any Regular Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the relevant Interest Payment Date, or (ii) any Special Record Date and before the opening of business at such office or agency on the related proposed date for payment of interest or Defaulted Interest, as the case may be, will not be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, in respect of such Registered Security, but will be payable on such Interest Payment Date or proposed date for payment, as the case may be, only to the Person to whom interest in respect of such portion of such permanent global Security is payable in accordance with the provisions of this Indenture.

Upon presentation for registration of any Unregistered Securities of any Series which by its terms is registrable as to principal, at the office or agency of the Company to be maintained as provided in Section 3.2, such Security shall be registered as to principal in the name of the Holder thereof and such registration shall be noted on such Security. Any Security so registered shall be transferable on the registry books of the Company upon presentation of such Security at such office or agency for similar notation thereon, but such Security may be discharged from registration by being in a like manner transferred to bearer, whereupon transferability by delivery shall be restored. Unregistered Securities shall continue to be subject to successive registrations and discharges from registration at the option of the Holders thereof.

Unregistered Securities shall be transferable by delivery, except while registered as to principal. Registration of any Coupon Security shall not effect the transferability by delivery of the Coupons appertaining thereto which shall continue to be payable to bearer and transferable by delivery.

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

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

No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange of Securities, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in connection with any transfer or exchange of Securities, other than exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 8.5 or 12.3 not involving any transfer.

The Company shall not be required (i) to issue, register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series during a period beginning at the opening of business 15 days before the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series to be redeemed and ending at the close of business on (A) if Securities of the Series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the day of the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption and (B) if Securities of the Series are issuable as Unregistered Securities, the day of the first publication of the relevant notice of redemption or, if Securities of the Series are also issuable as Registered Securities and there is no

 

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publication, the mailing of the relevant notice of redemption, or (ii) to register the transfer of or exchange any Registered Security so selected for redemption, in whole or in part, except the unredeemed portion of any Security being redeemed in part, or (iii) to exchange any Unregistered Security so selected for redemption except that such an Unregistered Security may be exchange for a Registered Security of that Series and like tenor, provided that such Registered Security shall be simultaneously surrendered for redemption.

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

SECTION 2.9 Mutilated, Defaced, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities . In case any temporary or definitive Security or Coupon shall become mutilated, defaced or be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Company in its discretion may execute, and upon an Company Order, the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, a new Security of the same Series or Coupon, bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding, in exchange and substitution for the mutilated or defaced Security or Coupon, or in lieu of and substitution for the Security or Coupon so destroyed, lost or stolen. In every case the applicant for a substitute Security or Coupon shall furnish to the Company and to the Trustee and to any agent of the Company 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.

Upon the issuance of any substitute Security or Coupon, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith. 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 Company may, instead of issuing a substitute Security or Coupon, pay or authorize the payment of the same (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 Company and to the Trustee and any agent of the Company 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 Company and the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of such Security or Coupon and of the ownership thereof.

Every substitute Security of any Series or Coupon 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 Company, 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 of such Series or Coupons duly authenticated and delivered hereunder. All Securities or Coupons shall be held and owned upon the express condition that, to the extent permitted by the law, the foregoing provisions are exclusive with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities or 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.

 

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SECTION 2.10 Cancellation of Securities, Destruction Thereof . All Securities surrendered for payment, redemption, registration of transfer or exchange, or for credit against any payment in respect of a sinking or analogous fund and all Coupons surrendered for payment or exchange, shall, if surrendered to the Company or any agent of the Company or the Trustee, be delivered to the Trustee 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 shall dispose of such cancelled Securities and Coupons in accordance with its customary practices. If the Company shall acquire any of the Securities and Coupons, such acquisition shall not operate as a redemption or satisfaction of the indebtedness represented by such Securities and Coupons unless and until the same are delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

SECTION 2.11 Temporary Securities . Pending the preparation of definitive Securities of any Series, the Company may execute, and upon Company Order the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, temporary Securities which are printed, lithographed, typewritten, or otherwise produced, in any authorized denomination, substantially of the tenor of the definitive Securities in lieu of which they are issued, in registered form or, if authorized, in bearer form with one or more Coupons or without Coupons, and with such appropriate insertions, omissions, substitutions and other variations as the officers executing may determine, as evidenced by their execution of such Securities. In the case of any Series issuable as Unregistered Securities, such temporary Securities may be in global form.

Except in the case of temporary Securities in global form (which shall be exchanged in accordance with the provisions of the following paragraphs), if temporary Securities of any Series are issued, the Company will cause definitive Securities of that Series to be prepared without unreasonable delay. After the preparation of definitive Securities of such Series, the temporary Securities of such Series shall be exchangeable for definitive Securities of such Series upon surrender of the temporary Securities of such Series at the office or agency of the Company maintained pursuant to Section 3.2 for the purpose of exchanges of Securities of such Series, without charge to the Holder. Upon surrender for cancellation of any one or more temporary Securities of any Series (accompanied by any unmatured Coupons appertaining thereto) the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver in exchange therefor a like aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same Series and of like tenor of authorized denominations; provided , however , that no definitive Unregistered Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Registered Security; and provided , further , that a definitive Unregistered Security shall be delivered in exchange for a temporary Unregistered Security only in compliance with the conditions set forth in Section 2.4.

If temporary Securities of any Series are issued in global form, any such temporary global Security shall, unless otherwise provided therein, be delivered to a European office of a depositary or common depositary (the “Common Depositary”), for the benefit of Euroclear and Clearstream, for credit to the respective accounts of the beneficial owners of such Securities (or to such other accounts as they may direct).

 

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Without unnecessary delay but in any event not later than the date specified in, or determined pursuant to the terms of, any such temporary global Security (the “Exchange Date”), the Company shall deliver to the Trustee definitive Securities, in aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of such temporary global Security, or, if so specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, a permanent global Security, in either case, executed by the Company. On or after the Exchange Date, such temporary global Security shall be surrendered by the Common Depositary to the Trustee, as the Company’s agent for such purpose, to be exchanged, in whole or from time to time in part, for definitive Securities without charge and the Trustee shall authenticate and deliver, in exchange for each portion of such temporary global Security, an equal aggregate principal amount of definitive Securities of the same Series of authorized denominations and of like tenor as the portion of such temporary global Security to be exchanged. The definitive Securities to be delivered in exchange for any such temporary global Security shall be in bearer form, registered form, permanent global bearer form or permanent global registered form, or any combination thereof, as specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, and, if any combination thereof is so specified, as requested by the beneficial owner thereof; provided , however , that, unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, upon such presentation by the Common Depositary, such temporary global Security is accompanied by a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Euroclear as to the portion of such temporary global Security held for its account then to be exchanged and a certificate dated the Exchange Date or a subsequent date and signed by Clearstream as to the portion of such temporary global Security held for its account then to be exchanged, each in the form designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.3; and provided , further , that definitive Unregistered Securities shall be delivered in exchange for a portion of a temporary global Security only in compliance with the requirements of Section 2.4.

Unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, the interest of a beneficial owner of Securities of a Series in a temporary global Security shall be exchanged for definitive Securities of the same Series and of like tenor following the Exchange Date when the account holder instructs Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, to request such exchange on his behalf and delivers to Euroclear or Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.3, dated no earlier than 15 days prior to the Exchange Date. Unless otherwise specified in such temporary global Security, any such exchange shall be made free of charge to the beneficial owners of such temporary global Security, except that a Person receiving definitive Securities must bear the cost of insurance, postage, transportation and the like in the event that such Person does not take delivery of such definitive Securities in person at the offices of Euroclear or Clearstream. Definitive Securities in bearer form to be delivered on exchange for any portion of a temporary global Security shall be delivered only outside the United States.

Until exchanged in full as hereinabove provided, the temporary Securities of any Series shall in all respects be entitled to the same benefits under this Indenture as definitive Securities of the same Series and of like tenor authenticated and delivered hereunder, except that, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, interest payable on a temporary global Security on an interest payment date for Securities of such Series occurring prior to the applicable Exchange Date shall be payable to Euroclear and

 

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Clearstream on such Interest Payment Date upon delivery by Euroclear and Clearstream to the Trustee of a certificate or certificates in the form designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.3, for credit without further interest on or after such interest payment date to the respective accounts of the Persons who are the beneficial owners of such temporary global Security on such Interest Payment Date and who have each delivered to Euroclear and Clearstream, as the case may be, a certificate in the form designated by the Company pursuant to Section 2.3. Any interest so received by Euroclear and Clearstream and not paid as herein provided shall be returned to the Trustee and then to the Company in accordance with Section 10.4.

Neither the Trustee nor any agent shall have responsibility for any actions taken or not taken by the Common Depository.

SECTION 2.12 Compliance with Certain Laws and Regulations . If any Unregistered Securities are to be issued in any Series of Securities, the Company will use reasonable efforts to provide for arrangements and procedures designed pursuant to then applicable laws and regulations, if any, to ensure that Unregistered Securities are sold or resold, exchanged, transferred and paid only in compliance with such laws and regulations and without adverse consequences to the Company.

SECTION 2.13 Appointment of Agents With Respect to Certain Calculations . The Company may appoint an Agent or Agents with respect to one or more Series of Securities which Agent or Agents shall be authorized to determine the rate or rates of interest applicable to the Securities of any Series from time to time in effect, the amount of principal or premium, if any, payable on the Securities of any Series and the rates of exchange applicable to the Securities of any Series denominated in a currency other than United States dollars from time to time in effect, all in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such Series. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to any such calculation by the Trustee, it shall be deemed to refer to the calculation by such agent or agents. Such agent, upon calculating the amounts so to be calculated pursuant to the terms of the Securities of any Series shall communicate promptly in writing the amounts so calculated to the Company and the Trustee. Absent manifest error, all amounts so calculated shall be binding on the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities of such Series.

Any such agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Company and to the Trustee. The Company may at any time terminate the agency of any such agent by giving written notice thereof to such agent and to the Trustee. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, the Company may appoint a successor agent and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities in the manner provided in Section 11.4.

SECTION 2.14 CUSIP Numbers . The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other identification numbers printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company will promptly notify the Trustee of any change in the “CUSIP” numbers.

 

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ARTICLE THREE

COVENANTS OF THE ISSUER

SECTION 3.1 Payment of Principal and Interest . The Company 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 in accordance with the terms of the Securities of such Series, any Coupons appertaining thereto and this Indenture.

The interest on Unregistered Securities shall be payable only upon presentation and surrender of the Coupons for such interest installments as are evidenced thereby as they mature. The interest on any temporary Unregistered Security shall be paid, as to any installment of interest evidenced by a Coupon attached thereto, if any, only upon presentation and surrender of such Coupon, 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.

SECTION 3.2 Offices for Payment, etc. If Securities of a Series are issuable only as Registered Securities, the Company will maintain an office or agency where Securities of that Series may be presented or surrendered for payment, where Securities of that Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that Series and this Indenture may be served. Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, if Securities of a Series are issuable as Registered Securities and/or Unregistered Securities, the Company will maintain (A) in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or in the City of Chicago, an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that Series may be surrendered for exchange, where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that Series and this Indenture may be served and where Unregistered Securities of that Series and related Coupons may be presented or surrendered for payment in the circumstances described in the following paragraph (and not otherwise), (B) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, outside the United States, an office or agency where Securities of that Series and related Coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment (including payment of any additional amounts payable on Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 3.8); provided , however , that if the Securities of that Series are listed on The International Stock Exchange, London, the Luxembourg Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange located outside the United States and such stock exchange shall so require, the Company will maintain a Paying Agent for the Securities of that Series in London, Luxembourg or any other required city located outside the United States, as the case may be, so long as the Securities of that Series are listed on such exchange, and (C) subject to any laws or regulations applicable thereto, outside the United States, an office or agency where any Registered Securities of that Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer, where Securities of that Series may be surrendered for exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of that Series and this Indenture may be served. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee and the Holders of the location, and any change in the location, of any such office or agency. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required office or agency in respect of any Series of Securities or shall fail to furnish the

 

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Trustee with the address thereof, such presentations and surrenders of Securities of that Series may be made and notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, except that Unregistered Securities of that Series and the related Coupons may be presented and surrendered for payment (including payment of any additional amounts payable on Unregistered Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 3.8) at an office maintained by the Trustee in New York, and the Company hereby appoints the same as its agent to receive such respective presentations, surrenders, notices and demands.

Except as otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.3, no payment of principal or interest on Unregistered Securities shall be made at any office or agency of the Company in the United States or by check mailed to any address in the United States or by transfer to an account maintained with a bank located in the United States, provided , however , that, if the Securities of a Series are denominated and payable in Dollars, payment of principal of and premium, if any, and interest on any Unregistered Security (including any additional amounts payable on Securities of such Series pursuant to Section 3.8) shall be made at the office of the Company’s Paying Agent in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, or the City of Chicago, if (but only if) payment in Dollars of the full amount of such principal, premium, interest or additional amounts, as the case may be, at all offices or agencies outside the United States maintained for the purpose by the Company in accordance with this Indenture is illegal or effectively precluded by exchange controls or other similar restrictions.

The Company may also from time to time designate one or more other offices or agencies where the Securities of one or more Series may be presented or surrendered for any or all such purposes and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided , however , that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligation to maintain an office or agency in accordance with the requirements set forth above for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee and the Holders of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the location of any such other office or agency.

Unless otherwise specified pursuant to Section 2.3, the Trustee is appointed Paying Agent and Registrar.

SECTION 3.3 Appointment to Fill a Vacancy in Office of Trustee . The Company, whenever necessary to avoid or fill a vacancy in the office of Trustee, will appoint, in the manner provided in Section 6.10, a Trustee, so that there shall at all times be a Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities hereunder.

SECTION 3.4 Paying Agents . Whenever the Company 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 or Coupons (whether such sums have been paid to it by the Company or by any other obligor on the Securities of such Series or Coupons) in trust for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such Series or of the Trustee, and upon the occurrence of an Event of Default pay over all such sums received by it to the Trustee,

 

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(b) that it will give the Trustee written notice of any failure by the Company (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 or Coupons when the same shall be due and payable, and

(c) that it will give the Trustee written notice of any change of address of any Holder of which it is aware.

The Company will, on or prior to each due date of the principal of or interest on the Securities of such Series or Coupons, 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 Company will promptly notify the Trustee in writing of any failure to take such action.

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

Anything in this Section to the contrary notwithstanding, the Company may at any time, for the purpose of obtaining a satisfaction and discharge with respect to one or more or all Series of Securities or Coupons 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 Company 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 10.3 and 10.4.

SECTION 3.5 [Reserved]

SECTION 3.6 Limitation on Liens . (a) So long as any of the Securities remain outstanding and unpaid, the Company will not create, assume or suffer to exist and will not cause, suffer or permit any Restricted Subsidiary to create, assume or suffer to exist, any mortgage, pledge or lien of or upon any Principal Property or additions thereto or shares of capital stock of any Restricted Subsidiary, whether owned at the date of this Indenture or thereafter acquired, without making effective provision, and the Company covenants that in any such case it will make or cause to be made effective provision, whereby the Securities then Outstanding shall be secured by such mortgage, pledge or lien equally and ratably with any and all other obligations and indebtedness thereby secured so long as such indebtedness is so secured; provided that the foregoing covenant shall not apply to any mortgage, pledge or lien (hereinafter in this Section 3.6 referred to as “liens”) of the following character:

(i) liens on Principal Property existing at the time of acquisition of such Principal Property or to secure the payment of all or any part of the purchase price of such Principal Property or any addition thereto or to secure any indebtedness incurred at the time of, or within 120 days after, the acquisition of such Principal Property or any addition thereto for the purpose of financing all or any part of the purchase price thereof (provided such liens are limited to such Principal Property or additions thereto);

 

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(ii) liens existing on the date of this Indenture;

(iii) liens on property or shares of capital stock, or arising out of any indebtedness of any corporation existing at the time such corporation became or was merged into the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary;

(iv) liens executed by any Restricted Subsidiary and exclusively securing indebtedness or evidences of indebtedness incurred or issued by such Restricted Subsidiary either to the Company or to any Subsidiary;

(v) liens arising from assignments of money due and to become due under contracts between the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary and the United States or any State, or any department, agency or political subdivision thereof;

(vi) liens of carriers, warehousemen, mechanics and materialmen incurred in the ordinary course of business for sums not yet due or being contested in good faith;

(vii) liens arising by reason of any judgment, decree or order of any court, so long as any appropriate legal proceedings which may have been duly initiated for the review of such judgment, decree or order shall not have been finally terminated or so long as the period within which such proceedings may be initiated shall not have expired; or pledges or deposits to secure payment of workmen’s compensation or other insurance, good faith deposits in connection with tenders, contracts (other than contracts for the payment of money) or leases, deposits to secure public or statutory obligations, deposits to secure public or statutory obligations, deposits to secure or in lieu of surety or appeal bonds, or deposits as security for the payment of taxes;

(viii) liens in connection with the issuance of tax-exempt industrial development or pollution control bonds or other similar bonds issued pursuant to Section 103(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or as hereafter amended, to finance all or any part of the purchase price of or the cost of constructing, equipping or improving property; provided that such liens shall be limited to such property acquired (including personal property) or constructed or such improvement and to thereto substantially unimproved real property on which such construction or improvement is located; and provided , further that the Company and Restricted Subsidiaries may further secure all or any part of such purchase price or the cost of construction of such improvements and personal property by an interest in additional property of the Company and Restricted Subsidiaries only to the extent necessary for the construction, maintenance and operation of, and access to, such property so acquired or constructed or such improvement;

 

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(ix) liens in favor of any customer arising in respect of partial, progress, advance or other payments made by or on behalf of such customer for goods produced for or services rendered to such customer in the ordinary course of business not exceeding the amount of such payments;

(x) extensions, renewals or replacements, in whole or in part, of any lien referred to in the foregoing clauses (i) to (ix), inclusive, provided that the principal amount of indebtedness secured thereby shall not exceed the principal amount of indebtedness so secured at the time of such extension, renewal or replacement and that such extension, renewal or replacement shall be limited to all or any part of the same property that secured the lien extended, renewed or replaced (plus improvements on such property); and

(xi) liens for taxes or assessments or governmental charges or levies not yet due or delinquent, or which can thereafter be paid without penalty, or which are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; landlord’s liens on property held under lease, and tenants’ rights under leases; easements; and any other liens of a nature similar to those hereinabove described in this clause (xi) which do not, in the opinion of the Company, materially impair the use of such property in the operation of the business of the Company or a Restricted Subsidiary or the value of such property for the purposes of such business.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section 3.6, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may create or assume liens; provided that at the time of such creation or assumption, and after giving effect thereto, Exempted Indebtedness does not exceed 10 percent of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets at such time.

SECTION 3.7 Limitation on Sale and Lease-Back Transactions . (a) The Company will not, nor will it permit any Restricted Subsidiary to, enter into any arrangement providing for the leasing by the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary of any Principal Property (except for temporary leases for a term, including any renewal thereof, of not more than three years and except for leases between the Company and a Subsidiary or between Subsidiaries), which Principal Property has been or is to be sold or transferred by the Company or such Restricted Subsidiary (herein referred to as a “Sale and Lease-Back Transaction”) unless the net proceeds of such sale are at least equal to the fair value (as determined by the Board of Directors) of such property.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this Section 3.7, the Company or any Restricted Subsidiary may enter into Sale and Lease-Back Transactions, provided that at the time of such entering into, and after giving effect thereto, Exempted Indebtedness does not exceed 10 percent of Consolidated Net Tangible Assets at such time.

SECTION 3.8 Additional Amounts . If the Securities of a Series provide for the payment of additional amounts, the Company will pay to the Holder of any Security of such Series or any Coupon appertaining thereto additional amounts as provided therein. Whenever in this Indenture there is mentioned, in any context, the payment of the principal or premium, if any, of or interest on, or in respect of, any Security of any Series or payment of any related Coupon or the net proceeds received on the sale or exchange of any

 

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Security of any Series, such mention shall be deemed to include mention of the payment of additional amounts provided for in this Section to the extent that, in such context, additional amounts are, were or would be payable in respect thereof pursuant to the provisions of this Section and express mention of the payment of additional amounts (if applicable) in any provisions hereof shall not be construed as excluding additional amounts in those provisions hereof where such express mention is not made.

If the Securities of a Series provide for the payment of additional amounts, at least 10 days prior to the first interest payment date with respect to that Series of Securities (or if the Securities of that Series will not bear interest prior to maturity, the first day on which a payment of principal is made), and at least 10 days prior to each date of payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest if there has been any change with respect to the matters set forth in the below-mentioned Officer’s Certificate, the Company will furnish the Trustee and the Company’s principal Paying Agent or Paying Agents, if other than the Trustee, with an Officer’s Certificate instructing the Trustee and such Paying Agent or Paying Agents whether such payment of principal of or interest on the Securities of that Series shall be made to Holders of Securities of that Series or any related Coupons who are United States Aliens without withholding for or on account of any tax, assessment or other governmental charge described in the Securities of that Series. If any such withholding shall be required, then such Officer’s Certificate shall specify by country the amount, if any, required to be withheld on such payments to such Holders of Securities or Coupons and the Company will pay to the Trustee or such Paying Agent the additional amounts required by this Section. The Company covenants to indemnify the Trustee and any Paying Agent for, and to hold them harmless against, any loss, liability or expense reasonably incurred without negligence or bad faith on their part arising out of or in connection with actions taken or omitted by any of them in reliance on any Officer’s Certificate furnished pursuant to this Section.

ARTICLE FOUR

SECURITYHOLDERS’ LISTS AND REPORTS BY THE

ISSUER AND THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 4.1 Company to Furnish Trustee Information as to Names and Addresses of Securityholders . The Company covenants and agrees that it 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 each Series:

(a) semiannually and not more than 10 days after each record date for the payment of interest on such Securities, as hereinabove specified, as of such record date and on dates to be determined pursuant to Section 2.3 for non-interest bearing securities in each year, and

(b) at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing, within 30 days after receipt by the Company 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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provided that if and so long as the Trustee shall be the Security registrar for such Series, such list shall not be required to be furnished but in any event the Company shall be required to furnish such information concerning the Holders of Unregistered Securities which is known to it; provided, further, that the Company shall have no obligation to investigate any matter relating to any Holder of an Unregistered Security or any Holder of a Coupon.

SECTION 4.2 Preservation and Disclosure of Securityholders’ Lists . (a) The Trustee shall preserve, in as current a form as is reasonably practicable, all information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of each Series of Securities contained in the most recent list furnished to it as provided in Section 4.1 or maintained by the Trustee in its capacity as Security registrar for such Series, if so acting. The Trustee may destroy any list furnished to it as provided in Section 4.1 upon receipt of a new list so furnished.

(b) In case three or more Holders of Securities (hereinafter referred to as “applicants”) apply in writing to the Trustee and furnish to the Trustee reasonable proof that each such applicant has owned a Security for a period of at least six months preceding the date of such application, and such application states that the applicants desire to communicate with other Holders of Securities of a particular Series (in which case the applicants must all hold Securities of such Series) or with Holders of all Securities with respect to their rights under this Indenture or under such Securities and such application is accompanied by a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which such applicants propose to transmit, then the Trustee shall, within five business days after the receipt of such application, at its election, either

(i) afford to such applicants access to the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, or

(ii) inform such applicants as to the approximate number of Holders of Securities of such Series or all Securities, as the case may be, whose names and addresses appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee, in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, and as to the approximate cost of mailing to such Securityholders the form of proxy or other communication, if any, specified in such application.

If the Trustee shall elect not to afford to such applicants access to such information, the Trustee shall, upon the written request of such applicants, mail to each Securityholder of such Series or all Securities, as the case may be, whose name and address appear in the information preserved at the time by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions of subsection (a) of this Section, a copy of the form of proxy or other communication which is specified in such request, with reasonable promptness after a tender to the Trustee of the material to be mailed and of payment, or provision for the payment, of the reasonable expenses of mailing, unless within five days after such tender, the Trustee shall mail to such applicants and file with the Commission together with a copy of the material to be mailed, a written statement to the effect that, in the opinion of the Trustee, such mailing would be contrary to the best interests of the Holders of Securities of such Series or all Securities, as the case may be, or could be in violation of applicable law. Such written statement shall specify the basis of such opinion. If the Commission, after opportunity for a hearing upon the objections specified in the written statement so filed, shall enter an order refusing to sustain any of such objections or if, after the entry of such order

 

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sustaining one or more of such objections, the Commission shall find, after notice and opportunity for hearing, that all the objections so sustained have been met, and shall enter an order so declaring, the Trustee shall mail copies of such material to all such Securityholders with reasonable promptness after the entry of such order and the renewal of such tender; otherwise the Trustee shall be relieved of any obligation or duty to such applicants respecting their application.

(c) Each and every Holder of Securities, by receiving and holding the same, agrees with the Company and the Trustee that neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be held accountable by reason of the disclosure of any such information as to the names and addresses of the Holders of Securities in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this Section, regardless of the source from which such information was derived, and that the Trustee shall not be held accountable by reason of mailing any material pursuant to a request made under such subsection (b).

SECTION 4.3 Reports by the Company . The Company covenants:

(a) to file with the Trustee, within 15 days after the Company is required to file the same with the Commission, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents, and other reports (or copies of such portions of any of the foregoing as the Commissioner may from time to time by rules and regulations prescribe) which the Company may be required to file with the Commission pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and if the Company is not required to file information, documents, or reports pursuant to either of such Sections, then to file with the Trustee and the Commission, in accordance with rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission, such of the supplementary and periodic information, documents, and reports which may be required pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or in respect of a security listed and registered on a national securities exchange as may be prescribed from time to time in such rules and regulations;

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

(c) to transmit by mail to the Holders of Securities in the manner required by Section 11.4, within 30 days after the filing thereof with the Trustee, such summaries of any information, documents, and reports required to be filed by the Company pursuant to subsection (a) and (b) of this Section as may be required to be transmitted to such Holders by rules and regulations prescribed from time to time by the Commission; and

(d) to furnish to the Trustee, not less often than annually, commencing on May 15, 2009 a brief certificate from the principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer of the Company as to his or her knowledge of the Company’s compliance with all conditions and covenants under this Indenture. For purposes of this paragraph, such compliance shall be determined without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided under this Indenture.

 

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Delivery of such reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on Officer’s Certificates).

SECTION 4.4 Reports by the Trustee . (a) The Trustee shall transmit to Holders such reports concerning the Trustee and its actions under this Indenture as may be required pursuant to the Trust Indenture Act at the times and in the manner provided pursuant thereto. If required by Section 313(a) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Trustee shall, within sixty days after each May 15 beginning May 15, 2009 deliver to Holders a brief report, dated as of such May 15, which complies with the provisions of such Section 313(a).

(b) A copy of each such report shall, at the time of such transmission to Securityholders, be furnished to the Company and be filed by the Trustee with each stock exchange upon which the Securities of any applicable Series are listed and also with the Commission. The Company agrees to promptly notify the Trustee with respect to any Series when and as the Securities of such Series become admitted to trading on any national securities exchange and of any delisting therefrom.

ARTICLE FIVE

REMEDIES OF THE TRUSTEE AND SECURITYHOLDERS

ON EVENT OF DEFAULT

SECTION 5.1 Event of Default Defined; Acceleration of Maturity; Waiver of Default . “Event of Default” with respect to Securities of any Series whatever 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 redemption, by declaration or otherwise; or

(c) default in the payment of any sinking fund installment as and when the same shall become due and payable by the terms of the Securities of such Series; or

 

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(d) default in the performance, or breach, of any covenant or warranty of the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series (other than a covenant or warranty in respect of the Securities of such Series a default in whose performance or whose breach is elsewhere in this Section specifically dealt with), and continuance of such default or breach for a period of 90 days after notice thereof has been received by the Company from the Trustee or the Holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the Outstanding Securities of such Series affected thereby, a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

(e) a court having jurisdiction in the premises shall enter a decree or order for relief in respect of the Company 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 or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company 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 Company 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 of or taking possession by a receiver, liquidator, assignee, custodian, trustee or sequestrator (or similar official) of the Company 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 or Board Resolution under which such Series of Securities is issued or in the form of Security for such Series.

If an Event of Default described in clauses (a), (b), (c), (d) or (g) above (if the Event of Default under clause (d) or (g) is with respect to less than all Series of Securities then Outstanding) occurs and is continuing, then, and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all of the Securities of such Series shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such Series then Outstanding hereunder (each such Series treated as a separate class), by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by the Securityholders), may declare the entire principal (or, if the Securities of that Series are Original Issue Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of that Series) of all Securities of such Series and the interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately, and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default described in clause (d) or (g) (if the Event of Default under clause (d) or (g) is with respect to all Series of Securities then Outstanding), shall have occurred and be continuing, then and in each and every such case, unless the principal of all the Securities shall have already become due and payable, either the Trustee or the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of all the Securities then Outstanding hereunder (treated as one class), by notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Securityholders), may declare the entire principal of all the Securities then Outstanding and interest accrued thereon to be due and payable immediately,

 

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and upon any such declaration the same shall become immediately due and payable. If an event of default described in clause (e) or (f) shall have occurred, the principal of all the Securities then Outstanding hereunder, together with interest accrued thereon, shall become due and payable immediately without any declaration or other act by the Trustee or any Holder.

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 (or of all the Securities, as the case may be) 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 Company 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 (or of all the Securities, as the case may be) and the principal of any and all Securities of such Series (or of all the Securities, as the case may be) 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 Discount Securities) specified in the Securities of 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 compensation to the Trustee, its agents, attorneys and counsel, and all other fees and expenses and liabilities incurred, and all advances made, by the Trustee except as a result of negligence or bad faith, and if any and all Events of Default under the Indenture, other than the nonpayment of the principal of Securities which shall have become due by acceleration, shall have been cured, waived or otherwise remedied as provided herein—then and in every such case the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of all the Securities of such Series, each Series treated as a separate class (or of all the Securities, as the case may be, treated as a single class) then outstanding, by written notice to the Company and to the Trustee, may waive all defaults with respect to such Series (or with respect to all the Securities, as the case may be) 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.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the election of the Company, the sole remedy for an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(d) relating to the failure by the Company to comply with Section 4.3(a) (the “Company’s SEC filing obligations”) and for any failure by the Company to comply with the requirements of Section 314(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act, shall for the first 270 days after the occurrence of such an Event of Default consist exclusively of the right to receive additional interest on the Securities of

 

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such Series at an annual rate equal to 0.25% of the principal amount of the Securities. This additional interest will accrue on the Securities from and including the date on which an Event of Default relating to a failure to comply with the Company’s SEC filing obligations or the failure to comply with the requirements of Section 314(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act first occurs to but not including the 270th day thereafter (or such earlier date on which the Event of Default relating to such obligations shall have been cured or waived pursuant to Section 5.10). On such 270th day (or earlier, if such Event of Default is cured or waived pursuant to Section 5.10 prior to such 270th day), such additional interest will cease to accrue and, if such Event of Default has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 5.10 prior to such 270th day, then the Trustee or the holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the notes may declare the principal of and accrued and unpaid interest and additional interest on all such notes to be due and payable immediately. This provision shall not affect the rights of holders in the event of the occurrence of any other Event of Default. If the Company elects to pay the additional interest as the sole remedy for an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1(d) relating to the failure by the Company to comply with the Company’s SEC filing obligations and for any failure by the Company to comply with the requirements of Section 314(a)(1) of the Trust Indenture Act, the Company shall notify, in the manner provided for in Section 11.4, the Holders and the Trustee of such election at any time on or before the close of business on the date on which such Event of Default first occurs. If the additional interest is payable under this Section 5.1, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a certificate to that effect stating the date on which additional interest is payable. Unless and until a Responsible Officer of the Trustee receives at the Corporate Trust Office such a certificate, the Trustee may assume without inquiry that no additional interest is payable. If the additional interest has been paid by the Company directly to the persons entitled to them, the Company shall deliver to the Trustee a certificate setting forth the particulars of such payment.

SECTION 5.2 Collection of Indebtedness by Trustee; Trustee May Prove Debt . The Company 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 Company will pay to the Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Securities of such Series and the Holders of any Coupons appertaining thereto the whole amount that then shall have become due and payable on all Securities of such Series or such Coupons for principal of 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 compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and any fees and 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.

 

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Until such demand is made by the Trustee, the Company may pay the principal of and interest on the Securities of any Series to the persons entitled thereto, whether or not the principal of and interest on the Securities of such Series are overdue.

In case the Company shall fail forthwith to pay such amounts upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, shall be entitled and empowered to institute any 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 Company or other obligor upon such Securities and collect in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated, the moneys adjudged or decreed to be payable.

In case there shall be pending proceedings relative to the Company 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 Company or its property or such other obligor or its respective property, or in case of any other comparable judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor under the Securities of any Series, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor, the Trustee, irrespective of whether the principal of any 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:

(a) to file and prove a claim or claims for the whole amount of principal and interest 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 compensation to the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee, and their respective agents, attorneys and counsel, and for reimbursement of all fees and 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 and the Holders of any Coupons appertaining thereto allowed in any judicial proceedings relative to the Company or other obligor upon all Securities of any Series, or to the creditors or property of the Company or such other obligor,

(b) 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

(c) 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 Holders 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 compensation to the Trustee, each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents,

 

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attorneys and counsel, and all other fees and 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 all other amounts due to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.6.

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, may be enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof at 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 fees, 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 and Holders of any Coupons 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 and Coupons appertaining thereto in respect to which such action was taken, and its shall not be necessary to make any Holders of such Securities and Coupons appertaining thereto parties to any such proceedings.

SECTION 5.3 Application of Proceeds . Any moneys collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article in respect of the Securities of any Series shall be applied in the following order at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such moneys on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the several Securities and any Coupons appertaining thereto in respect of which moneys 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: The Trustee and each predecessor Trustee and their respective agents and attorneys and of all fees and 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 all other amounts due to the Trustee or any predecessor Trustee pursuant to Section 6.6;

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 payment of such interest is permissible by law and 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; and

FOURTH: To the payment of the remainder, if any, to the Company or any Subsidiary of the Company designated by the Company in writing.

SECTION 5.4 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 5.5 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 Company and the Trustee shall be restored respectively to their former positions and rights hereunder, and all rights, remedies and powers of the Company, the Trustee and the Securityholders shall continue as though no such proceedings had been taken.

SECTION 5.6 Limitations on Suits by Securityholders . No Holder of any Security of any Series or Holder of any Coupon 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, and unless also the Holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of such 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 indemnity satisfactory to the Trustee, as it may require against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred therein or thereby and the Trustee

 

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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 5.9; it being understood and intended, and being expressly covenanted by the taker and Holder of every Security and by a Holder of each Coupon appertaining thereto with every other taker and Holder of a Security or Holder of any Coupon appertaining thereto and the Trustee, that no one or more Holders of Securities of any Series or one or more Holders of any Coupons appertaining thereto 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 any other Holders of such Coupons, 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 all the Holders of Coupons appertaining thereto (it being understood that the Trustee does not have an affirmative duty to ascertain whether or not such actions or forbearances are unduly prejudicial to such Holders). 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 5.7 Unconditional Right of Securityholders to Institute Certain Suits . Notwithstanding any provision in this Indenture and any provision of any Security or Coupon, the right of any Holder of any Security and the right of any Holder of any Coupon appertaining thereto to receive payment of the principal of and interest on such Security on or after the respective due dates expressed in such Security, 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 5.8 Powers and Remedies Cumulative; Delay or Omission Not Waiver of Default . Except as provided in Section 5.6, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Securityholders 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 Securityholder 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 5.6, every power and remedy given by this Indenture or by law to the Trustee, to the Securityholders or to the Holder of any Coupon appertaining thereto may be exercised from time to time, and as often as shall be deemed expedient, by the Trustee, the Securityholders or Holders of any Coupon.

SECTION 5.9 Control by Securityholders . The Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities of each Series affected (with each Series treated as a separate class) 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

 

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accordance with law and the provisions of this Indenture and provided further that (subject to the provisions of Section 6.1) 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 forebearances specified in or pursuant to such direction would be unduly prejudicial to the interests of Holders of the Securities of all Series or of the Holders of any Coupons appertaining thereto so affected not joining in the giving of said direction, it being understood that (subject to Section 6.1) 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 declaration of the acceleration of the maturity of the Securities of any Series as provided in Section 5.1, in the case of any event specified in clause (d) or (g) of Section 5.1 (which relates to less than all Series of Securities then Outstanding), the Holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the Securities then Outstanding affected thereby (each Series treated as a separate class) may waive any such default or Event of Default, or, in the case of an event specified in clause (d), (g) (if the Event of Default under clause (d) or (g) relates to all Series of Securities then Outstanding), (e) or (f) of Section 5.1, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of all the Securities then Outstanding (treated as one class) may waive any such default or Event of Default and its consequences except 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 Company, the Trustee, the Holders of the Securities of such Series and the Holder of any Coupon appertaining thereto 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 transmit to the Securityholders of any Series notice in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 11.4, of all defaults known to it which have occurred with respect to such Series, such notice to be transmitted within 90 days after the occurrence thereof, unless such defaults shall have been cured before the giving of such notice (the term “default” or “defaults” for the purposes 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 any

 

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default in the payment of any sinking fund installment or analogous obligation in respect of any of the Securities of such Series, the Trustee shall be protected in withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee, or a trust committee of directors or trustees 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 and each Holder of any 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 and expenses, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Trustee, 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 (d) or (g) of Section 5.1 (if the suit relates to Securities of more than one but less than all Series), 10% in aggregate principal amount of Securities Outstanding affected thereby, or in the case of any suit relating to or arising under clause (d), (g) (if the suit under clause (d) or (g) relates to all the Securities then Outstanding), (e) or (f) of Section 5.1, 10% in aggregate principal amount of all Securities Outstanding, or 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.

ARTICLE SIX

CONCERNING THE TRUSTEE

SECTION 6.1 Duties and Responsibilities of the Trustee; Prior to Default; During 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) of which a Responsible Officer has actual knowledge, the Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture, and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise, as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

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

 

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(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:

(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 (but need not confirm the accuracy or mathematical calculations or other facts stated therein);

(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 5.9 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 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.

SECTION 6.2 Certain Rights of the Trustee . Subject to Section 6.1:

(a) the Trustee may conclusively 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 Company 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 any assistant secretary of the Company;

 

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(c) the Trustee may consult with counsel of its selection and any advice or 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 accordance with such advice or Opinion of Counsel;

(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 satisfactory to the Trustee 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) 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;

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

(h) the Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit, and, if the Trustee shall determine to make such further inquiry or investigation, it shall be entitled to examine the books, records and premises of the Company, personally or by agent or attorney at the sole cost of the Company and shall incur no liability or additional liability of any kind by reason of such inquiry or investigation;

(i) in no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for special, indirect, or consequential loss or damage of any kind whatsoever (including, but not limited to, loss of profit) irrespective of whether the Trustee has been advised of the likelihood of such loss or damage and regardless of the form of action;

(j) the Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trust has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities and this Indenture; and

 

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(k) the rights, privileges, protections, immunities and benefits given to the Trustee, including, without limitation, its right to be indemnified, are extended to, and shall be enforceable by, the Trustee in each of its capacities hereunder, and each agent, custodian and other Person employed to act hereunder.

SECTION 6.3 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 certificate of authentication, shall be taken as the statements of the Company, 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. The Trustee shall not be accountable for the use or application by the Company of any of the Securities or of the proceeds thereof.

SECTION 6.4 Trustee and Agents May Hold Securities; Collections, etc. The Trustee, any Paying Agent, Security registrar, or any agent of the Company 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, subject to Sections 6.8 and 6.13, if operative, may otherwise deal with the Company and receive, collect, hold and retain collections from the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not the Trustee or such agent.

SECTION 6.5 Moneys Held by Trustee . Subject to the provisions of Section 10.4 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 segregated from other funds except to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law. Neither the Trustee nor any agent of the Company or the Trustee shall be under any liability for interest on any moneys received by it hereunder.

SECTION 6.6 Compensation and Indemnification of Trustee and Its Prior Claim . The Company covenants and agrees to pay to the Trustee from time to time, and the Trustee shall be entitled to, such compensation as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree in writing for all services rendered by it hereunder (which shall not be limited by any provision of law in regard to the compensation of a trustee of an express trust) and the Company 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 properly documented out of pocket 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 shall be caused by its negligence or willful misconduct. The Company also covenants to indemnify the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for, and to hold it harmless against, any and all loss, liability, damage, claim or expense incurred without negligence or willful misconduct 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 reasonable costs and expenses (including the reasonable compensation and properly documented out of pocket expenses and disbursements of its agents and counsel) of defending itself against or investigating any claim of liability in the premises (whether asserted by the Company, any Holder or any other Person). The obligations of the Company under this Section to compensate and indemnify the Trustee and each

 

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predecessor Trustee and to pay or reimburse the Trustee and each predecessor Trustee for reasonable and properly documented out of pocket expenses, disbursements and advances shall constitute additional indebtedness hereunder. The provisions of this Section 6.6 shall survive the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture and the resignation or removal of the Trustee. 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 the Holders of particular Coupons, and the Securities are hereby subordinated to such senior claim. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services in connection with an Event of Default specified in Section 5.1 or in connection with Article Five hereof, the expenses (including the reasonable fees and expenses of its counsel) and the compensation for the service in connection therewith are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any bankruptcy law.

SECTION 6.7 Right of Trustee to Rely on Officer’s Certificate, etc . Subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, 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 or under the provisions of this Indenture upon the faith thereof.

SECTION 6.8 Disqualification of Trustee; Conflicting Interests . If the Trustee has or shall acquire any conflicting interest, as defined in the Trust Indenture Act, then, within 90 days after ascertaining that it has such conflicting interest, and if the default (as defined in the Trust Indenture Act) to which such conflicting interest relates has not been cured or waived or otherwise eliminated before the end of such 90-day period, the Trustee shall either eliminate such conflicting interest or resign in the manner and with the effect specified in the Trust Indenture Act and this Indenture.

SECTION 6.9 Persons Eligible for Appointment as Trustee . The Trustee for each Series of Securities hereunder shall at all times be a corporation 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 $50,000,000, 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. Such corporation shall have its principal place of business in the United States of America, if there be such a corporation in such location willing to act upon reasonable and customary terms and conditions. If such corporation 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 corporation 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 6.10.

 

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SECTION 6.10 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 Company and by mailing notice thereof to the Holders in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 11.4. Upon receiving such notice of resignation, the Company 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 6.8 with respect to any Series of Securities after written request therefor by the Company 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 6.9 and shall fail to resign after written request therefor by the Company or by any Securityholder; or

(iii) the Trustee shall become incapable of acting with respect to any Series of the 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;

then, in any such case, the Company 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 Company, 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 5.12, 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. If no successor Trustee shall be appointed with respect to any Series and have accepted appointment within 30 days after the giving of such notice of removal, the trustee being removed may petition at the expense of the Company any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor trustee with respect to the Securities of such series.

 

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(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 Company the evidence provided for in Section 7.1 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 6.10 shall become effective upon acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee as provided in Section 6.11.

SECTION 6.11 Acceptance of Appointment by Successor Trustee . Any successor trustee appointed as provided in Section 6.10 shall execute and deliver to the Company 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 Company or of the successor trustee, upon payment of its charges then unpaid, the trustee ceasing to act shall, subject to Section 10.4, 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 Company 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 6.6.

If a successor trustee is appointed with respect to the Securities of one or more (but not all) Series, the Company, 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 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 6.11 unless at the time of such acceptance such successor trustee shall be qualified under the provisions of Section 6.8 and eligible under the provisions of Section 6.9.

 

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Upon acceptance of appointment by any successor trustee as provided in this Section 6.11, the Company shall give notice in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 11.4 to the Holders of Securities of any Series for which such successor trustee is acting as trustee at their last addresses as they shall appear in the Security register. 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 6.10. If the Company fails to mail such notice within ten days after acceptance of appointment by the successor trustee, the successor trustee shall cause such notice to be mailed at the expense of the Company.

SECTION 6.12 Merger, Conversion, Consolidation or Succession to Business of Trustee . Any corporation into which the Trustee may be merged or converted or with which it may be consolidated, or any corporation resulting from any merger, conversion or consolidation to which the Trustee shall be a party, or any corporation succeeding to all or substantially all the corporate trust business of the Trustee, shall be the successor of the Trustee hereunder, provided that such corporation shall be qualified under the provisions of Section 6.8 and eligible under the provisions of Section 6.9, 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 Trustee hereunder or in the name of the successor Trustee; and in all such cases such certificates 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 precedessor Trustee shall apply only to its successor or successors by merger, conversion or consolidation.

SECTION 6.13 Preferential Collection of Claims Against the Company . If and when the Trustee shall be or become a creditor of the Company (or any other obligor upon the Securities), the Trustee shall be subject to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act regarding the collection of claims against the Company (or any such other obligor).

SECTION 6.14 Appointment of Authenticating Agent . The Trustee may appoint an Authenticating Agent or Agents with respect to one or more Series of Securities which shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Trustee to authenticate Securities of such Series issued upon original issue or upon exchange, registration of transfer or partial redemption thereof or pursuant to Section 2.9, and Securities so authenticated shall be entitled to the benefits of this Indenture and shall be valid and obligatory for all purposes as if authenticated by the Trustee hereunder. Wherever reference is made in this Indenture to the authentication and delivery of Securities by the Trustee or the Trustee’s certificate of authentication or any other action in connection therewith, such reference shall be deemed to include authentication and delivery on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and a certificate of authentication executed on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent and other action taken on behalf of the Trustee by an Authenticating Agent. Each Authenticating Agent shall be acceptable to the Company.

 

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An Authenticating Agent may resign at any time by giving written notice thereof to the Trustee and to the Company. The Trustee may at any time terminate the agency of an Authenticating Agent by giving written notice thereof to such Authenticating Agent and to the Company. Upon receiving such a notice of resignation or upon such a termination, the Trustee may appoint a successor Authenticating Agent which shall be acceptable to the Company and shall give notice of such appointment to all Holders of Securities in the manner provided in Section 11.4. Any successor Authenticating Agent upon acceptance of its appointment hereunder shall become vested with all the rights, powers and duties of its predecessor hereunder, with the effect as if originally named as an Authenticating Agent. No successor Authenticating Agent shall be appointed unless acceptable to the Company.

The Company agrees to pay to each Authenticating Agent from time to time reasonable compensation for its services under this Section.

If an appointment with respect to one or more Series of Securities is made pursuant to this Section, the Securities of such Series may have endorsed thereon, in addition to the Trustee’s certificate of authentication, an alternative certificate of authentication in the following form:

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

 

The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.,

as Trustee

By:  

 

  As Authenticating Agent
By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory
Dated:  

 

ARTICLE SEVEN

CONCERNING THE SECURITYHOLDERS

SECTION 7.1 Evidence of Action Taken by Securityholders . (a) 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 6.1 and 6.2) conclusive in favor of the Trustee and the Company, if made in the manner provided in this Article.

 

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(b) The ownership of Registered Securities shall be proved by the Security register.

(c) The amount of Unregistered Securities held by any Person executing any instrument or writing as a Securityholder, the numbers of such Unregistered Securities, and the date of his holding the same may be proved by the production of such Securities or by a certificate executed by any trust company, bank, broker or member of a national securities exchange (wherever situated), as depositary, if such certificate is in form satisfactory to the Trustee, showing that at the date therein mentioned such Person had on deposit with such depositary, or exhibited to it, the Unregistered Securities therein described; or such facts may be proved by the certificate or affidavit of the Person executing such instrument or writing as a Securityholder, if such certificate or affidavit is in form satisfactory to the Trustee. The Trustee and the Company may assume that such ownership of any Unregistered Security continues until (i) another certificate or affidavit bearing a later date issued in respect of the same Unregistered Security is produced, or (ii) such Unregistered Security is produced by some other person, or (iii) such Unregistered Security is surrendered in exchange for a Registered Security, or (iv) such Unregistered Security has been cancelled in accordance with Section 2.10.

SECTION 7.2 Proof of Execution of Instruments . Subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, the execution of any instrument by a Securityholder or his agent or proxy may be proved in accordance with such reasonable rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Trustee or in such manner as shall be satisfactory to the Trustee.

SECTION 7.3 Holders to Be Treated as Owners . The Company, the Trustee and any Agent of the Company 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 interest on such Security and for all other purposes; and neither the Company nor the Trustee nor any Agent of the Company 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 Security.

SECTION 7.4 Securities Owned by Company 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 Company 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 Company 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 conclusively relying on any such direction, consent or waiver only Securities which a Responsible Officer of the Trustee actually knows are so owned shall be so disregarded. Securities so owned which have been

 

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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 Company 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 Company 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 Company shall furnish to the Trustee promptly an Officer’s Certificate listing and identifying all Securities, if any, known by the Company to be owned or held by or for the account of any of the above-described persons; and, subject to Sections 6.1 and 6.2, 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.

SECTION 7.5 Right of Revocation of Action Taken . At any time prior to (but not after) the evidencing to the Trustee, as provided in Section 7.1, 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, 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 Company, the Trustee and the Holders of all the Securities affected by such action.

SECTION 7.6 Record Date for Determination of Holders Entitled to Vote . The Company may, in the circumstances permitted by the Trust Indenture Act, set a record date for the purpose of determining the Securityholders entitled to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action, or to vote on any action, authorized or permitted to be given or taken by Securityholders. If not set by the Company prior to the first solicitation of a Securityholder made by any Person in respect of any such action, or, in the case of any such vote, prior to such vote, the record date for any such action or vote shall be the 30th day (or, if later, the date of the most recent list of Holders required to be provided pursuant to Section 4.1) prior to such first solicitation or vote, as the case may be. With regard to any record date, only the Holders on such date (or their duly appointed proxies) shall be entitled to give or take, or vote on, the relevant action.

 

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ARTICLE EIGHT

SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURES

SECTION 8.1 Supplemental Indentures Without Consent of Securityholders . The Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may from time to time and at any time enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date of the execution thereof) 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 Company, or successive successions, and the assumption by the successor corporation of the covenants, agreements and obligations of the Company pursuant to Article Nine;

(c) to add to the covenants of the Company such further covenants, restrictions, conditions or provisions as its Board of Directors and the Trustee shall consider to be for the protection of the Holders of Securities, 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;

(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 such other provisions in regard to matters or questions arising under this Indenture or under any supplemental indenture as the Board of Directors may deem necessary or desirable and which shall not materially and adversely affect the interests of the Holders of the Securities or the Holders of any Coupons;

(e) to establish the form or terms of Securities of any Series as permitted by Sections 2.1 and 2.3; or

(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 the one trustee, pursuant to the requirements of Section 6.11.

 

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The Trustee is hereby authorized to join with the Company in the execution of any such supplemental indenture, to make any further appropriate agreements and stipulations 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 8.2.

SECTION 8.2 Supplemental Indentures With Consent of Securityholders . With the consent (evidenced as provided in Article Seven) of the Holders of more than 50% of the aggregate principal amount of the Securities at the time Outstanding of all Series affected by such supplemental indenture (treated as one class), the Company, when authorized by a Board Resolution, and the Trustee may, from time to time and at any time, enter into an indenture or indentures supplemental hereto (which shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 as in force at the date of execution thereof) 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 each such Series; provided, that no such supplemental indenture shall (a) extend the final maturity of any 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 thereof, or reduce the amount of principal of an Original Issue Discount Security that would be due and payable upon an acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 5.1 or the amount provable in bankruptcy pursuant to Section 5.2, or impair or affect the right of any Securityholder to institute suit for payment thereof or, if the Securities provide therefor, any right of repayment at the option of the Securityholder without the consent of the Holder of each Security so affected, or (b) 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.

Upon the request of the Company, accompanied by a copy of a Board Resolution authorizing the execution of any such supplemental indenture, and upon the filing with the Trustee of evidence of the consent of Securityholders as aforesaid and other documents, if any, required by Section 7.1, the Trustee shall join with the Company 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 Company and the Trustee of any supplemental indenture pursuant to the provisions of this Section, the Company shall give notice in the manner and to the extent provided in Section 11.4 to the Holders of Securities of each Series affected thereby at their addresses as they shall appear on the registry books of the Company, setting forth in general terms the substance of such supplemental indenture. Any failure of the Company to mail such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture.

 

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SECTION 8.3 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 Company and the Holders of Securities of each Series and Holders of Coupons affected thereby shall thereafter be determined, exercised and enforced hereunder subject in all respects to such modifications and amendments, and all the terms and conditions of any such supplemental indenture shall be and be deemed to be part of the terms and conditions of this Indenture for any and all purposes.

SECTION 8.4 Documents to Be Given to Trustee . The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall be provided with an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel as conclusive evidence that any supplemental indenture executed pursuant to this Article Eight complies with the applicable provisions and is authorized or permitted by of this Indenture.

SECTION 8.5 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, upon the direction of the Company, a notation in form satisfactory to the Trustee for such Series as to any matter provided for by such supplemental indenture or as to any action taken at any such meeting. If the Company 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 Company, authenticated by the Trustee and delivered in exchange for the Securities of such Series then outstanding.

ARTICLE NINE

CONSOLIDATION, MERGER, SALE OR CONVEYANCE

SECTION 9.1 Company May Consolidate, etc., on Certain Terms . The Company covenants that it will not merge or consolidate with any other corporation or sell or convey all or substantially all of its assets to any Person, unless (i) either the Company shall be the continuing corporation, or the successor corporation or the Person which acquires by sale or conveyance substantially all the assets of the Company (if other than the Company) shall be a corporation organized under the laws of the United States of America or any State thereof and shall expressly assume the due and punctual payment of the principal of and interest on all the Securities, 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 Company, by supplemental indenture satisfactory to the Trustee, executed and delivered to the Trustee by such corporation, and (ii) the Company or such successor corporation, as the case may be, shall not, immediately after such merger or consolidation, or such sale or conveyance, be in default in the performance of any such covenant or condition.

 

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SECTION 9.2 Successor Corporation Substituted . In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale or conveyance, and following such an assumption by the successor corporation, such successor corporation shall succeed to and be substituted for the Company, 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 Company prior to such succession any or all of the Securities issuable hereunder which theretofore shall not have been signed by the Company and delivered to the Trustee; and, upon the Company Order of such successor corporation instead of the Company and subject to all the terms, conditions and limitations in this Indenture prescribed, the Trustee shall authenticate and shall deliver any Securities which previously shall have been signed and delivered by the officers of the Company 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 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 phraseology and form (but not in substance) may be made in the Securities 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 Company 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 9.3 Opinion of Counsel to Trustee . The Trustee, subject to the provisions of Sections 6.1 and 6.2, shall be provided with an Opinion of Counsel, prepared in accordance with Section 11.5, 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 TEN

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE OF INDENTURE; UNCLAIMED MONEYS

SECTION 10.1 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture . (A) If at any time (a) the Company shall have paid or caused to be paid the principal of and interest on all the Securities of any Series and Coupons, if any, appertaining thereto Outstanding hereunder (other than Securities and Coupons which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9) as and when the same shall have become due and payable, or (b) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee for cancellation all Securities of any Series and Coupons theretofore authenticated (other than any Securities of such Series and Coupons which have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9) or (c)(i) all the Securities of such Series and Coupons 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, and (ii) the Company shall have irrevocably deposited or caused to

 

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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 Company in accordance with Section 10.4) or U.S. Government Obligations, as defined below, maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as will ensure the availability of cash sufficient to pay at maturity or upon redemption all Securities of such Series and Coupons (other than any Securities of such Series and Coupons which shall have been destroyed, lost or stolen and which shall have been replaced or paid as provided in Section 2.9) not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, including principal and interest due or to become due to such date of maturity as the case may be, and if, in any such case, the Company shall also pay or cause to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company with respect to Securities of such Series and Coupons, then this Indenture shall cease to be of further effect with respect to Securities of such Series and Coupons (except as to (i) rights of registration of transfer and exchange, and the Company’s right of optional redemption, (ii) substitution of mutilated, defaced, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities and Coupons, (iii) rights of Holders 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 and immunities of the Trustee hereunder and (v) the rights of the Securityholders of such Series as beneficiaries hereof with respect to the property so deposited with the Trustee payable to all or any of them), and the Trustee, on demand of the Company accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel and at the cost and expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging such satisfaction of and discharging this Indenture with respect to such Series; provided, that the rights of Holders of the Securities and Holders of 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 Company 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, the Securities of such Series and Coupons.

(B) In addition to the provisions of Section 10.1(A), the Company may terminate its obligations under the Securities of any Series and this Indenture with respect to such Series, except those obligations referred to in the penultimate paragraph of this Section 10.1, if the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee, under the terms of an irrevocable trust agreement in form and substance satisfactory to the Trustee, as trust funds in trust solely for the benefit of the Securityholders of such Series for that purpose, (i) cash or (ii) direct noncallable obligations of, or noncallable obligations guaranteed by, the United States of America or an agency thereof for the payment of which guarantee or obligation the full faith and credit of the United States of America is pledged (“U.S. Government Obligations”), or a combination thereof, maturing as to principal and interest in such amounts and at such times as are sufficient, without consideration of any reinvestment of such principal or interest, to pay the principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series and Coupons to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, provided that the Trustee shall have been irrevocably instructed to apply such money or the proceeds of such U.S. Government Obligations to the payment of said principal of and interest on the Outstanding Securities and Coupons of such Series.

 

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Such irrevocable trust agreement shall include, among other things, provision for (1) payment of the principal of and interest on the Securities of such Series and Coupons when due (by redemption, sinking fund payments or otherwise), (2) the payment of the expenses of the Trustee incurred or to be incurred in connection with carrying out such trust provisions, (3) rights of registration, transfer, substitution and exchange of Securities of such Series and Coupons in accordance with the terms stated in this Indenture and (4) continuation of the rights and obligations and immunities of the Trustee as against the Securityholders of such Series as stated in this Indenture.

Notwithstanding the first paragraph of this Section 10.1(B), the Company’s obligations, if any, in Sections 2.8, 2.9, 3.1, 3.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 6.6, 6.10, 10.4 and 10.5 shall survive until the Securities of such Series and Coupons, if any, are no longer Outstanding; provided, however, that the Company’s obligations, if any, in Section 5.1 shall survive only with respect to Events of Default as defined in Sections 5.1(a), 5.1(b), and 5.1(c). Thereafter, the Company’s obligations, if any, in Sections 6.6, 10.4 and 10.5 shall survive such satisfaction and discharge.

After any such irrevocable deposit, in each case sufficient, in the opinion of an independent firm or certified public accountants, accompanied by an Officer’s Certificate which shall state that the provisions of the first two paragraphs of this Section 10.1(B) have been complied with, and upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of an opinion of independent legal counsel who shall be satisfactory to the Trustee to the effect that Securityholders of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amount and in the same manner and at the same time as would have been the case if such deposit and discharge had not occurred, then the Company shall be discharged of its obligations under the Securities of such Series and this Indenture with respect to such Series except for those surviving obligations specified above, and the Trustee upon request shall acknowledge in writing such discharge. Prior to the delivery of such acknowledgment, the Trustee may require the Company to deliver to it an Officer’s Certificate and Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for herein relating to the deposit and discharge contemplated by this provision have been complied with, and the Trustee may also require that the Opinion of Counsel shall also state that such deposit does not violate applicable law.

SECTION 10.2 Application by Trustee of Funds Deposited for Payment of Securities . Subject to Section 10.4, all moneys deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 10.1 shall be held in trust and applied by it to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (including the Company acting as its own Paying Agent), to the Holders of the particular Securities of such Series and any 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 10.3 Repayment of Moneys Held by Paying Agent . In connection with the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture with respect to Securities of any Series or Coupons, all moneys then held by any Paying Agent under the provisions of this Indenture with respect to such Series of Securities or Coupons shall, upon demand of the Company, be repaid to the Company or paid to the Trustee and thereupon such Paying Agent shall be released from all further liability with respect to such moneys.

 

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SECTION 10.4 Return of Unclaimed Moneys Held by Trustee and Paying Agent . 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 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 Company and unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property law, be repaid to the Company by the Trustee for such Series or such Paying Agent, and the Holder of the Security of such Series or Holders of Coupons appertaining thereto shall, unless otherwise required by mandatory provisions of applicable escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property laws, thereafter look only to the Company 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.

SECTION 10.5 Reinstatement of Company’s Obligations . If the Trustee is unable to apply any funds or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 10.1 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the Company’s obligations under this Indenture and the Securities of any Series for which such application is prohibited shall be revived and reinstated as if no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 10.1 until such time as the Trustee is permitted to apply all such funds or U.S. Government Obligations in accordance with Section 10.1; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of interest on or principal of any of such Securities or Coupons because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Securityholders of such Securities to receive such payment from the funds or U.S. Government Obligations held by the Trustee.

ARTICLE ELEVEN

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

SECTION 11.1 Incorporators, Stockholders, Officers and Directors of Company Exempt from Individual Liability . No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained in this Indenture, in any Security or Coupon appertaining thereto, 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 Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company 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 by the Holders thereof and as part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

SECTION 11.2 Provisions of Indenture for the Sole Benefit of Parties and Securityholders . Nothing in this Indenture or in the Securities, expressed or implied, shall give or be construed to give to any Person, firm or corporation, other than the parties hereto, any Paying Agent and their successors hereunder and the Holders of the Securities and Coupons, if any, any legal or equitable right,

 

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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.

SECTION 11.3 Successors and Assigns of Company Bound by Indenture . All the covenants, stipulations, promises and agreements in this Indenture contained by or on behalf of the Company shall bind its successors and assigns, whether so expressed or not.

SECTION 11.4 Notices and Demands on Company, Trustee and Securityholders . Any notice or demand which by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Trustee, by the Holders of Securities, or by the Holders of Coupons to or on the Company 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 Company is filed by the Company with the Trustee) to The Dow Chemical Company, 2030 Dow Center, Midland, Michigan 48674 Attention: Vice President and Treasurer, except that any notices required or permitted to be given under Section 5.1 hereof shall be given or served by registered or certified mail only. Any notice, direction, request or demand by the Company or any Securityholder to or upon the Trustee shall be deemed to have been sufficiently given or made, for all purposes, if given or made at the Corporate Trust Office.

Where this Indenture provides for notice to Holders of any event, (1) if any of the Securities affected by such event are Registered Securities, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if in writing and mailed by first-class mail, postage prepaid to such Registered Holders as their names and addresses appear in the Security register within the time prescribed and (2) if any of the Securities affected by such event are Unregistered Securities, such notice shall be sufficiently given (unless otherwise herein expressly provided) if published once in a newspaper of general circulation in New York, New York and London, England and in such other city or cities as may be specified in such Securities within the time prescribed. 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 any case where notice to 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, and any notice which is mailed in the manner herein provided shall be conclusively presumed to have been duly given.

In case, by reason of the suspension of or irregularities in regular mail service, it shall be impracticable to mail notice to the Company and Securityholders 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 satisfactory to the Trustee shall be deemed to be a sufficient giving of such notice.

SECTION 11.5 Officer’s Certificates and Opinions of Counsel; Statements to Be Contained Therein . Upon any application or demand by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under any of the provisions of this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate stating that all conditions precedent provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action

 

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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 (other than certificates provided pursuant to Section 4.3(d)) 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 Company 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 Company, upon the certificate, statement or opinion of or representations by an officer or officers of the Company, 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.

Any certificate, statement or opinion of an officer of the Company 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 Company, 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 the Trustee shall contain a statement that such firm is independent.

SECTION 11.6 Payments Due on Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays . If the date of maturity of interest on or principal or premium, if any, of the Securities of any Series or 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, principal or premium, if any, 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.

 

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SECTION 11.7 Conflict of Any Provision of Indenture with Trust Indenture Act of 1939 . If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by any of Sections 310 through 317 of the Trust Indenture Act, by the operation of Section 318(c) thereof, such imposed duties shall control, except as, and to the extent, expressly excluded from this Indenture, as permitted by the Trust Indenture Act. If any provision of this Indenture modifies or excludes any provision of the Trust Indenture Act that may be so modified or excluded, the latter provision shall be deemed to apply to this Indenture as so modified or excluded, as the case may be.

SECTION 11.8 New York Law to Govern; Waiver of Jury Trial . This Indenture and each Security 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 without regard to conflicts of laws principles thereof.

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

SECTION 11.9 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 Determination of Principal Amount; Calculation of Original Issue Discount . In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities of any Series have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, or whether sufficient funds are available for redemption or for any other purpose, 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 5.1 and the principal amount of any Securities denominated in a Foreign Currency or ECU that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be determined by converting the Foreign Currency or the Specified Amount of each Component Currency into Dollars at the Market Exchange Rate as of the date of such determination.

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

 

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SECTION 11.12 Force Majeure . In no event shall the Trustee be responsible or liable for any failure or delay in the performance of its obligations hereunder arising out of or caused by, directly or indirectly, any forces which are reasonably beyond its control, including, without limitation strikes, work stoppages, accidents, acts of war or terrorism, civil or military disturbances, nuclear or natural catastrophes or acts of God, and interruptions, loss or malfunctions of utilities, communications or computer (software and hardware) services (provided, in each such case, such forces are outside of the Trustee’s control) ; it being understood that the Trustee shall use reasonable efforts which are at least consistent with accepted practices in the banking industry and no less rigorous than those efforts expended on other clients similarly situated to the Company to resume performance as soon as practicable under the circumstances.

ARTICLE TWELVE

REDEMPTION OF SECURITIES AND SINKING FUNDS

SECTION 12.1 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 2.3 for Securities of such Series.

SECTION 12.2 Notice of Redemption; Partial Redemptions . Notice of redemption to the Holders of Securities of any Series to be redeemed as a whole or in part at the option of the Company shall be given by giving notice of such redemption as provided in Section 11.4, at least 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption to such Holders of Securities of such Series; provided that the Trustee be given at least 15 days notice prior to sending the notice of redemption. 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 identify the Securities to be redeemed (including CUSIP number) and shall specify the date fixed for redemption, the redemption price (or the method of calculating the redemption price), the place or places of payment, that payment will be made upon presentation and surrender of such Securities, and that, unless otherwise specified in such notice, Coupon Securities, if any, surrendered for payment must be accompanied by all Coupons maturing subsequent to the redemption date, failing which the amount of any such missing Coupon or Coupons will be deducted from the sum due for payment, 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 and that, if less than all of the Outstanding Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the identification and principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed. In case any Security of a Series is to be redeemed in part, 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.

 

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

On or prior to 10 a.m., New York City time, the redemption date specified in the notice of redemption given as provided in this Section, the Company will deposit with the Trustee or with one or more paying agents (or, if the Company is acting as its own paying agent, set aside, segregate and hold in trust as provided in Section 3.4) an amount of money 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 Company will deliver to the Trustee at least 60 days prior to the date fixed for redemption an Officer’s Certificate stating the aggregate principal amount of Securities to be redeemed.

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, 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 Company 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 12.3 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 Company 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, except as provided in Sections 6.5 and 10.4, 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, said Securities or the specified portions thereof shall be paid and redeemed by the Company at the applicable redemption price, together with interest accrued thereon to the date fixed for redemption; provided that any semiannual payment of interest on Registered Securities becoming due on the date fixed for redemption shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities registered as such on the relevant record date subject to the terms and provisions of Section 2.7 hereof.

 

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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 borne by the Security.

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

SECTION 12.4 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 a written statement signed by an authorized officer of the Company and delivered to the Trustee at least 60 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 Company or (b) an entity specifically identified in such written statement directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company.

SECTION 12.5 Mandatory and Optional Sinking Funds . The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “mandatory sinking fund payment,” and any payment in excess of such minimum amount provided for by the terms of Securities of 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 Company 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 Company or receive credit for Securities of such Series (not previously so credited) theretofore purchased or otherwise acquired (except as aforesaid) by the Company 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 Company 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 sixtieth day next preceding each sinking fund payment date for any Series, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officer’s Certificate (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, (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, (d) stating whether or not the Company intends to exercise its right to make an optional sinking fund payment with respect to such Series and, if so, specifying the amount of such optional sinking fund payment which the Company intends to pay on or before the next succeeding sinking fund payment date and

 

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(e) specifying such sinking fund payment date. Any Securities of such Series to be credited and required to be delivered to the Trustee in order for the Company 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 Officers’ Certificate written statement (or reasonably promptly thereafter if acceptable to the Trustee). Such Officers’ Certificate shall be irrevocable and upon its receipt by the Trustee the Company 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 Company, on or before any such sixtieth day, to deliver such written statement 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 Company (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 Company 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 a lesser sum if the Company 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 less and the Company makes no such request then it shall be carried over until a sum in excess of $50,000 is available. The Trustee shall select, in the manner provided in Section 12.2, 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 possible, and shall (if requested in writing by the Company) inform the Company of the serial numbers of the Securities of such Series (or portions thereof) so selected. Securities of any Series which are identified by registration and certificate number in an Officer’s Certificate at least 60 days prior to the sinking fund payment date as being beneficially owned by, and not pledged or hypothecated by, the Company or an entity directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with the Company shall be excluded from Securities of such Series eligible for selection for redemption. The Trustee, in the name and at the expense of the Company (or the Company, if it shall so notify 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 12.2 (and with the effect provided in Section 12.3) for the redemption of Securities of such Series in part at the option of the Company. 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 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.

 

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On or before each sinking fund payment date, the Company 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 such sinking fund payment date.

The Trustee shall not redeem or cause to be redeemed any Securities of a Series with sinking fund moneys or mail or publish 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 mailing or publication 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 Company 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 Five 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, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
By:  

/s/ Fernando Ruiz

Name:   Fernando Ruiz
Title:   Corporate Vice President and Treasurer
THE BANK OF NEW YORK TRUST COMPANY, N.A., as trustee
By:  

/s/ M. Callahan

Name:   M. Callahan
Title:   Vice President

 

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Exhibit 4.2

[FORM OF NOTE]

UNLESS THIS CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY (55 WATER STREET, NEW YORK, NEW YORK) (THE “DEPOSITORY”) 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.

 

REGISTERED   REGISTERED

THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

5.70% NOTES DUE MAY 15, 2018

CUSIP NO. 260543 BV 4

ISIN NO. US260543BV48

 

No. R-     US$

THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY, a Delaware corporation (herein called the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE & CO., or registered assigns, the principal sum of [PRINCIPAL AMOUNT] DOLLARS (US$•,000,000) on May 15, 2018, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, and to pay interest thereon semi-annually on each May 15 and November 15 (each an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing November 15, 2008 and at maturity on said principal sum, in such coin or currency of the United States of America as at the time of payment shall be legal tender for the payment of public and private debts, at the rate per annum specified in the title of this Security, from the May 15 or November 15, as the case may be, next preceding the date of this Security to which interest has been paid, unless the date hereof is a date to which interest has been paid, in which case from the date of this Security, or unless no interest has been paid on this Security, in which case from May 6, 2008, until payment of said principal sum has been made or duly provided for. Payments of such principal and interest shall be made at the office or agency of the Company in Chicago, Illinois, which, subject to the right of the Company to vary or terminate the appointment of such agency, shall initially be at the principal office of The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., Two North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602; provided , that payment of interest may be made at the option of the Company by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address shall appear on the Security register; provided , further that so long as CEDE & CO. or another nominee of the Depository is the registered owner of this Security payments of principal and interest will be made in immediately available funds through the Depository’s Same-Day Funds Settlement


System. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the date hereof is after April 30 or October 31, as the case may be, and before the following May 15 or November 15, this Security shall bear interest from such May 15 or November 15; provided , that if the Company shall default in the payment of interest due on such May 15 or November 15, then this Security shall bear interest from the next preceding May 15 or November 15, to which interest has been paid or, if no interest has been paid on this Security, from May 6, 2008. The interest payable on any May 15 or November 15 will, subject to certain exceptions provided in the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof, be paid to the person in whose name this Security is registered at the close of business on the April 30 or October 31 (each a “Record Date”), as the case may be, next preceding such May 15 or November 15, and the interest payable at maturity will be payable to the person to whom the principal hereof shall be payable.

Reference is made to the further provisions of this Security set forth on the reverse hereof. Such further provisions shall for all purposes have the same effect as though fully set forth at this place.

This Security shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose until the certificate of authentication hereon shall have been signed by the Trustee under the Indenture referred to on the reverse hereof.

[Signatures appear on next page]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY has caused this instrument to be signed by facsimile by its duly authorized representative.

Dated: May 6, 2008

[SEAL]

 

Attest:     THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
By:  

 

    By:  

 

  W. Michael McGuire       Fernando Ruiz
  Assistant Secretary       Corporate Vice President and Treasurer

 

3


TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION

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

 

The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A.,

as Trustee

By:  

 

  Authorized Signatory

 

4


THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY

5.70% NOTES DUE MAY 15, 2018

Section 1. General . This Note is one of a duly authorized issue of securities of the Company (herein called the “Securities”), issued and to be issued in one or more series under an Indenture, dated as of May 1, 2008 (the “Indenture”), between The Dow Chemical Company (the “Company”) and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (herein called the “Trustee”, which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon which the Securities are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of the Securities of the series designated on the face hereof.

Section 2. Redemption; Sinking Fund . (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) below, the Securities are not redeemable prior to maturity.

(b) The Securities are redeemable, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at the option of the Company at a redemption price equal to the greater of:

(i) 100% of the principal amount of the Securities to be redeemed on that redemption date; and

(ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest on the Securities being redeemed on that redemption date (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption), discounted to the date of redemption on a semi-annual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below), plus 30 basis points,

plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of redemption.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, installments of interest on Securities that are due and payable on interest payment dates falling on or prior to a redemption date will be payable on the Interest Payment Date to the registered Holders as of the close of business on the relevant Record Date according to this Security and the Indenture.

“Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury security selected by the Quotation Agent as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term (as measured from the date of redemption) of the Securities 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 the Securities.

 

5


“Comparable Treasury Price” means, with respect to any redemption date, (i) the average of four Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such redemption date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (ii) if the trustee obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations, or (iii) if only one Reference Treasury Dealer Quotation is received, such quotation.

“Quotation Agent” means any Reference Treasury Dealer appointed by the Company.

“Reference Treasury Dealer” means (i) each of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, HSBC Securities (USA) Inc. and Greenwich Capital Markets, Inc. (or their respective affiliates that are Primary Treasury Dealers) and their respective successors; provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a primary U.S. Government securities dealer in New York City (a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer, and (ii) any other Primary Treasury Dealer selected by the Company.

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

“Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any redemption date, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the Comparable Treasury Issue, assuming 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.

(c) The Securities will not be subject to any sinking fund.

Section 3. Repurchase at the Option of Holders Upon Change of Control Repurchase Event

(a) If a Change of Control Repurchase Event (as defined below) occurs, unless the Company has exercised its right to redeem the Securities as provided in Section 2 above, the Company will make an offer to each Holder of Securities to repurchase all or any part (in integral multiples of $1,000) of that Holder’s Securities at a repurchase price in cash equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of Securities repurchased plus any accrued and unpaid interest on the Securities repurchased to the date of purchase.

(b) Within 30 days following any Change of Control Repurchase Event or, at the Company’s option, prior to any Change of Control (as defined below), but after the public announcement of an impending Change of Control, the Company will mail a notice to each Holder, with a copy to the Trustee, describing the transaction or transactions that constitute or may constitute the Change of Control Repurchase Event and offering to repurchase Securities on the payment 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 notice shall, if mailed prior to the date of

 

6


consummation of the Change of Control, state that the offer to purchase is conditioned on the Change of Control Repurchase Event occurring on or prior to the payment date specified in the notice.

(c) We will 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 the Securities as a result of a Change of Control Repurchase Event. To the extent that the provisions of any securities laws or regulations conflict with this Section 3, the Company will comply with the applicable securities laws and regulations and will not be deemed to have breached its obligations under this Section 3 by virtue of such conflict.

(d) On the Change of Control Repurchase Event payment date, the Company will, to the extent lawful:

(i) accept for payment all Securities or portions of Securities (in integral multiples of $1,000) properly tendered pursuant to the aforementioned offer;

(ii) deposit with the paying agent an amount equal to the aggregate purchase price in respect of all Securities or portions of Securities properly tendered; and

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

(e) The paying agent will promptly mail to each Holder of Securities properly tendered the purchase price for the Securities, and the Trustee will promptly authenticate and mail (or cause to be transferred by book-entry) to each Holder a new Security equal in principal amount to any unpurchased portion of any Securities surrendered; provided, that each new Security will be in a principal amount of $2,000 or an integral multiple of $1,000 above that amount.

(f) The Company will not be required to make an offer to repurchase the Securities upon a Change of Control Repurchase Event if a third party makes such an offer in the manner, at the times and otherwise in compliance with the requirements for an offer made by the Company and such third party purchases all Securities properly tendered and not withdrawn under its offer.

(g) The following terms for purposes of this Section 3 shall have the respective meanings specified below:

“Below Investment Grade Rating Event” means the rating on the Securities is lowered by each of the Rating Agencies and the Securities are rated below Investment Grade by each of the Rating Agencies 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 a Change of Control (which period shall be extended so long as the rating of the Securities is under publicly announced consideration

 

7


for possible downgrade by any of the Rating Agencies); provided that a Below Investment Grade Rating Event otherwise arising by virtue of a particular reduction in rating shall not be deemed to have occurred in respect of a particular Change of Control (and thus shall not be deemed a Below Investment Grade Rating Event for purposes of the definition of Change of Control Repurchase Event hereunder) if any of the Rating Agencies making the reduction in rating to which this definition would otherwise apply does not announce or publicly confirm or inform the Trustee in writing at its request that the reduction was the result, in whole or in part, of any event or circumstance comprised of or arising as a result of, or in respect of, the applicable Change of Control (whether or not the applicable Change of Control shall have occurred at the time of the Below Investment Grade Rating Event).

“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 Company and those of its subsidiaries taken as a whole to any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company or one or more of its subsidiaries;

(2) the consummation of any transaction or series of related transactions (including, without limitation, any merger or consolidation) the result of which is that any “person” or “group” (as those terms are used for purposes of Section 13(d)(3) of the Exchange Act), other than the Company or one of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the then outstanding number of shares of the Company’s Voting Stock, measured by voting power rather than number of shares;

(3) the Company consolidates with, or merges with or into, any Person, or any Person consolidates with, or merges with or into, the Company, in any such event pursuant to a transaction in which any of the outstanding Voting Stock of the Company or such other Person is converted into or exchanged for cash, securities or other property, other than any such transaction where the shares of the Voting Stock of the Company outstanding immediately prior to such transaction constitute, or are converted into or exchanged for, a majority of the Voting Stock of the surviving Person immediately after giving effect to such transaction;

(4) the first day on which a majority of the members of the Company’s Board of Directors are not Continuing Directors; or

(5) the adoption of a plan relating to the Company’s liquidation or dissolution.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a transaction will not be considered to be a Change of Control under clause (2) above if (a) the Company becomes a direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of a holding company and (b) (y) immediately following that transaction, the direct or indirect Holders of the Voting Stock of the holding company are substantially the same as the Holders of the

 

8


Company’s Voting Stock immediately prior to that transaction or (z) immediately following that transaction, no person (as that term is used in Section 13(d) (3) of the Exchange Act) is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the Voting Stock of the holding company.

“Change of Control Repurchase 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 Company’s Board of Directors who (1) was a member of such Board of Directors on the date of the issuance of the Securities; 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 a specific vote or by approval of our proxy statement in which such member was named as a nominee for election as a director).

“Fitch” means Fitch Ratings Ltd.

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

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

“Rating Agency” means (1) each of Fitch, Moody’s and S&P; and (2) if any of Fitch, Moody’s or S&P ceases to rate the Securities or fails to make a rating of the Securities publicly available for reasons outside of the Company’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 Company as a replacement agency for Fitch, Moody’s or S&P, as the case may be.

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

“Voting Stock” means, with respect to any person, capital stock of any class or kind the Holders of which are ordinarily, in the absence of contingencies, entitled to vote for the election of directors (or persons performing similar functions) of such person, even if the right so to vote has been suspended by the happening of such a contingency.

Section 4. Events of Default . If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of this series shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Securities of this series may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

Section 5. Modifications and Waivers; Obligation of the Company Absolute . The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and the rights of the

 

9


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

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of and interest on this Security at the times, places and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein prescribed.

Section 6. Authorized Denominations . The Securities are issuable in registered form, without coupons, in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof. As provided in the Indenture, and subject to certain limitations therein set forth and to the limitations described below, if applicable, Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount of Securities of this series and of like tenor of a different authorized denomination, as requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

Section 7. Registration of Transfer . As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security register upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the City of Chicago, duly endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form satisfactory to the Company and the securities registrar (which shall initially be the Trustee, Two North LaSalle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602 (Attention: Corporate Trust Department) or at such other address as it may designate as its principal corporate trust office in the City of Chicago), duly executed by the Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Securities of this series and of like tenor, of authorized denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees.

This Security is exchangeable only if (x) the Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for this Security or if at any time the Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, (y) the Company in its sole discretion determines that this Security shall be exchangeable for certificated Securities in registered form or (z) an Event of Default, or an event which with the passage of time or the giving of notice would become an Event of Default, with respect to the Securities represented hereby has occurred and is continuing, provided that the definitive Securities so issued in exchange for this permanent Security shall be in denominations of $2,000 and any integral multiple of $1,000 in excess thereof and be of like aggregate principal amount and tenor as the

 

10


portion of this permanent Security to be exchanged, and provided further that, unless the Company agrees otherwise, Securities of this series in certificated registered form will be issued in exchange for this permanent Security, or any portion hereof, only if such Securities in certificated registered form were requested by written notice to the Trustee or the Securities Registrar by or on behalf of a person who is beneficial owner of an interest hereof given through the Holder hereof. Except as provided above, owners of beneficial interests in this permanent Security will not be entitled to receive physical delivery of Securities in certificated registered form and will not be considered the Holders thereof for any purpose under the Indenture.

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

Section 8. Owners . Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer, the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Security is overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

Section 9. No Recourse Against Certain Persons . No recourse for the payment of the principal or interest on this Security, or for any claim based hereon or otherwise in respect hereof, and no recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement of the Company in the Indenture or any Supplemental Indenture thereto or in any Security, or because of the creation of any indebtedness represented thereby, shall be had against any incorporator, stockholder, officer or director, as such, past, present or future, of the Company or of any successor corporation of either of them, either directly or through the Company or any successor corporation of either of them, whether by virtue of any constitution, statute or rule or law or by the enforcement of any assessment or penalty or otherwise, all such liability being by the acceptance hereof and as a condition of and as part of the consideration for the issue hereof, expressly waived and released.

Section 10. Defeasance . The Indenture with respect to any series will be discharged and cancelled except for certain Sections thereof, subject to the terms of the Indenture, upon payment of all of the Securities of such series or upon the irrevocable deposit with the Trustee of cash or U.S. Government Obligations (or a combination thereof) sufficient for such payment in accordance with Article Ten of the Indenture.

Section 11. Governing Law; Jurisdiction . The Indenture and the Securities shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

Section 12. Defined Terms . All terms used in this Security which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

 

11


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 -   

 

  
   (Minor)   
Custodian   

 

  
   (Cust)   
Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act   

 

  
   (State)   

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


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 TYPEWRITE NAME AND ADDRESS INCLUDING POSTAL ZIP CODE OF ASSIGNEE

 

 

   

 

   

 

   

the within Security and all rights thereunder, hereby irrevocably constituting and appointing                                          attorney to transfer said Security on the books of the Company, with full power of substitution in the premises.

 

Dated:  

 

Signature:  

 

 

NOTICE:   THE SIGNATURE TO THIS ASSIGNMENT MUST CORRESPOND WITH THE NAME AS WRITTEN UPON THE FACE OF THE WITHIN INSTRUMENT IN EVERY PARTICULAR, WITHOUT ALTERATION OR ENLARGEMENT OR ANY CHANGE WHATEVER.

 

2

Exhibit 5.1

May 6, 2008

The Dow Chemical Company

2030 Dow Center

Midland, Michigan 48674

Ladies and Gentlemen:

I am Assistant General Counsel, Corporate and Financial Law of The Dow Chemical Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and I have supervised the legal and corporate proceedings of the Company relating to the issuance and sale by the Company of U.S. $800,000,000 of the Company’s 5.70% Notes due May 15, 2018 (the “Securities”), pursuant to the Indenture dated as of May 1, 2008 (the “Indenture”), between the Company, as issuer, and The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A. as trustee (the “Trustee”).

In rendering the opinions expressed below, I have supervised the examination of the following:

 

  a. The Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company and all amendments thereto;

 

  b. the Bylaws of the Company and all amendments thereto;

 

  c. the Indenture; and

 

  d. the underwriting agreement, dated May 1, 2008, among the Company, Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Incorporated, Greenwich Capital Markets Inc. and HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., as representatives of the several underwriters named in Schedule I thereto (the “Underwriting Agreement”).

I have also supervised the examination of originals or certified copies of resolutions of the Board of Directors of the Company and such other documents, corporate records, certificates of public authorities, and other documents and instruments as I have deemed necessary or advisable for the purpose of rendering the opinions hereinafter expressed. In such examination, I have assumed (i) the due execution and delivery, pursuant to due authorization, of the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture by all parties thereto other than the Company, (ii) the genuineness of all signatures (other than signatures on behalf of the Company), (iii) the authenticity of all documents submitted as originals and the conformity to originals of documents submitted as copies, and (iv) the legal capacity of all natural persons, other than persons signing on behalf of the Company, executing the Underwriting Agreement and the Indenture. A s to various questions of fact that are material to the opinions hereinafter expressed, I have, when such facts were not independently established by me or members of the legal staff reporting to me, relied upon the representations and certificates of officers of the Company and of public officials.

Based upon the foregoing and upon such investigations as I have deemed necessary, and subject to the qualifications hereinafter set forth, it is my opinion that:

(i) The Company has been duly incorporated and is validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the State of Delaware.

(ii) The Securities have been duly authorized, and when issued and delivered pursuant to the Underwriting Agreement, the Securities will have been executed, issued and delivered by the Company and, assuming the due authentication thereof by the Trustee, constitute valid and legally binding obligations of the Company, entitled to the benefits provided by the Indenture and enforceable in accordance with their terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.

(iii) The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and (assuming due authorization, execution, and delivery by the Trustee) constitutes a valid and legally binding agreement of the Company, enforceable in accordance with its terms except as the same may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other laws of general applicability relating to or affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights and to general equity principles.


I do not purport to be an expert on, or to express any opinion concerning matters under or involving any law other than the law of the State of Michigan, the law of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (which includes applicable provisions of the Delaware Statutes and the Delaware Constitution and reported judicial decisions interpreting those laws) and applicable federal law of the United States of America. The opinions expressed in this letter are based upon the laws in effect on the date hereof, and I assume no obligation to revise or supplement this opinion should such laws be changed by legislative action, judicial decision, or otherwise.

I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Company’s Form S-3 Registration Statement and to the reference to me under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement.

 

Very truly yours,

/s/ Kenneth D. Isley

Kenneth D. Isley
Assistant General Counsel—Corporate and Financial Law

Exhibit 12.1

The Dow Chemical Company and Subsidiaries

Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges

(Unaudited)

 

       Three Months Ended     For the year ended December 31,  
       2008     2007     2007     2006     2005     2004     2003  
                 (in millions)  

Net income from continuing operations

   $ 941     $ 973     $ 2,887     $ 3,724     $ 4,535     $ 2,797     $ 1,739  

Add (deduct):

              

Income taxes

     299       335       1,244       1,155       1,782       877       (82 )

Capitalized interest

     (26 )     (23 )     (85 )     (73 )     (56 )     (48 )     (48 )

Amortization of capitalized interest

     21       20       79       70       70       65       65  

Equity in earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates

     (274 )     (274 )     (1,122 )     (959 )     (964 )     (923 )     (322 )

Distributed income of earnings of nonconsolidated affiliates

     319       230       774       616       495       370       130  

Minority interests’ share in income

     24       25       98       93       82       122       94  

Preferred security dividends

     (20 )     (20 )     (81 )     (77 )     (65 )     (54 )     (53 )
                                                        

Adjusted earnings

   $ 1,284     $ 1,266     $ 3,794     $ 4,549     $ 5,879     $ 3,206     $ 1,523  

Fixed charges:

              

Interest expense including amortization of debt discount and capitalized debt costs

   $ 145     $ 146     $ 584     $ 616     $ 702     $ 747     $ 828  

Capitalized interest

     26       23       85       73       56       48       48  

Preferred security dividends

     20       20       81       77       65       54       53  

Rental expense - interest component

     28       29       124       131       133       135       121  
                                                        

Total fixed charges

   $ 219     $ 218     $ 874     $ 897     $ 956     $ 984     $ 1,050  

Earnings available for the payment of fixed charges

   $ 1,503     $ 1,484     $ 4,668     $ 5,446     $ 6,835     $ 4,190     $ 2,573  

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges

     6.9 x     6.8 x     5.3 x     6.1 x     7.2 x     4.3 x     2.5 x